Toyota has really had a fall from grace in recent weeks. The tremendously successful Japanese auto company has significant market share in the United States, previously with a flawless reputation for dependable cars. Companies like Toyota made buying Japanese cars a better choice than looking to our own American car companies. The torrent of car recalls, followed by weak executive statements has certainly put Toyota on the defensive; what steps can be taken to rebuild the reputation of this great car company.
With new reports of yet another problem, this time with their 2010 Prius Hybrid, Toyota’s public relations department must be reeling from this daily string of bad news! Formal investigations are planned by Washington politicos amid cynicism of their motives now that government (us) now are owners of Toyota’s competitors, GM and Chrysler.
While maintaining a low profile, the president of Toyota Motor Corp, Akio Toyoda finally came forward in a press conference held in Nagoya, Japan to formally apologize for the recent safety problems. During the press conference, there was announcement of a new quality committee that will include inside and outside sources. I understand the PR angle, but it might make consumers question if there were any prior quality control efforts in their manufacturing process.
A better PR move is being executed by Jim Lents, the COO of Toyota Motor Sales, USA who is participating in Digg’s popular segment, Digg Dialogue. Just a quick recap of Digg Dialogue; it is a platform where public figures answer questions submitted by the Digg community. Past Digg Dialogues include Matt Damon, Adrian Peterson, and Al Gore. Keep in mind a prominent picture and a short bio is also made viewable on this page which gives some sense of transparency.
As I read through the questions and comments, Jim Lents is facing a tough crowd here, but for the most part, the questions are well thought out, and they seem genuinely important to the people who are asking them. The questions with the most votes will be answered. The consumers that are taking the time to log in or create new accounts on the social bookmarking site in an effort to voice their concerns are the real customers Toyota should be worried about. Bad publicity is still publicity and eventually it goes away and could be erased with the right line of attack. This is absolutely a step forward and worthy attempt to help ease the public’s concern.
Of course, in the end, it’s up to Toyota to fix the problems and make good for the consumer as a first step. PR and using the social media is fine; but actual deeds from the car manufacturer will win the day in the end.
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