May 7, 2005

To:
The Management and Owners of Jones Junction Toyota:
Toyota Corporate Customer Relations:

I cannot begin to express my disappointment at my most recent experience at your organization. Your entire business has a serious issue with lack of accountability. From my sales experience, service, and now dealing with your body shop, I have been misled and outright lied to.

I recently purchased a Scion xA from Toyota sales. I realize your sales organization is new to the “Scion Experience” and was in flux preparing for the move to the new facility. However, I do not believe the “experience” I had was what Toyota Corporate had in mind when they launched the new brand. Scions mission statement claims: "To satisfy a trend setting youthful buyer through distinctive products and an innovative, consumer-driven process." Though I am happy with the vehicle, I have not been happy with the process. Any questions I had during my initial visit were met with, “You can do that all on Scion.com. Just print it out and bring it in.” Customer-driver does not mean make the customer do all the work.

While Evelyn was very courteous and friendly, unrealistic expectations were given and confirmed dates were unkept. On more than once occasion, I gave Evelyn a date when I specifically wanted to be updated or speak with her on. When I heard nothing, I called the dealership to find out it was her scheduled day off. This is not the way to deal with customers. While this was brought up with the Sales Manager and resolved, it left a blemish on my purchase experience. I am not an unreasonable person. Has I been presented with the facts and numbers about the limited availability of my options, I would have been satisfied to wait. My deposit was taken with the implied expectation that the vehicle would be ready to pick up “in a day or two.”

I am happy to report that my dealings with Toyota Financing experience were exemplary.

Less than a week after taking delivery of the vehicle, it was dropped off with Toyota Service to have the dealer-installed options added. When I received the vehicle back, all appeared to be well. That afternoon, I noticed the driver side door had sustained some rather significant damage on the lower portion of the door. Please see the enclosed photographs. I ask you, does this kind of damage happen without someone noticing? I would seriously examine the integrity of a service organization that allows this kind of damage to happen without notifying the customer. The vehicle was given back to me with no mention of the incident. I contacted the dealer within a day of my noticing the damage. Because of my work schedule, I was unable to bring this to the dealership for about a week and a half. When I was able to bring the vehicle in, I was told it would be fixed; no questions asked. I suspect someone knew of the damage and expected the vehicle to be brought back in. I expected to be questioned about the damage but it was just accepted that the damage occurred while in the custody of Toyota Service. Is this a common occurrence in your company?

Up to this point, these have been minor irritations. However, my experience with Jones Body Shop has been the final straw. The vehicle was dropped off April 25 with Debra. The estimate for the repair was three to four days. I completely understand estimates can slip and complications happen. However, I would like to suggest that your staff take the extra step to communicate with your customers. If you promise a repair will be finished by a certain date and that date lapses, pick up the phone and let the customer know about the delay. My wife and I have literally had to track down your staff and keep on them to get any information on the status of my vehicle. The vehicle has, as of the writing of this letter, been in the custody of Jones Body Shop for eleven calendar and nine working days.

After a week, I find out the person I should be speaking with is Ed Zimmerman as he deals with work sent from Toyota Service. On the morning of May 3, I contacted Ed to let him know that I had a television interview that involved my Scion directly on the morning of May 5 and needed to pick up my vehicle by the following evening. I was then told, after a week of no prior communication whatsoever from your staff, that the delay was an issue with the clear coat. But I was given Ed’s word that the vehicle would be available the evening of May 4, “at the very latest.”

Having heard nothing by the evening of May 4, I called the body shop to find out the status of my vehicle. This time, I was actually told the vehicle was done, reassembled, and would be ready to pick up the following morning and Ed would personally call me when it was ready to be picked up. Unfortunately, this was too late for the television interview. I work overnights and was leaving for Newark, Delaware and would be unable to pick up the vehicle. But, at least, I would be able to pick up my vehicle in the morning upon my return home. The television interview proceeded and I did not have the opportunity to talk about how great my Scion was. Toyota missed a great opportunity for nationally syndicated word-of-mouth reputation building.

As of 3:00pm May 5, after I had been told to expect a call to pick up the vehicle, I had still heard nothing. I called the body shop for a status update. I left a message for Ed asking for a call back. On my way through town, I stopped in to the body shop on the off-chance that I would be able to speak with someone. It was 5:40 and the shop was empty though your recorded hold music, which I’ve become very familiar with, stated that pick up is available until 7:00pm. There was one individual in the office area who told me he could not help me. I specifically told him that I would be calling Ed in the morning about this. Upon returning home, much later, there was a voicemail message on my home number from Ed telling me the vehicle was available. Further, there was a second call telling me that he was in the shop and I just missed him at 5:50. I specifically told the individual in the office I was looking to speak with Ed. Why did he not stop me before I left to tell me Ed was in the shop?

I have had this vehicle for 42 days total. Of those 42 days, it’s been in your possession 25% of that time. Frankly, if I could return the Scion and be done with Toyota all together, I would. You have had your three strikes and are now out.

The vehicle was picked up on the morning of May 6. Frankly, I just wanted to get the vehicle and leave. The work looks to be done rather well, except for some scratches and chewed up areas on the hard plastic trim and a misalignment in side the cabin involving the tweeter assembly on the A pillar. These are not major enough for me to entrust my vehicle with your company again and I will live with the trim damage and deal with the interior myself.

I am curious to know your response to my ordeal with your business. Is this kind of mismanagement and lack of communication standard operational procedure within your company? I would like to know how to plan to improve customer relationships and grow as a business with this lack of regard for your clients. I would hope this kind of thing does not happen again with any future clients you may have. Please take this letter to heart and strive to develop a culture of integrity and accountability for the future.

Sincerely Disappointed,