Rust Or Bust

(I work in a car dealership on the service drive. A customer pulls her car onto the drive, gets out, and walks up to my desk. I can see from the scowl on her face she is clearly angry.)

Customer: “I JUST bought this new car last week and it is already rusting! I demand you give me a new car!”

Me: “Okay, can you show me where the rust is?”

(We walk to her car.)

Customer: “See, right there on the door! THAT IS RUST!”

Me: “Ma’am, that is just a little mud. Let me get a clean towel and I’ll get that right off for you.”

Customer: “No, you are lying! You’re just going to paint it over! I know rust when I see it! I’m not stupid!”

Me: “Ma’am, I assure you it is not rust, and I will not put paint on it.”

Customer: “Don’t you touch it! I demand to see the manager!”

Me: “Sure. I’ll be right back.”

(I come back with my manager after I explained the situation to him.)

Customer: “See that… THAT RIGHT THERE! THAT’S RUST! I DEMAND YOU GIVE ME A NEW CAR! IT’S ONLY A WEEK OLD!”

(My manager grabs a rag and puts it in his back pocket before walking out to speak to the customer. Without saying a word, he takes the rag out, leans down and wipes the mud off before the customer can say anything. The customer immediately gets down on her hands and knees to examine where the mud had been.)

Manager: “There you go, ma’am. It was just a little spot of mud.”

(The customer snatches the rag out of my manager’s hand.)

Customer: “Let me see that! You just put paint over it!”

(The customer examines the obviously clean and paint-free rag, then tosses it on the floor.)

Customer: “You people need to make sure a car is clean before you deliver it to a customer! I am letting you people know you won’t get away with anything!”

(The customer comes in regularly, and has complained similarly about MANY things on her car since, demanding a new car every time.)