Not All Corporations Are Evil

[RogueZuki]

*Disclaimer*
I am not of the opinion that all corporations are evil or anything to that extent. This is simply a story of how Suzuki treated me well when I first started riding. 'Nuff said, end of story.


I was 19 and just obtained my endorsement. After shopping around all the local shops and getting treated like crap, I decided to take my business out to a Ma and Pa shop about 30 miles away from me. The family there treated me like one of their own and explained (overly) about which bike may or may not be best for me. I think I spent a week there, almost every day looking at the different models, sitting on them, thinking about how it would ride. It took me awhile but I ended up getting a 2000 GS500. Brand spanking new, built in Japan and shipped over.

Now, mind you, I was still a beginner and really had no clue about motorcycles and all the ins and outs. Sure, I knew how to ride thanks to the MSF course, but I didn't know crap about warming up a bike and all that. Well, it was getting a bit colder and I had to wake up before the sun came up for my job. I had decided to go out and start warming the bike up while I continued getting ready inside. I fired the bike up, left the choke open and went inside. I'm tooling around inside and all of a sudden I hear my bike shut off. I think, "Ok" and go back out and get it running again. I couldn't have been inside for two minutes before she stops running again. I go outside and I start freaking out! The headers were a very bright red and all I could smell was burnt plastic and oil. I thought I was totally screwed and I hadn't even put 2k miles on the bike.

I call up the dealership after I had gotten off work and informed them of the situation. They said they could see what they could do for me if I could get the bike to them and after paying them a nominal fee ($50?), they came all the way out to where I was living and picked the bike up for me. I was on the phone constantly with them about what was going on with the bike and who would have to pay for it. I find out that I had pretty much fried the bike, blew o-rings, gaskets, you name it. I'm not even sure how much it would have cost to fix it, probably over $2,000. It didn't really matter though because the dealership really went out of their way for me, explained to Suzuki that I was a brand new rider and all that and Suzuki footed the bill. Granted, the bike was under warranty but it was clearly operator error that caused the damage. I couldn't beleive that a company as large as Suzuki would give a crap about some kid and his bike.

 

[jknappsax]

I don't consider a family-owned small business a "corporation". Those people work hard for their living and their success, which is due to a great extent, to being standup, honorable business owners.Not like Enron, Bear Stearns, etc. Corporations, due by law to their charter, care ONLY about MAXIMIZING profits. I think the dealership had a great deal to do with Suzuki stepping up. And this small dealership most likely has NEVER been bailed out by the Feds!

 

[Skateguy50]

Think he meant Suzuki as the corporation, the dealer could only do as much as Suzuki would allow them to as far as the warranty. Do that to a Chevy pickup and see what Chevy tells you as far as your warranty.

 

[RogueZuki]

I was referring to Suzuki and not the small business that I went to. I'm quite certain I know the difference between a corporation and a small business.

 

[schlyme]

the days when customer service was more then lip service

 

[jknappsax]

It WAS pretty solid of Suzuki to solve the problem for you. I just meant that I'm sure the dealership worked hard on your behalf to get this to happen. I like smaller dealerships usually, more of the personal touch.

 

[RogueZuki]

Sure, the dealership worked hard on my behalf but the decision was ultimately Suzuki's.

 

[jknappsax]

And Japanese companies don't pay their CEOs extravagantly; about 40 times the pay of the lowest paid worker, just about like it was here in the '70's. US corporations now pay on the order of 500-1000 times the pay of the lowest paid worker. And Japanese companies usually spend about 10 times on R&D of products that US companies do. It's a reason why Toyotas and Hondas regularly go 250,000 to 300,000 miles. It's also part of the reason that Japanese motorcycles last like they do; a better proven design. And apparently, treat their customers better too!

 

[schlyme]

and who's to say that there wasn't something really wrong with the bike and suzuki wanted to check it out just in case. like jknappssax said r&d.

 

[RogueZuki]

The bike was air cooled. It was sitting with full choke, high RPM's for over 10 minutes. I killed the bike. Suzuki essentially paid the dealership to fix everything.

 

[Griffin]

I find the title to this thread to be a pretty sad statement about how corporate America is viewed by many folks. It's obvious that the poster (and some others who have commented) pretty much view most corporations as "evil". I find that rather odd, when one considers that a corporation is simply nothing but a collection of people who have organized their business endeavors under a legal definition. What's really being said is that the people in the corporation are "evil".

I can't imagine going through life with that kind of negative view of society.


If Suzuki had declined your warranty claim (which, according to the warranty contract you signed when you bought the bike, you had violated and they were under no contractual obligation to do anything for you), would you then consider them to be "evil"? If you're looking out for your best financial interest, it's ok, but a corporation (which is, after all, only a group of individuals like you) looking out for their best financial interest somehow is "evil"?

 

[RogueZuki]

How in the hell did my sharing a story about how Suzuki treated me well as a customer end up turning into this? I am not of the opinion that corporations are evil, blah blah blah. The title was apparently a failed attempt at humor. If Suzuki had denied any sort of warranty claim (which was not initiated by me but by the dealer) then Oh F*'n well, lesson learned. I don't walk around expecting handouts from anyone, anywhere, at any time.

 

[Griffin]

How in the hell did my sharing a story about how Suzuki treated me well as a customer end up turning into this? I am not of the opinion that corporations are evil, blah blah blah. The title was apparently a failed attempt at humor. If Suzuki had denied any sort of warranty claim (which was not initiated by me but by the dealer) then Oh F*'n well, lesson learned. I don't walk around expecting handouts from anyone, anywhere, at any time.

Don't take it personally, I'm not hammering you. I just thought it interesting that the comment was made that "not all corporations are evil". It presupposes that people view most corporations as being "evil".

And, unfortunately, they probably do.

I never said you walked around expecting handouts from anybody, but you essentially asked for and received one from Suzuki. Nothing wrong with that, you were looking out for your best financial interest and it worked out for you.

Good on you, I'd have done the same thing. It was worth a shot, right?

 

[seuadr]

It presupposes that people view most corporations as being "evil".

And, unfortunately, they probably do.

i don't assume "most" corporations are evil, but there are some out there that are obviously out for a buck and have no interest in actual customer service. they aren't "evil" so much as greedy but it's a trend that, at least in my experence, really seems to be growing.

could it be alot of factors, including a bad person on the phone i delt with? sure. That is why i don't make a judgement untill they make it obvious.

for instance, i got a private student loan ( ya, i know, i didn't know any better ) for school. they change the due-date without notification, they vary the interest rate, which they claimed to be fixed, anywhere from 13.9 - 29.9%. essentially they baited and switched. i signed up for a loan which was then sold to a differnt arm of the company, which changed the terms of the loan. I agreed that they could sell the loan without my permission, notification, or ability to close the account in the fine print.

is it legal? yes. is it a bunch of greedy pricks looking to take advantage of students? i believe so. mebby they are just trying to get along the best they can.:-s

 

[Griffin]

i don't assume "most" corporations are evil, but there are some out there that are obviously out for a buck and have no interest in actual customer service. they aren't "evil" so much as greedy but it's a trend that, at least in my experence, really seems to be growing.

could it be alot of factors, including a bad person on the phone i delt with? sure. That is why i don't make a judgement untill they make it obvious.

for instance, i got a private student loan ( ya, i know, i didn't know any better ) for school. they change the due-date without notification, they vary the interest rate, which they claimed to be fixed, anywhere from 13.9 - 29.9%. essentially they baited and switched. i signed up for a loan which was then sold to a differnt arm of the company, which changed the terms of the loan. I agreed that they could sell the loan without my permission, notification, or ability to close the account in the fine print.

is it legal? yes. is it a bunch of greedy pricks looking to take advantage of students? i believe so. mebby they are just trying to get along the best they can.:-s

I agree with what I highlighted. Now in order to have the last laugh on them, bust yo' hump to make as much money as you can, pay that loan off early (remember, they are counting on you to make minimum payments for the entire term of the loan), then tell them to F*** off.

That's what I did with my student loan, many moons ago....

 

[seuadr]

I agree with what I highlighted. Now in order to have the last laugh on them, bust yo' hump to make as much money as you can, pay that loan off early (remember, they are counting on you to make minimum payments for the entire term of the loan), then tell them to F*** off.

That's what I did with my student loan, many moons ago....

ya, these are labled student loans, but what they really are are unsecured private loans. an actual student loan can be interest differed and is fixed at a federal rate. these aren't. it's sad that people are picking on college kids these days.

 

[Griffin]

ya, these are labled student loans, but what they really are are unsecured private loans. an actual student loan can be interest differed and is fixed at a federal rate. these aren't. it's sad that people are picking on college kids these days.

You're right, government-backed student loans are entirely different beasts from the more recent, privately-underwritten "student loans", which are essentially credit card contracts without the card.

 

[p_s]

Am I just a cynical SOB or does anyone else think that *maybe* Mom & Pop Motorcycle Shop didn't tell Suzuki exactly what happened?

 

[Skateguy50]

Well I do believe corporations are evil, and they are legally obligated to be so.

They HAVE to do what yields the highest profit, and if a CEO decided to say change the business for any reason other than profit he would be fired.

 

[Griffin]

Well I do believe corporations are evil, and they are legally obligated to be so.

They HAVE to do what yields the highest profit, and if a CEO decided to say change the business for any reason other than profit he would be fired.

Only if the actions he takes are legal and fit within the company's code of ethics. If he violates the law or the ethics code to maximize profits, he should be fired.

If he stays within the law and the code of ethics, yet strives to maximize profits, how is that evil?