Mr. Marketing: Are you driving your customers away?

Being from New York, I found their “attitude” to be charming. They proved to be quick, efficient, and honest. When a related problem popped up days later, a mechanic was trying to fix it five minutes after I drove up.

Compare this to the car rental company’s customer service department, which seriously marred my family’s recent East Coast vacation by telling me convenient drop-off locations in two cities were open when they weren’t.

The first time caused my teenage daughter and me to walk 12 New York City blocks at 11 p.m. The second time offered the choice of my driving 90 minutes to the nearest open Boston location or paying a $300 penalty until the local storefront re-opened.

Some choice!

During the drive to Logan Airport (in holiday weekend traffic) I asked their customer service people to negate the rental overtime charges, since my drop-off would now be later than I’d contracted for.

Five representatives suggested I pay the overcharges and contact their billing department Monday morning. The sixth — a very high-level supervisor — only helped after she realized how unacceptable I found that idea. And yes, I cursed. A LOT!

This supervisor wasn’t even serious about helping me until she understood I’d actually be calling the company’s president Monday morning. She took 15 minutes to understand how upset I was, and was more concerned with her dinner plans than our mutual problem.

She finally agreed to reach out to the Logan Airport manager, resolving the situation in two minutes. I got a 5 percent discount for my trouble, which I spent on alcohol and aspirin.

The auto shop sent me a thank you postcard. The other guys gave me an ulcer. Seems like the Fortune 500 companies should be taking customer satisfaction lessons from the little guys.

Every business faces lots of competition for customers these days. Given adequate cause, people WILL leave you. Saturn closed, driving me into the arms of a new mechanic. That car rental business drove me away forever.

Maybe it’s time you consider how you’re responding to your customers’ complaints…

With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.

Contact Mr. Marketing with your own marketing horror stories at www.askmrmarketing.com.