Covering the Toyota recall? Go where phones are ringing
An employee waxes a Prius, unaffected by the recall, at the Toyota dealership that Los Angeles Times reporter P.J. Huffstutter visited.
P.J. Huffstutter of the Los Angeles Times “peered behind the veil” at a Toyota dealership in California, where workers have felt the sting of the recall. She writes:
“Now, the staff has found itself the butt of jokes. Instead of cracks about General Motors’ government bailout or Chrysler’s collapse, friends now sent mocking text messages about sticky pedals and crashing cars. People at a grocery store snickered that Toyota stood for ‘This One You Oughta Tow Away.’”
P.J.’s story shows how the staff has handled the ringing phones, reduced sales and customer confusion. She spent the entire day watching and listening, she says.
“To tell the story of what’s happening at dealerships, you have to look at dealers and staff like people and understand that the first emotion showing isn’t the only emotion going on,” she says. “To get a dealership to open up, you have to be willing to paint a scene of what’s happening there and what’s happening underneath.”
Today’s Tip: Take the time to take in the scene.
P.J. said she tried to blend in at the dealership. She sat in the customer-service area and list
ened to customers. After listening for a while, she says she introduced herself.
“Dealership-roundup stories give a snapshot of what’s happening in lot of different places,” P.J. says. “But if you’re wanting to get deeper, there’s no substitute for spending time.”
