John Mendel – Making a Serious Responsibility for Honda and Acura Brands
After Honda renamed the former Arrowhead Pond entertainment and sports venue in Anaheim, Calif. as Honda Center, the automaker asked its customers just like what they did with car owners.
Honda particularly asked what customers thought about the center’s name change. However, the company got more than what it asked for. Unexpected comments were given by patrons like ‘now that Honda runs the center, the food will be better and the bathrooms will be cleaner.’
“Now we’re being held responsible for hot dogs, beer, bathrooms and everything else,” John Mendel said as he read the survey responses. Mendel was promoted to executive vice president of automobile operations for American Honda Motor Co. this year. “But, that’s the power of the Honda brand. You put the Honda name on something, and there’s a certain level of expectation,” he adds philosophically.
Mendel does all efforts in protecting the Honda brands and delivering on customer expectations. And it is more to expectations of Honda and Acura car and truck owners than the quality expectations of Honda Center patrons for hot dogs and beer. But Mendel claims that both have improved.
“I wake up scared every morning of the enormous responsibility I have to care for these brands – Honda and Acura. Those before me have done a phenomenal job, and I want to do even more,” admits Mendel.