Pedaling Good PR

Right about now I’d hate to be a Toyota service technician. A press release from the company states extended service department hours for recalled vehicles, up to 24 hours at some locations. Even if not every shop is running ‘round the clock, overtime is all but to be expected. On second thought, perhaps this could be a boon to the economy and laborers.

Toyota has taken some good first steps in managing this PR crisis. They’ve purchased full-page newspaper spreads to communicate the facts to concerned customers. Toyota has a webpage dedicated to providing the very latest updates on the recall and its remedies.

I think the automaker will recover from this blow to its image, but I can’t help but mention a few additional PR moves that perhaps would keep moving Toyota forward in this time:

•  What about “NASCAR”-style fixes? Toyota states it has a steel reinforcement part that fixes sticky throttle assemblies. Imagine a drive-up assembly line repair clinic. Camry owners pull up, pop the hood, and a Toyota tech makes the swap on the spot, just like NASCAR pit crews do. I don’t know if this is feasible in terms of how long the repair takes to complete and what quality testing needs to be performed afterward. However, an idea like this could save a lot of stress and frustration that drivers will surely feel trying to schedule their repair appointments. Ditto for the stress experienced by service advisors and techs alike.

Besides being a quick, easy fix that people could perform drive-thru style on their way to work, it would be innovative and liable to garner some positive press/publicity.

•  Perhaps Toyota can hire, at least on a temporary basis, some displaced mechanics and those with industrial skills.  Assuming learning how to do this repair isn't too challenging, this would be a great way to fix the recall and help fix the economy. 

•  Finally, I think Toyota owners affected by the recall deserve to be compensated for their time and frustration. A voucher for a free oil change, a free detailing (spread the extra labor to other departments at the dealership!), or similar could go a long way to reestablish some goodwill.

Toyota’s doing a good job thus far trying to keep the press and the people on the same page with a regular flow of information. They’ve taken drastic measures to nip this problem before it goes any further, and they’ve developed a fix in a short amount of time. Now the World’s Largest Automaker needs to see how it can go above and beyond to spread some goodwill, gain some positive PR, and restore its image. Like I said before, in every crisis lies opportunity.

Additional Toyota recall information