I had an experience this weekend, that is an important lesson
Here's what happened
My vehicle service was due for sometime, and since I had to travel to Mysore over the weekend.
I decided to get the vehicle serviced on friday.I gave the vehicle (with no major complaints) at the service center for a regular service witch is done every 5k kms, I have been doing this for the last 4 yrs at the same service stn.following a similar routine i called up the center at around 5pm asking about the status of the vehicle to indicate the i would be there in an hour to pick the same
On this fateful day, the supervisor at the other end, responded that there was some nagging problem and he had not yet been able to diagnose the cause, and requested me if i could pick the vehicle the next day evening after he had it fixed. That news was something i had not expected, so I shot back on the phone, telling, I really need to go to mysore this weekend, and If the problem was not very major, I would still like to take the vehicle for the weekend and give it again to fix the problem, sometime mid of next week.
The Novice Supervisor, who was slightly hesitant agreed to my request and the got the vehicle ready in the next hour and promptly delivered to me the same day evening. I picked up the vehicle, and the alignment of the wheel seemed slightly imperfect, the steering wheel showed a tendency to veer towards the left slightly. I ignored that and decided that i would give it back for service sometime later and get it fixed.
The next day I started my trip to Mysore, with my family, but now the steering problem started intensifying
as i got farther away from home. thats when we decided to turn back and return home, my family did travel to mys. in the public transport bus and i headed straight back to the service station
I happened to meet one of his more experienced peers during the second visit, and he commented, "I had advised him not deliver the vehicle if he was not confident but the customer insisted that he wanted it for the weekend and he unwillingly obliged"
As i write this piece, the above comment from that experienced supervisior, keeps ringing in my ears. How often have i been in such situations in my own profession, in fact on both sides of the fence
There have been umpteen no. of times when we have unwillingly delivered to customers, and got it back indicating that there is major flaw (which we were well aware of) and yet times i have also requested delivery of product from my team, and they have obliged unwillingly.
Looking back after today's experience, I realise that i happen to be somewhere between the Novice and expereinced supervisor, and hope today's episode will keep reminding me of the importance of Throughness of the product as against the deadline
