Poor "Customer Service"

In 2014, I purchased a 2011 BMW X5 and was recommended to purchase an after warranty/maintenance plan from Innovation, which I did. One of the requirements of the Innovation Moto-Drive 2 plan was that my vehicle had to be maintained by BMW for the entire period of the plan, this I did even though I could have saved a considerable amount of money servicing it elsewhere.

On the 1st of June 2018, I experienced my first problem with my vehicle whereby I had a handbrake failure, which required BMW on Call to come out and cut the handbrake cables to release the brakes. On Monday the 4th June, I contacted Innovation’s representative at the dealership where I purchased the vehicle and the Innovation Maintenance Plan, I was told that my car had to be taken into the BMW dealership, and “they would know what to do”. This I did and BMW Paarl contacted Innovation and after spending, an hour on the phone they were told that my maintenance plan had expired. The BMW representative pointed out that this was impossible, as firstly my car was below the 250000Kms the plan allows and my warranty/maintenance plan expired on the 6th June 2016 so it was within the 2-year period the plan covers. Innovation asked the BMW representative to ask me to call their administration department, which I did. After pointing out that the plan was still valid, they requested that BMW email them proof of the expiry of my warranty/maintenance plan and full service history of the car. Even though BMW had already done this, they once again forwarded the requested information.

On the 6th June I phoned BMW and asked what was happening with my car only to be told that they had not heard from Innovation so I called their Customer Service department and was told they could not find the documents that BMW had sent and requested them to be sent again (the 3rd time). I was then told their email was down so they could not assist me until it was online again. I asked if they had a fax so that I could fax them the documents but was told they do not have one. I made a second call on the 6th June to the Customer Service department and was advised that it had been referred to the Administrator who would get back to me within two hours. After waiting 3 hours, I again phoned the Customer Service department and was told the Administrator was on lunch. I phone for the fourth time on the 6th June and again spoke to their Customer Service department only to be put on hold for 24 minutes so I ended the call and phoned yet again. This time I spoke to Bernard in their Customer Service department who said he would follow up on it and phone me back, which he did within half an hour. Bernard advised that the part in question was not covered by the plan which I advised I totally disagreed with as I can understand brake shoes, brake pads and brake discs being excluded as they are normal wear and tear but a part that is responsible for operating the handbrake has to be covered as normal wear and tear does not apply to it and it was a mechanical failure which the plan covers. Bernard then advised that I could lodge an objection and I would be contacted by the Administrator, this I did and to today, I have not heard anything from them.

I am of the opinion that firstly Innovation have no clue about customer service and the product they are selling is only suitable for cars with standard braking systems and not advanced ones as used by BMW.