The Worst Case Scenario - When it’s time to break the rules

Posted by Tony

August 21, 2007

Another gem of a customer service story from The Consumerist.

So, we all pretty much believe in following the rules. But what happens when the rules result in horrible customer service? Here is a story about a man and a car. See, the gentleman in question went to his favorite dealer to buy a new car. When he got home, still feeling warm and fuzzy and stinking of new car smell, he grabs the daily fishwrap to find that the dealer he just bought his car from was offering cash back on his car. WHAT!?!

See no one told him there was a cash back incentive. No one told him there was a sale. So he did what any good consumer would do - he called and talked to his salesman to discuss the oversight. The salesman dismissed him and said something to the effect of “Sorry Charlie”.

So he talks to the manager. The manager explains policy and procedure and why he would not be getting his due money. Now, the buyer could have written a stern letter to the dealership brass. He could have written a desperate letter to the FTC. He could have cuddled up into the fetal position in the back seat of his new car wiping his tears on his rich Corinthian leather as he cried himself to sleep. No, he took matters into his own hands.

“That day, Burley typed up a notice and printed out tens of copies. He went to the dealership manager’s office, who continued to try to stonewall him and refer to their “internal policy”. Burley opened the envelope and placed the flyers in front of the manager.

“What do you intend to do with those?” he asked.. “Mr. Smith,” I said coolly, even though my hands were sweaty and shaking, “at this point, it doesn’t really matter to me whether I get my money back or not. I am going to exercise my First Amendment right to stand on that public sidewalk in front of your dealership. I’ll hand one of these flyers to anybody walking onto your lot. I’ll be carrying a picket sign with the same message.”

The notice said: “AKAMAI MOTORS LIES TO ITS CUSTOMERS! They advertised a car at one price and then sold it to me for $1,200 more. For details, please call Ron Burley at [redacted].

I continued, “I’ll bet that, in just a handful of Saturdays, I can convince a couple of dozen people to shop elsewhere. It could end up that, by not paying me what’s due tme, you lose ten times that much in future business. It won’t put any cash in my pocket, but I’ll feel a lot better about things. What do you think?”

Mr Smith returned to let Burley know that bookkeeping was cutting his check at that very moment and he could pick it up on his way out.”

So, the moral of the story is, if you mess up a little - put yourself in the shoes of the other guy. If you aren’t willing to do what is right, be prepared to deal with the consequences. Customers and members are getting fed up with being abused. They have many retaliatory options available to them now that they didnt have only a few years ago. Websites like Yelp and Google Maps offer users the ability to critique your organization. Craigslist (one of THE most visited sites on the internet) has a section called Rants and Raves that has far more rants than raves.

Your reputation hangs in the balance. Fear of retaliation shouldn’t be your motivation to do the right thing. It should be part of your brand. We are in an industry where we tout “Member First” values. Live up to that and you will never have to deal with the likes of “Mr Burley”.