Lousy service and the role of media

Just last week, as I was rummaging through the [email protected] email address where both junk and work related messages meet, I chanced upon a letter of complaint filed by an irate customer against a car dealership. Apparently, the car dealership failed to provide what the said customer felt was adequate after sales support for his brand new car. While I will not go into the details of the letter, I do believe that the reader/letter sender’s intent and dilemma is something every Filipino motorist can relate to. You, dear reader, have been there too, no doubt. Whether it was lousy service, unreasonable rates or just the lack of attention from an entity that is peddling "quality service" along with its products, every Filipino motorist has had his share of run-ins with car service centers.

The sad part of it all is how low we’ve all gone in order to find solutions to these kinds of problems. The letter was not the first of its kind. Being in the motoring journalism world, I’ve had my fair share of friends, relatives and acquaintances who’ve hollered for help in one way or another. Whether it was for help with what was perceived to be lousy service, slow delivery or exorbitant charges, the bottom line is that frustrated car owners have come to see the media as their last recourse — their last bastion of hope.

Now, whether we in media actually throw our weight around when such a thing happens is highly debatable, to say the least. Yes, we do inform our friends from the car manufacturers’ side that we did receive such complaints but no, we never threaten to write damaging articles about them simply because of what our friends, relatives and acquaintances say. We only let them know that there is such a problem and that we’ve been informed of the problem. If at all the very act of us informing them weighs on them and pushes them to spring into action is not something we’ve tried to quantify. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t.

Here’s a fact, though. I hate it. I hate it when friends, relatives and acquaintances come to me and expect me to find solutions to their problems. I hate it because it’s not my job to find solutions to their problems. I hate it because it makes me feel like an axe-man who’s threatening to whack his own friends’ heads off (figuratively speaking, of course) on account of what other friends say. I hate it because as much as I’d like to help all of my friends, relatives and acquaintances, I don’t feel that my job description includes the need to look after everyone’s car-related complaints. I hate it because I firmly believe that media’s role is simply to tell the story as we see it, paint the picture as we see fit, but never to manipulate events in order to benefit us or those close to us. I hate it, but I still do it.

I do it because in a way, I can relate to the desperation. I do it because when people ask for help, the least you could do is try to see if you can actually help — even if it’s only in your own small way. I do it because much as I hate throwing my weight around as a media practitioner, sometimes, it really is the only way you can attract attention and attack a situation. I do it because media has become the last recourse of people in a society where the bureaucracy has failed. Were our laws stricter on service oriented businesses, were our law enforcers reliable and honest and were our lawmakers more grounded to the real problems we normal people face, then you wouldn’t have to plead for help from people like me. Were the situation in this country more attuned to the needs of the consumer, then there would be no need for a Backseat Driver column where complaints abound.

While I’m not saying that all service related efforts within the local auto industry are reflective of this negative perception, there is a genuine need for car manufacturers and their service arms to set goals that’ll ensure further improvement in their line of work. Else, people will keep looking in the direction of motoring journalists and willing spaces like the Backseat Driver reaction column to vent out their frustrations. So here I am making an appeal to my friends and acquaintances on the other side of this equation. To those of you in the car manufacturers’ side, please seriously try to work hard to improve the after sales service of your respective companies. After making that sale, it’s the least you could do for those people who actually help put food on the table, right?

As a motoring journalist who’s been fiercely loyal to a struggling legitimate auto industry, I’d like to believe I’ve helped — even in my own little way — lighten your burden by writing about products that I deem worthy of the buying public’s hard-earned money. Please help lighten my burden too, guys. The better the after sales service you provide, the less I’ll have to do things I hate — like bringing other friends’, relatives’ and acquaintances’ problems to you. Consequently, the more I can concentrate on my real job, which is to simply research, write and report about the industry we all find ourselves in. That is, after all, the only role we media practitioners are really supposed to play. Deal?

Speaking of complaints and requests, here are some of yours from last week.

Sir, can you feature the CRDi diesel engine of the Hyundai Tucson, so as to know the good and bad side of it? Thanks! More power and God bless! — 09068630030 (You’re probably the hundredth or so person to ask about the CRDi Tucson. We promise to write about it after we’ve test-driven a unit.)

Why don’t you feature commercial buses manufactured by Nissan, Isuzu and Hino? Haven’t you test driven a bus? — 09167660911 (Unfortunately, sir, none of the contributors to this section carries a professional driver’s license — which is a requirement before you can drive public utility buses.)

Attention MMDA: please have your traffic enforcers man Roxas Boulevard corner NAIA Road. Every 5 to 6 AM buses often obstruct Roxas Boulevard when taking a U-turn. — 09167459141

The SLEX East Service Road beside the Bicutan Exit is being used as a jeepney terminal under a No Parking sign and in full view of the traffic men manning the area! — 09272193437

How about penalizing smoke emission testing centers that issue permits to vehicles caught smoke belching? — 09165885780

Attention MMDA Muntinlupa! The traffic, road and banketa condition at the Alabang intersection below the SLEX-Alabang flyover is chaotic. Mahiya kayo sa Marikina. — 09217773651

Have you been to the Binondo area? Can you tell me the rights (on road usage including rules and regulations) of pedicabs and calesas? Please enlighten me. — 09209248649 (We have been to Binondo but are about as informed as you are regarding the rules and regulations in the area regarding pedicabs and calesas. We’ll take you up on that and do some research.)

To Andy Leuterio: You got the motorcycle problem exactly right. They swerve like it’s everyone’s job to avoid them — educate them! — 09062776044

I still see smoke belchers. Is smoke emission testing a case of ningas cogon? — 09165885780 (We hope not.)

Kindy ask Mayor Lito Atienza or the MMDA to clear the obstruction and double parking along Lacson to Yuseco. — 09228761888

Speak out, be heard and keep those text messages coming in. To say your piece and become a "Backseat Driver", text PHILSTAR<space>FB<space>MOTORING <space>YOUR MESSAGE and send to 2840 if you’re a Globe or Touch Mobile subscriber or 334 if you’re a Smart or Talk ’n Text subscriber or 2840 if you’re a Sun Cellular subscriber. Please keep your messages down to a manageable 160 characters. You may send a series of comments using the same parameters.