From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Internal memorandum regarding the cost and customer communication strategy for a steering issue on 35 unshipped cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 67\4\ scan0115 | |
| Date | 1st June 1926 | |
| To Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} from BJ. Of the above, there are 35 cars with the 1.125 steering made to go abroad, not yet shipped. Therefore, we shall have to change these at a total of approximately £900. It must be impressed on all concerned, and especially on those who come into contact with customers, that we should not tell customers who complain how we intend to overcome their complaint, but merely mention that we can make an adjustment to the steering in their particular case and rather indicate that it is quite an unusual occurrence. If it becomes generally known and talked of amongst our customers and drivers that they can have their steering improved free of charge, nearly all the 735 customers will come to us sooner or later full of complaints, and insist on having the alteration made, irrespective of whether it is necessary or ask whether they are ever likely to take their cars abroad, and the loss to us will be about £25 per customer. BJ. | ||