One of our clients, a large auto dealer, called this morning to say one of our crews had broken a back window while pressure washing their cars. This happens once or twice a year – sometimes when it’s really hot and sometimes when it’s cold. When the water hits a window that had a crack or a pit, it will crack all the way across or even shatter. We always cover the damage (just like we did this time).
But this dealer had a new general manager who only had a few weeks experience with our company. So he told one of his guys to call us and say we could pay for the damage or he would get another company to wash his cars.
It’s too bad that he felt he had to make threats to get us to do the right thing. But it’s easy to understand how he could get that attitude.
Unfortunately, too many of us expect that kind of response to a complaint, no matter what kind of company. I remember picking my car up from a repair shop and having a grease stain on the seat and they acted like I was nuts when I asked them to clean it. Or ordering something online that arrives broken in the box and the only way to contact someone about a replacement is an email that doesn’t get answered.
So we look at this as another chance to show we’re different, even though we’ll be washing their cars for free for awhile to pay for that window. But we stand behind our work – no matter what. That’s what a guarantee is, right?