Llinyn Hyundai-KIA yn deall pŵer sori

Mae arian parod ac ymddiheuriad yn mynd yn bell i drechu ffrae fawr Nid ydym wedi clywed llawer amdano yn Ewrop, ond mae Hyundai a Kia wedi cael brwsh gyda thrychineb cysylltiadau cyhoeddus yn yr Unol Daleithiau y mis hwn. Fodd bynnag, ymddengys eu bod wedi llwyddo i gynnwys llawer o'r cwympiad trwy bŵer ymddiheuriad cyflym ac iawndal hael. 

Dechreuodd pan ddywedodd Asiantaeth Diogelu'r Amgylchedd yr Unol Daleithiau fod y gwneuthurwyr ceir wedi gorbwysleisio economi tanwydd llawer o'u cerbydau o 1-2mpg, gan godi i or-ddatganiad 6mpg ar yr Enaid Kia. Yn rhagweladwy, aeth prynwyr a sylwebyddion yn strategol, gan fynnu atebion i'r celwyddau, i benaethiaid rolio ac, wrth gwrs, iawndal am bopeth o'r costau tanwydd ychwanegol i werthoedd ailwerthu difrodi y ceir. 

Cafodd tua un o bob tri char a werthwyd gan y cwmnïau yn ystod y tair blynedd ddiwethaf eu heffeithio - cyfanswm o 900,000. Roedd Hyundai a Kia yn beio gwallau gweithdrefnol mewn gweithrediadau profi ar y cyd yng Nghorea am y broblem. 

Yn hollbwysig, fodd bynnag, fe wnaethant ymateb yn gyflym i'r cyhuddiadau. Cafwyd ymddiheuriad ar unwaith. Lluniwyd rhaglen iawndal, gyda pherchnogion yn derbyn cardiau rhodd yn cario taliad yn seiliedig ar faint o filltiroedd y maent wedi'u gyrru, y pris tanwydd lle maen nhw'n byw a bonws o 15 y cant i ddweud sori. Bydd y cardiau hyn yn cael eu hychwanegu cyhyd â bod gan y perchennog y cerbyd. 

Mae'r rhes yn sibrwd ymlaen, ac mae yna achosion cyfreithiol rhagorol, ond yn hanfodol ymddengys bod perchnogion wedi cael eu twyllo lai na mis ar ôl i'r stori dorri. Dywed John Karfcek, pennaeth Hyundai USA, fod yr adborth yn awgrymu bod 90 y cant o berchnogion yn hapus gydag ymateb y cwmnïau, ond mae'n pwysleisio ei fod yn gweithio ar argyhoeddi'r 10 y cant arall. Mae rhagfynegiadau gwerthiant ar gyfer Hyundai yn parhau ar y trywydd iawn; Ar rai ceir, mae'r galw yn fwy na'r cyflenwad. 

Mae pob un ohonynt yn dangos mai'r ymateb gorau i gwmni mawr mewn argyfwng yw dweud sori mor gyflym â phosibl a chloddio cyn belled ag y gallwch chi i'ch pocedi dyfnaf. Mae'n ateb rhyfeddol o syml y mae'n ymddangos mai ychydig iawn o gorfforaethau mawr sy'n ymddangos i amgyffred.

Cash and an apology go a long way to defusing a major row We havent heard much about it in Europe, but Hyundai and Kia have had a brush with PR disaster in the US this month. However, they appear to have managed to contain much of the fallout through the power of swift apology and generous compensation. 

It started when the US Environmental Protection Agency said the car makers had overstated the fuel economy of many of their vehicles by 1-2mpg, rising to a 6mpg over-statement on the Kia Soul. Buyers and commentators predictably went stratospheric, demanding answers to the lies, for heads to roll and, of course, compensation for everything from the extra fuel costs to damaged resale values of the cars. 

In total, around one in three cars sold by the firms in the past three years was affected – 900,000 in total. Hyundai and Kia blamed procedural errors at joint testing operations in Korea for the problem. 

Crucially, though, they reacted swiftly to the accusations. An apology was issued immediately. A compensation programme was devised, with owners issued with gift cards carrying a payment based on how many miles they have driven, the fuel price where they live and a 15 per cent bonus to say sorry. These cards will be topped up for as long as the owner has the vehicle. 

The row rumbles on, and there are lawsuits outstanding, but crucially owners seem to have been appeased less than a month after the story broke. John Karfcek, Hyundai USAs boss, says feedback suggests 90 per cent of owners are happy with the firms reaction, but he emphasises that hes working on appeasing the other 10 per cent. Sales predictions for Hyundai remain on course; on some cars, demand is outstripping supply. 

All of which goes to show that the best response for a major company in a crisis is to say sorry as fast as possible and dig as far as you can into your deepest pockets. It's a remarkably simple solution that very few major corporations appear to grasp.