The problem?
Rather than doing the right thing, apologizing and offering me some sort of discount on a future purchase, Bridgestone Tires – Firestone of Deerfield, completely neglected me as a consistent customer for the last eight years and further damaging was the fact that Firestone corporate failed to return calls or address frequent emails. Here is the email I sent to corporate hoping to get some resolution – and moreso make myself comfortable in returning to a company I have successfully enjoyed for years.
Being a reporter, I decided to quote the manager, whose name I have decided to change for now (Firestone, if you read this, I will be more than happy to tell you who this guy is).
I called Deerfield Firestone this morning and asked the first guy I talked to if they checked brakes when tires are rotated, new tires are put on, or when oil is changed, as I had all three taken care of during my last visit. He said “Yes we do.” So, I asked to speak with the manager, and that’s when cocky Michael answered the phone. Michael had a chip on his shoulder and said, “What do you want me to do, we forgot to do our free service.” I said, “I specifically asked you to perform this service for me, why didn’t you?” To which he said, “I tell all my guys to do it, nothing I can do for them not doing it.” I said, “Well, I was in a potentially dangerous situation with my front brakes going out.” He said, “What do you want me to do?” I said, “Well, Michael, I would like you to cover the rotor costs.” “Well, I replace the rotor every time I replace the brakes, no matter what.” “Hold on Michael, so, even if they are not broke, you replace them.” “It’s what I do.”
So then, I ask Michael who the franchise owner is and he tells me [NAME REMOVED]. I ask when he will be in., Michael says, “Listen, he’s the owner, he comes and goes when he wants, just like any owner.” “Well Michael, how about an approximate time?” “Um, Thursday.” “Thursday, what time?” “I don’t know, he’s the owner, there’s nothing I can do about it.”
And then, I drop the “M” word.
“Well Michael, it would be a very good idea to have your boss call me back because I am the owner of a magazine in the area. I am going to review this call and review the service I received at your location. This article will be read by thousands of people and will not look good on the Firestone company. So, if you want to ask your boss to call me back, that would be very smart of you. And, I will also quote you in my story.”
Frantically, Michael decides to offer an apology now.
“I am very, very sorry. I hope you will accept my apology. We didn’t mean to mess up. I am sorry.”
“Michael, unless you are telling me you can refund me for the rotor, then this conversation is over. The review will publish and you will get an email with the URL of where you can find the story then.”
“I’m really sorry, I will have my boss call you back.”
So, then I call [NAME REMOVED] at Firestone Oak Park, who was seemingly nice on the phone – probably because he just got my cash (I had to have my brakes repaired there, as it was the closest Firestone to where my brakes went out]. I requested he keep my parts to which I am told were thrown away. Anyway, he says, “Oh, I am really sorry. I bet the parts are still in the garbage. Let me go check.” To which I say, “Um, your guys went through the trash yesterday with my dad and said they were thrown away. I needed those parts to aid my argument against the Firestone out here.” “I will look and call you back. I will fix the problem,” he says.
He did return my call, but no parts to be found.
This was written on August 15, 2006. I still have not received a return call from the Firestone in Deerfield.
While I don’t think every Firestone location could be this irresponsible and nonresponsive to a customer scarred by their mistake, I do want to bring this to the forefront of reader’s minds. I wish there was another way for us to take control against big companies, but other than battling it out in a courtroom, corporate America can walk all over the little guy.
If any of you have similar stories of the big boys shitting on the little guys, please post below.
Xo
-NP
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Written by Guest on 2006-11-01 14:18:50
WOW. Do you think Firestone will reply? |
me too
Written by Guest on 2007-12-13 11:25:28
I just wanted to say the firestone in Oak Park did pretty much the same thing to me also. I took my car in for a problem, I ok'd work that they said would fix the problem and when I got it back... still had the same problem. They had me bring it back in 4 times and kept it 4 full days... and then told me that the work that they had done was preventitive maintainance and that they would have never suggested the work they did as a fix for the problem i had brought it in for... I talked to both the manager there and the higher up in Lombard and no one cares. So... now i am out a bunch of money and time and my car is in pretty much the same shape as it was to start with and there is nothing at all I can do about it. I feel like they can pretty much do whatever they want and there is nothing anyone can do about it... sigh |
