The Global Warranty and Service Contract Association (“GWSCA”) (www.gwsca.org) is now developing the agenda for our first annual conference, to be held in Chicago, the week of October 6, 2014. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: June 2014
Call for Presenters — First Annual GWSCA Conference
Reptile Theory: Lipstick on a lizard
Is the “Reptile Theory” now slithering through civil trial courts across the U.S. truly a product of science or something else? Its critics view it as lipstick on a lizard. Its creators promote it as a can’t miss scientifically based trial strategy for obtaining huge jury awards and settlements in civil litigation. Think of it what you will, but if you are likely to ever be a defendant in a civil trial, don’t ignore it. Continue reading
Filed under Court Decisions, Resolving Disputes
Readers respond to “Customer Service” post
In response to a recent post, “’Customer Service’ better be more than a department name,” readers offer thoughtful observations and insights. Continue reading
Filed under Best Practices, Customer Experience, Warranty
“The Reptile” – Revolutionary breakthrough or good old-fashioned clever lawyering?
Proponents of the “Reptile Theory” claim it has produced $6 billion in jury verdicts and settlements for plaintiff’s in personal injury litigation since 2009. They say it derives from research by neuroscientists into brain organization and function, taps into jurors’ basic survival instinct, and “is revolutionizing the way the trial attorneys approach and win their cases.” While many doubt its scientific basis (here) (here) (here), defendants who have encountered the theory in litigation do not dispute its effectiveness.
So how to combat the Reptile? Continue reading
Filed under Court Decisions, Resolving Disputes
“Customer Service” better be more than a department name
When a company discovers a potentially life-threatening or other serious defect in a product it comes under a legal obligation to conduct a recall. So a recall might be seen as a kind of mandatory customer service.
But to what lengths should a company go voluntarily in the name of serving its customers? Continue reading
Filed under Best Practices, Customer Experience, Warranty
Don’t fear the recall
In a recent interview, former GM CEO, Bob Lutz, observed that recalls “captivate the media, but the U.S. public absolutely couldn’t care less.” Yet for many product makers, the prospect of a safety recall sends a chill down the spines and a queasy feeling into the guts of the folks in C-suite as well as the legal, marketing, and finance departments.
I think Lutz may be on to something. Continue reading
Filed under Best Practices, Customer Experience, PR & Branding, Risk Management