Car Trouble When Traveling. Yuck.

Nobody looks forward to spending a Saturday getting their car fixed.  It is worse when you are 500 miles away from home and have an something go wrong with your family's transportation.  

Yep, it happens.  This is when you hope for a run in with above average customer service!!!

The A/C in our Honda Odyssey stopped blowing cold air once we arrived in New Orleans for an impromptu family vacation.  While the temperature was warm and just starting to show signs of humidity, the weather had not yet reached the heat of the summer (I cannot imagine no A/C in a car in the summertime in the south!).  However, the nine hour drive back to Texas in 90 degree heat was not going to be fun.

I try to teach the kids that every problem has a solution.  While they are not always easy or inexpensive.... you need to seek out options rather than sulking about the problem itself.  

Thus, dad would skip the morning activities in the French Quarter and going to the Aquarium and see if I could get the car fixed while still in Louisiana.  Thank goodness for the internet, within minutes I had the address of a local Honda dealer only a few miles from downtown NOLA.

I showed up the next morning at Royal Honda in Metairie, Louisiana at 7:30 AM (They opened at 8:00).  I knew from their website that they did not accept cars without an appointment on Saturday, but I was hopeful they would fit me into their schedule.  Honda has always shown superior customer service and I just knew they would try to help... if they could.   (I cannot say that as easily about the service for other brands of car I have owned..... but this Odyssey is our third Honda).

The team at the Royal Honda Service Department was great.  They agreed to take a look at the car, and fortunately the problem was a simple fix (a fuse relay had failed... not the whole A/C).  I was in and out in less than three hours and the cost was minimal. Our road trip was not impacted by this small mishap and by lunchtime we were back to our regularly scheduled family fun (which meant driving an hour out of town for the Honey Island Swamp Tour!!  The highlight of the whole weekend!!!).  But better yet, our drive home on Sunday was cool as a cucumber. 

Thanks to everyone at Royal Honda.... This was a "Customer Service Victory".

Have A Great Day.

thom singer

Friday Praise Project - Allstate: The CapCity Agency - James Fitzgerald

If you read my post yesterday you know that I am sadly noticing how easy it is for people to quickly become upset with their vendors.  In our society we expect perfection from everyone, and too many people are fast to criticize and slow to praise.  I am guilty of this.. and so are so many others.

Yesterday my sister-in-law was pleasantly surprised when a customer service department from a large company called her on the phone instead of sending a cold email in response to an inquiry.  She was shocked (in a good way).  And yet good service happens every day... and I think it is time we all stand up and praise.

I want to start a movement to praise those who do good work.  I'll start.

I met my insurance broker this week.  He inherited me several years ago when he purchased another agency, but we have never met in person.  He called to set up a "Policy Review" and spent time with me explaining all aspects of my home and auto policies.  At the end of our conversation I knew I was in good hands :-).

My agent?  James Fitzgerald from The CapCity Agency (Allstate in Austin, Texas).

****I will begin praising people and companies each Friday on the Some Assembly Required Blog.