The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer
by Jeffrey K. Liker. Please read Mr. Turner
My father came down with Parkison's Disease from being exposed to Agent Orange in Viet Nam. He paid for the extended warranties. One of these warranties included the front windshield replacement and calibration of the pre-collision system which is tied to the camera on the front windshield. He called to invoke the warranty and was refused. He had the window replaced at his expense. He then found out that it would cost $1500 to have the pre-collision system calibrated.
Turner Toyota told me that it was a third party warranty and dealerships were not responsible for third parties. Wait, hold on I responded, TOYOTA sold the warranty on the third parties behalf! I, We and Us or who ever get stuck with a $2,000 dollar bill? +paying for the warranty. They read from the script. We can't help with the 2k window problem. That's a third party warranty and Toyota is not responsible for it. But a Toyota finance employee sold it to us. Not our responsibility. Toyota sold it to us! Toyota and the third party get to wash their hands of responsibility. Yes, and a loyal Toyota customer gets stuck with the bill? Yes, it is not our responsibility. So, I respond, Wow, no wonder people are going postal. I return 2 1/2 hours later for the diagnostic appointment. Give them my keys and retreat to the visitor waiting area. At this time I call Toyota headquarters. My goal is not to report Turner Toyota. They had nothing to do with the previous 8 months of Toyota repairs from an accident. (Toyota of Santa Fe) I was calling Toyota headquarters to discuss the whole third party BS and the fact that Toyota of Santa Fe received 31k for repairs and received the car in disrepair. While on the phone with Toyota Headquarters the lady on the phone asks for the vin #. I walked from the waiting room to the car park outside the service department. So, my contact with the service department at Turner of Toyota is going on 3 hours now. 3 hours to ask me to leave because of my previous, "I understand why people are going postal" statement. Duane, the service manager asks something. I respond, hold on a second. I am on the phone with Toyota headquarters. He gives me a disgusted look and turns away. I say wait, no, hold on this call is about the previous 8 months with Toyota and the bogus window warranty. He walks back to me and says, I heard what you said and you need to leave our premises. I am going to call the police. Wait, I 100% did not say that and you were not present. If you have video or sound recordings please play it. I leave the premises with a malfunctioning under warranty car and 2 miles from the dealership get pulled over by Montrose County sheriff and a Montrose City policeman. I give them my side of the story and ask that they watch the video or recording from Turner Toyota. I tell them that Duane, the service manager is 100% mistaken, he was not present. I simply stated, "no wonder people go postal". I did not direct any harmful statement against a Turner Toyota employee. So, during this entire brain cramp I am on the phone with Toyota Headquarters. Even while the police are questioning me. Heck, I made it to the scripted customer service 2nd tier and was assigned a case manager. She and he say, "Take the car to another dealership". No choice but to drive an hour and fifteen minutes home. I decide to call the owner of the dealership on the drive home. I try to explain what I said and that he had definitely received inflated and defamatory information. He responds, 'no one threatens my employees and hangs up".I absolutely did not threaten or raise my voice at any employee at Turner Toyota and strongly consider it defamation of my character to twist my words around because the service manager did not like me talking to Toyota headquarters.Even though the call to headquarters had absolutely nothing to do with Turner Toyota of Montrose. read more
