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Published: Sept. 29, 2020, 12:38 a.m.

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\\u201cIt\\u2019s making a funny noise.\\u201d My wife had just picked up the car from the garage, and she complained about a noise. Being a former service garage adviser, I was quick to tell her it was only the metallic brakes. I explained it\\u2019s not safe to use asbestos, so we had to switch to a more noisy brake.

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\\u201cDoesn\\u2019t sound like brakes.\\u201d She didn\\u2019t agree with my brake theory, and I\\u2019ve learned to listen to her over the years, so I thought it could be the new tires. She said it was worse on the highway, so I explained that it could be the new tires need to wear a bit. Sometimes new tires will sing a little at highway speeds.

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\\u201cIt\\u2019s getting worse.\\u201d A couple of weeks had gone by and she found my tire wearing scenario was wearing thin. While we drove two cars back from visiting a relative, talking by cell phone, she told me the noise was worse, and that now she could feel vibration in the steering wheel.

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\\u201cIt\\u2019s better when I hit the brake.\\u201d I told her if it\\u2019s better when you hit the brake, it\\u2019s probably a bad brake roter or something. I\\u2019d take it to the garage tomorrow and have them double check.

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\\u201cI\\u2019m parking it.\\u201d She decided the noise was too much and didn\\u2019t feel safe. She parked the car at a truck stop and rode home with me. She wouldn\\u2019t let me drive it at night either.

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The next day I drove back up to the truck stop, hopped in the car, and was shocked at how bad the vibration felt. Even I didn\\u2019t feel safe driving 100 yards \\u2013 never mind 20 miles home. I pulled off of the road, with a good idea of what was wrong.

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Sure enough, two lug nuts were missing and the other three were very loose.

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For now, we will ignore the fact that we had just loaned our car to a visiting brother-in-law, who had his new baby with him. For now, we will forget that my wife was driving at highway speeds with three of our six kids with her.

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Let\\u2019s not worry about what could have happened. Let\\u2019s look at why it went on so long.

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I was attempting to help from a distance.

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No matter how much I care for a client, I love my wife more. I was trying to be attentive, helpful and considerate. I respect her opinion. At no time did I ignore her or dismiss her concerns\\u2026 but while she was in the car, I wasn\\u2019t. I didn\\u2019t drive it myself. I was remote.

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Get out from behind the desk and go visit your client.

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Companies that attempt to centralize customer service, standardize customer care, or outsource the helpdesk in order to save money can never get as close to their clients as someone who is right there. Service must be local. You have to walk in your client\\u2019s shoes. You have to drive the car.

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That kind of customer service is impossible to fake.

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I\\u2019m thankful my family wasn\\u2019t harmed by a simple mistake at the garage, and I\\u2019m grateful for it giving me such a concrete lesson in the value of LOCAL, in person.

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NO substitute for face to face.

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