Watery Mustard and other Gripes!

A week ago I was watching Real Time with Bill Maher. During his "New Rules" segment, he made the following observation;

"New Rule: Someone has to make a mustard container that doesn't squirt out yellow water before it gets to the actual mustard. Someone had to say it. I get all excited for lunch, and then Grey Poupon pees on my sandwich. I suppose I could shake the bottle first, but, f*ck you, I'm an American consumer! Not only should your mustard be pre-blended to my specifications, it should also whiten my teeth."

Based upon the crowd response (loud cheers) this would seem to be a problem everyone can relate to. The question is: does Grey Poupon know they have a problem? Do they know there are a large number of people who recognize a flaw in their product?

Have you ever tried to make a product improvement suggestion to a manufacturer? It's almost impossible. Most websites offer NO method by which to submit an opinion or suggestion. Yet there are thousands of consumers out there who would willingly offer ways to improve your product. I'm one of them. Can you imagine the product loyalty one could build if someone out there actually listened?

I drive a Lexus RX330. It's the small Lexus SUV. I love the truck - it drives like a dream. But there are two problems with it. The first, is that the low fuel alarm is very poor. It's a small yellow (size of a pinhead) light that silently appears on the dashboard when fuel levels are low..

No chimes, no flashing light - it just silently appears.

For me, it's useless.

My vehicle has integrated bluetooth phone, a touch screen navigation system - thousands of dollars worth of electronic extras - but no low fuel chime. I'm certain that most Lexus drivers have the same complaint - but they have nowhere to lodge it. I suppose I could mention it to my sales or service guy, but frankly, I don't have much faith that it would go anywhere. There's something more satisfying about lodging a written complaint/suggestion on a Corporate website - if only I had the opportunity.

The second issue I have is with the quality of the tires on the new vehicle. Lexus is so focused on delivering a quiet ride, they install relatively soft tires at the factory. Unfortunately they sacrifice tire wear in the process. I am very happy with the quality of the car and the driving experience, but get pissed off when I have to replace the tires after 25,000 miles. When ordering the new car, had I the option of paying the difference for tires that last (perhaps $100 more on a $45,000 vehicle) it would have been a no brainer.

Not only that, but when I went back to the dealer to get replacement tires and asked for a tire with a 50,000 mile warranty, they informed me that none of their tires carried that kind of warranty.

So I went to my local Tires Plus store and got outfitted with 60,000 mile tires, which are performing very well.

Not only did Lexus disappoint a customer, but they lost the replacement tire business as well.

I would gladly tell Lexus about these shortcomings, but have no easy way to do it. Can you imagine the massive amounts of positive goodwill they could generate if they offered an easy venue for customer feedback, then listened and made the changes? What a huge competitive advantage!

The folks at Lexus really do an excellent job during the sales and service experience. But the downside of all this service is that you've raised my expectations.

So go fix your website, your "low fuel" warning light and your crappy factory tires.

Make me a fan for life.