Make it Right
The Story:
On the way to a meeting yesterday, the tire pressure light appeared on the dashboard. The meeting was immediately followed by a visit to Just Tires. They took a look at the tire and found the cause, there was a nail embedded in the tread of the tire. They quoted a price and I settled in for a wait. Fifteen minutes later a crest fallen employee came out and told me that the tire had been irreparably damaged while removing it from the rim.
My tire was damaged and there was nothing they could do but replace it with a new one. A replacement required one of their technicians to drive to a tire supplier 40 minutes away. I asked about the safety of one new tire and three worn tires. They decided to make it right and provide two new tires.
The manager was apologetic about the four hour wait. He charged me nothing, apologized profusely and gave me a three year warranty on my two brand new tires.
Thank you Just Tires, that was making it right.
The Lesson:
Everyone makes mistakes. It’s taking responsibility and making it right, that makes a difference.
- Taking responsibility means that “the buck stops here.”
- Taking responsibility means, no excuses and no explanations.
- Taking responsibility means making it right.
When you make a mistake:
- ACKNOWLEDGE – you start by recognizing that you made a mistake. This doesn’t mean YOU are a bad person. You are not a failed human being. Life happens but when mistakes are made, it’s critical to recognize them.
- APOLOGIZE – Too many times, people make a mistake and believe that “I’m sorry” is sufficient. While it’s not sufficient, it’s important to acknowledge the mistake to anyone impacted.
- Make AMMENDS – quite simple, this is about fixing the mistake. You make it right when you make amends.
Everyone is human. When the tire technician came to tell me what happened, he acknowledged what happened and apologized. Then Just Tires made it right by making amends and providing two new tires.
When you make a mistake, make it right; acknowledge, apologize and make amends.
