Context and a Jeep Dealer

COVID has been a challenge for everyone and for different reasons. It reared its ugly head for us a few weeks ago when we were on our way to OBX for vacation in late May. But it brought out the best in customer service that I’ve experienced in a long time.

Just north of 95, the service transmission came on my dash, along with the engine light. I hate engine lights. It was not flashing, so I figured it was something I could do when we got back. Nope! Within minutes the Jeep would not shift down, and eventually, we slowed and pulled over. I turned the car off and started again. It shifted up but then got stuck at the high gear. Game over.

Keeping it short, we got off the highway, and wouldn’t you know, all the mechanics I called were closed because of COVID. Eventually, we got it to a Jeep dealer in time for them to take it, but not in time to diagnose it. That wouldn’t be for 3 days.

So, onto a rental car. Our tow truck driver was an extremely helpful and proactive man. While driving me to the airport, he was on the phone with the dealer asking them to find me a rental. He even had his wife calling from home!  I was calling all I could as well. When we got to the dealer, two people up front were doing just that - calling for rentals. Crazy nice!

Once again, due to COVID, no one was open locally, until we got a hit at the airport. That was another crazy process, but we got the car and made it to OBX that evening.

Fortunately, the fix was simple and cheap, relatively.

On our way home I told Amy the dealer made a courtesy call to me to follow up. I said, “Can you believe they called me, knowing we’d never be back again?!”

And then it hit me. If you heard this story out of context – just the statement I made to my wife, what kind of service would you think we received? Go ahead and read it again. What would you think? Almost all of us would think this was a horrible dealer experience.

I said we’d never be going back because they’re in Richmond – location, not bad service. No way.

This is context. Their service was exceptional, and the people were amazing.

But you wouldn’t know it out of context. How many times do we make assumptions without context? Media is famous for spinning things out of context, and yet, maybe we all are as well.

Our pastor shared a message years ago that challenges our natural response to seemingly obvious situations (where context may be missed). Start with generous assumptions.

And I know this audience doesn’t typically look for service work in Richmond, but I’ll give a shout out to Pearson Jeep and Mike, the tow truck driver anyway!