Oh! Great Big Sigh. . .
I'm wrestling with what has to be dubbed the 'NEW NORMAL' in the world of all things illusion. I don't like it!
I had my Tucson serviced a couple weeks ago. After receiving my 4th email request from the service manager to 'rate' my experience in social media I responded with this:
For the record, I have no complaints about the service I receive at Autonation. Everyone is always pleasant and helpful. I've used your service for 11 years so I think that is a record that speaks for itself.
Here is my problem - and I am old so my perspective is somewhat archaic - I am quite over companies pandering for my good review on social media. I get that this is the new norm and that running a business nowadays requires corporations to be super hyper conscious of OPINION posting, not to mention virtue signaling that proclaims how good and charitable a company is because they donate to an iconic CAUSE. I did notice the banner in the service department thanking your customers for helping to cure cancer and old me did pause to wonder what that had to do with making good cars and keeping them running.
Frankly, I really miss the days when a company just offered a good product or service for a competitive price. No need to tell me who or what the owners choose to support with their profits. Not my business, just as it is not the business of corporations to seek to coax me to join in with their chosen charities so I can be enamored with their goodness.
And, further, no need to send me daily reminders that my opinion matters until I finally respond. I think this is the fourth one since I had my car serviced.
I promise you that if I had a problem with my Tucson, or the service I received, someone would hear about it. That I don't do social media and am not plugged into the current stream of consciousness flow, my opinion has no place to go anyway. Even if I was not happy I would go straight to the source.
I do understand that the employees of Autonation are under the gun, so to speak, to encourage customers to post good reviews so I suspect that this policy isn't coming from you. The CORPORATE machine, and the credentialed robots who are put in place to manage the flow of commentary because it is counted as free advertising, are also only doing what they were hired to do and following trend.
However, it does not have to be this way, (my husband does not run his business this way), but it is the trend now and I am tired of it. I don't believe I am the only one though I might be the only one who is willing to speak up. I don't expect it to change any time soon though, not in my lifetime anyway, but again, I am old so I think I have seen it all and how things do change. Change is the only constant in life. Sometimes, change is not so good for awhile and does more to hinder the advancement of civilization. It is what it is. We learn by experience.
You are welcome to pass this on to your higher ups - if you wish. Otherwise, it's just between you and me.
Regards,
A. Fields
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He never responded so I let it go until this morning when I got an automated 'no reply' email giving me one last chance to post a few comments in Facebook or Google. I don't do Fakebook but I gave it serious thought to post this commentary on Google. Pausing with my finger hovered over the submit button I decided it would be like trying to bail out a sinking boat with a thimble.
Again...great big sigh...
For Him,
Meema
Oh, dear heart, you tried...
ReplyDeleteInteresting this post has triggered a lively exchange by email from family and friends. I think I'll share my most recent reply:
DeleteOnce upon a time best business practice followed the golden rule of commerce focused on offering good product, good service and competitive price. Thus customers chose where they shopped based on those three factors. If sales were good it was because the business was doing it's job.
Now the focus has shifted to customers being responsible to help business do its job by opinionating, critiquing and rating - which is where we have landed with the launch of all things opinion becoming a religion and a dark force to be reckoned with. Rating online is often biased. Why would we trust anonymous opinions about a business? Which is the question for me that points to society being so easily duped. Another topic for another day. The point is - this is a way bigger issue than just the new norm of doing business by making customers 'feel' they are valued rather than actually valuing them with good business.
As is always the process in the human condition, what was created with good intentions often gets reinvented by another intention, the foundation of which is greed. Once greed takes the wheel, the ship eventually runs aground.
We are stuck in the mud now. Not sure what has to happen to reverse or fix it.