QUICK TIP--DEALING WITH MISINFORMATION

I’ve been driving the dirtiest car around. I affectionately call it my dirtmobile. I’m not a dirt aficionado, but I’m afraid that if I wash my car, we’ll have snow, and it will be my fault. I know it sounds crazy. Actually, it is crazy. So, it was time to have the car washed.

My auto dealership gives wash coupons when a customer brings the car in for service. Since I’d had service a couple of months ago, I had a coupon I hadn’t used. It was out of date by about 6 weeks. In the past, the date never mattered. The carwash would just take the coupon to send to the dealer for payment after they’d washed the car. This time, my regular guy wasn’t there. Instead, I found that Cerberus, the hound who guards the Gates of Hell, was on duty that day. He looked at the expired date and told me that he couldn’t take the coupon. I explained that dates never mattered, and the dealer would still reimburse. And, if there had been a change in policy, I could talk to the dealership to get him paid based on prior policy and no warning of change. Cerberus merely continued to bark. So, I chose the $7 Exterior Only wash, rather than the $22 Interior/Exterior wash and held onto my coupon.

After the wash, I drove to the dealership. I told my sad little tale to a Service associate. He confirmed that the expiration date didn’t matter—they’d pay whenever the coupon was sent back from the carwash. And he agreed to call Cerberus and explain this to him. He also gave me an extra wash coupon. 

I’m getting tired of arguing with “know-nothings”. Why should I be penalized by sub-standard information and service? Obviously, you know that I won’t let that happen. And neither should you.

IF YOU’RE GETTING INFORMATION THAT DOESN’T SOUND RIGHT, DON’T TAKE IT AT FACE VALUE--CHECK IT OUT AND GET IT FIXED.