After seeing Toyota's first major print ad this past Sunday acknowledging problems with some Toyota models, then wave 2 of the campaign on Monday -- an ad with a serious letter (of apology?) from the President of Toyota U.S.A., I thought they were WAY off base. A temporary pause? To put customers first? Please, that really demeans the intelligence of Toyota customers everywhere. The first rule of handling a crisis such as this is to accept responsibility and to sincerely apologize...not to be glib (as the first ad was).
Sunday, January 31 ad in major newspapers
Monday, February 1 ad
Americans are usually willing to accept coverups, hidden facts, and less-than-forthcoming executives, IF they are willing to own up to their mistakes. Now, since millions of us (including myself) drive Toyotas and, for the most part, probably bought them for the combination of quality, price, reliability, and features offered, we are left wondering if we should drive our cars and if we mis-judged the Toyota reputation.
Each day this week, we have learned something new....a new problem, a different model. From possible electronic concerns in some models to newly-admitted brake problems in the Prius and in some Lexus models.
According to the KelleyBlueBook.com, more than 20% of automobile shoppers who were considering Toyota when car shopping have now eliminated it from consideration.
In Toyota's favor, they have finally updated their corporate website with easy to find information and the latest on the recall. I also received an informative email from my dealership this week advising they would be contacting customers to fix the accelerator problem as soon as their technicians had received the proper training. I had previously received an email from Toyota advising what to do in case my accelerator stuck (thanks for the emergency training).
Toyota executives should be out there assuring customers:
- that they will do everything possible to find the underlying problems in all Toyota models,
- that they will quickly, and at no charge to customers, make all necessary safety repairs
- that they will make every effort to eliminate possible design flaws, communicate immediately to the public on possible safety concerns, and to implement the necessary procedures to insure this never happens again.
They blew it this time. Customers will likely give them a second chance but it's up to Toyota to win people back.
Would you still purchase a Toyota? Do you believe their crisis advertising/communication have been effective?
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