Lentz on Today

This might work:
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Well maybe not!

It is a Today Show interview, Feb 1., 2010, with Jim Lentz. Google found it.

Bob Wilson

 

I wasn't particularly impressed either. He hemmed and hawed a lot. Lauer asked some tough questions but nothing that Lentz couldn't have anticipated and rehearsed for. If he had given concise answers in which he seemed more confident, he would have seemed less evasive (even if he actually was trying to be) and perhaps would have inspired more confidence from viewers and owners. I'm not sure he helped his cause.

 

+1. I'm a strong Toyota advocate but feel Toyota's PR position would be improved if that interview did not occur...Toyota will have to find someone else to testify before the Congressional committee.

Let's see how quickly the metal shims can be installed on the recalled vehicles. Looks like the 1,200 US dealers are going to make that a top priority.

 

Consider this: Temper "how" corporate leadership publicly says "whoops", by factoring in heavy coaching by corporate legal, to say nothing. Saying anything in anticipation of litigation is tenuous. It is feared that saying 'We're terribly sorry" is tantamount to pleading no contest with each & every negligence claim heading down the pike ... because the knee jerk reaction is that prospective jury members can't distinguish the difference between regret, and an admission of fault.

 

In that case, it would be better to decline media invitations to appear on camera; than to appear and seem evasive or unwilling to express the truth.

 

Although not quite the same as "Have you stopped beating your wife?," asking "How long have you known about this problem?" puts them in a difficult spot with no good answers.

A1 - We investigated the eight earlier incidents <list each one> and found <each one>.

A2 - Answer a different question ... not a good practice.

Now I've been in the business of addressing customer trouble calls for a long, long time and it is not easy ... especially the intermittent ones or rare ones. I also realize sometimes you have to wait for the repair groups to 'catch up to reality.' But one thing I know for sure, ignoring or too early dismissal leads to a 'bad place.'

Bob Wilson