It was completely unexpected.—The phone call that changed everything.
We were struggling to figure out how we were going to afford four new tires, after being told that the tires on our Subaru Crosstrek were not in good enough shape to pass our State vehicle inspection. The vehicle passed inspection in 2020, and had only been lightly driven since being quarantined, due to Covid, for the past two years.
“When it rains, it pours,” my mother frequently said. Usually referring to a sudden onslaught of bad news and the descent into dire circumstances. The kind of circumstances that leave you bleeding financially, and numb with disbelief.
The timing, as usual, was awful.
My neighborhood Goodyear Auto Service Center and I were caught in a seemingly impossible situation. I needed my vehicle to pass inspection with its current tires. The Goodyear Auto Service Center, with inconclusive guidance from Pennsylvania’s Department of Transportation regarding what exactly defines the qualifications for a “passing” grade, made the decision to fail my tires out of an abundance of caution.
The intelligence that was sorely needed in this situation, was whether my existing tires were roadworthy and safe. Much to my surprise, the answer was left to the personal discretion of the PennDOT certified service agent at Goodyear Auto Service Center, who, as I mentioned earlier, had no specific PennDOT metrics to support a “failing” grade.
Initially, I railed against Goodyear, and my local Goodyear Auto Service Center, and for that I sincerely apologize. The problem seems to lie squarely with PennDOT, and its expectation that its certified inspectors make sometimes life-changing decisions regarding if a vehicle passes or fails inspection, based on criteria grossly lacking in detail.
Goodyear, and my local Goodyear Auto Service Center, could have chosen to do nothing about my complaint. I only say this because of the awful experiences I have had with other businesses, where the door to a resolution was slammed in my face, and welded shut.
Goodyear, and my local Goodyear Auto Service Center, acted differently. I didn’t expect it.
My local Goodyear Auto Service Center worked with me until we were able to resolve my concerns. When all was said and done, the team at my local Goodyear Auto Service Center saw to it that my vehicle had new Goodyear tires, which then allowed them to certify the inspection of my vehicle.
In my experience, managers and business leaders with a willingness to go the extra mile for their customers is surprisingly rare. The actions taken by the manager of our local Goodyear Auto Service Center have completely restored my faith in Goodyear as a company, and my trust in our local Goodyear Auto Service Center. There are simply not enough words to convey my thanks and gratitude.