Sinister Subaru

Even the best of vendors screw up from time to time. The employees are all human.....

In fact, I'm more likely to do repeat business with a company that DID screw up and resolved the situation, showing that they value their customers.

As an example, from time to time I go through "spurts" of messing with HO-scale slot cars. I purchased an AFX Super-Racing Turbo car and within a day, it broke. I know that AFX has been around for a very long time and that this was not normal.

I contacted AFX and asked them about a warranty or the broken part (a gear), as the car was quite expensive at nearly $28. The representative that answered the phone apologized and immediately offered to send me a replacement car. I told him I didn't need the body because I already had it. Well, here's what happened within the following two weeks:

1. Received a BRAND NEW Super-G Plus F-1 chassis (Super-G is their top car)

2. Received a BRAND NEW Super-Racing Turbo chassis

3. Received a BRAND NEW 1965 Daytona Coupe (same car I had)

I never asked for ANYTHING. All I asked about was a warranty or where I could get a replacement gear.

Here's another example:

When I purchased my '05 STi on 3/30/05, I was very excited. I took it upon myself to write Subaru an email to express how much I loved the car, how excited I was that it was finally released in America, and what an excellent job their engineers/designers did with the car (Hey, nobody ever thanks the "little guy!).

Well, I get an email back from SOA thanking me for the kind letter, and how they've posted it up on their corporate wall for all their employees to see! Sure, it was a bit corny, but these employees probably NEVER hear about the good things. As we can all relate, we ALWAYS hear about when we screw up, but hardly EVER when we do a good job.

Again, I never asked for ANYTHING.

Well, here's what happened:

1. I received 2 posters of their rally cars

2. Within a few weeks a box shows up on my door step from Subaru. It contains two plastic insulated mugs, a 2005 WRC-themed calendar, a 2004 STi brochure, a set of "driver cards" (like baseball cards), a copied color article that was in Road & Track, a WRC shirt, 2005 Impreza brochure, an "STi" keychain, and a leather-covered mini-atlas/map with a pen.

3. About a week later I received an email from a representative from Subaru asking me to contact her about participating in a Subaru (internal only) company video. I definitely took her up on the offer! Apparently, across the US there were only like 5 or 6 other people to do it.