should we get back to basics?
    15 years
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I feel that when compared to our parents' times when we were kids, society is very impersonal. Sometimes very abrasive and standoffish.
Me, I try to just tolerate bad customer service, as long as I'm not harmed or get what I paid for.
Well, recently, I had a dispute at a car dealership, where they broke a sensor on my car. They really did it. It was totally denied and ignored, even by corporate. So I opened up a case at the BBB and their rating dropped from A+ to C+. Suddenly, I get a call--you state that it's the principle of it, and that you want us to give you $15, we get it, we didn't handle this properly. What can we do? We can do much better than $15. So I kind of half laugh and mention a $1,400 job for my car, and the person says we can do that. I told him, I don't actually need it, but being proactive. He said fine.
On the used car I just bought, well, a part was broken that seems to be common that I didn't notice. The dealer would charge $860 to do it, but they're fixing it as a courtesy.
These are high dollar amounts, which also demonstrate that labor is virtually free at dealerships in these situations, and parts are likely to be 40% of list. So they can do "big" jobs for free if they need to.
I'm just thinking the difference is making a personal connection with the decision maker. In the $1,400 situation, it is a guy in management above the service manager, who told me to pound sand.
getting back to basics
means doing the right thing.. not taking advantage of a situation. If you complained about a part they broke and they offered to fit it, that's what should be expected.
If they offer to do more, now they are being taken advantage of and shouldn't be considered if your really trying to get back to basics.
What would this teach your kids presuming you had any?
Never argue with a pig. It makes you look foolish and it anoys the hell out of the pig!
what I would say
there is a man whose book I read in the 80's (he's running for POTUS), and there's this concept called interest. I would teach my kids the time value of money. In case #1, there should have been no questions asked (for pete's sake the avg. selling price of their cars has to be 80k, and they broke the part while doing an alignment), and they should have offered to fix the damage that they inflicted. That window lasted for 3 days, they responded 2 mos. later. But there was never any response, from the dealership, nor the corporate office (and they always leave a paper on the seat to give them all 5's or they fail). I did the work myself, and because I wasn't holding my breath, moved on, but did file with the BBB.
The person who called said they can do much better than the $15 I was asking, do I want something else. You asked, and I answered. This is what we call business. If you do not want to do the $1,400 job, then send me $15--I am good either way. Again, the director was the one who initiated. And honestly, how much does this $1,400 job cost them? About 4 hours of a tech's time, not the $170hr. that they charge, and the parts which list for $800, they likely get for $350.
Now, on the 2nd case, that was total good faith. there was "NO" warranty except power train, but again I show the number to demonstrate how much good faith it was, $860 worth. Nice guy--I got there 7:45 and he had me out by 9:20, no paperwork, said try it out. Everything was fine.
What I'm trying to say is our normal day to day is very impersonal, maybe it should get more personal again. If I ran my own business, I'm not going to let rogue employees ruin my reputation--you break something, you speak up and fix it.
It's just how it is today.
It's just how it is today. Do more with less. Everyone is out for themselves. The rich stay rich the poor gets poorer. ETC...
You owe me something, you make it right, period !
You make me come after you, all bets are off, I will come at you with everything I have, no rules, no limits. I have better things to do then chase people who are flakes, so if you force me to, it will cost you!