RMA Motors defends Twitter gaffe
Chief Executive of RMA Motors, Mr. Sanjiv Shah. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- In the response, Mr Shah said that RMA was puzzled as to why Mr Thakrar chose to use social media to complain about the service rendered to him by the motor dealership yet he had an open line of communication with RMA.
RMA Motors has, through its CEO Sanjiv Shah, responded to the story published by Nation.co.ke about its handling of a customer's complaint on Twitter.
In the response, Mr Shah said that RMA was puzzled as to why Mr Thakrar chose to use social media to complain about the service rendered to him by the motor dealership yet he had an open line of communication with RMA.
"We are puzzled as to why Mr Thakrar decided to air his views on social media in the early hours of the morning on a public holiday (Monday 20th October).
“We have always understood that Mr Thakrar has had a fluent communication chain with RMA, witnessed by the fact that he even knows the names of various RMA team members and has their personal telephone contacts," he said.
KENYAN TUSKER
Mr Thakrar had taken to Twitter to complain that his Sh30 million Range Rover Vogue, which is specially customised, was not working as it was supposed to and asked for assistance.
In response, the company said it was a public holiday and he would have to wait until Tuesday for assistance, and in the meantime he was advised to take a "cold tusker".
In the same statement, RMA defended its use of "cold tusker", saying that the company liked the reference, as Tusker is so Kenyan, and also in deference to a blogger by the same name.
"We used (the) reference to enjoying a "cold beer" as there were many tweets from the @coldtusker handle and we liked the reference to Tusker as it is so Kenyan, especially on a public holiday."
RMA's comments were taken to show the artlessness of corporates’ interaction with their clients on social media.
With the conversation taking a turn for the worse, RMA was advised to go offline as their dry sense of humour and casual response to a grave matter was not going well.
In this rejoinder, RMA stops short of calling Mr Thakrar a hostile customer out to besmirch the dealership's good name. RMA also took issue with Mr Thakrar, saying that none of its high-end clientele had ever taken their issues with the motor dealer public.
"None of our other high profile customers have ever resorted to discussing their issues and slating us in the public arena. Generally owners of these type of vehicles (and we have many delighted such customers) are private, discreet and very friendly."
Mr Sanjiv is also happy with the publicity Mr Thakrar has garnered for them, terming this a bitter-sweet moment for the company.
