NZX-listed company Turners Automotive's boss steps up to say sorry to "Auntie Jean" in Napier

Turners Automotive chief executive Todd Hunter. Photo / File

Despite being the chief executive of a top NZX-listed company with an annual revenue of $330.5 million, Todd Hunter was not too busy on Friday to take time out to say "sorry" to a Napier woman.

The Turners Automotive boss joined up to Napier Facebook group site to apologise to Napier's "Auntie Jean" after the group's Napier branch did not call her to offer her a chance to buy a car before it was auctioned.

After reading about her frustration on Facebook, Hunter responded in person.

"Our local Branch Manager Sean Butcher has called Auntie Jean and explained to her what happened with this car. In this case we were selling this car on behalf of a private seller who wanted the car to go through the auction process. They then subsequently (and after Auntie Jean's visit) gave us instructions to sell the car prior to auction if someone was prepared to pay the asking price.

"We should have called Auntie Jean back and offered her the car...we got this wrong. We clearly didn't handle her questions and feedback particularly well either."

Hunter said Turners had apologised to the woman and was helping to find her a car.

"Hopefully we get an opportunity show Auntie Jean what we can do right", he said.

Speaking to Hawke's Bay Today Hunter said he felt the company needed to be honest and up front and acknowledge the situation.

"There are certainly learnings for us.

"From my perspective, I just wanted to make sure our team down there felt supported - 99 per cent of the time that Napier team do a fantastic job and I thought it was important that we acknowledge the situation but also point out that we actually try to get things right."

The original post had also garnered uninformed comments around the Consumer Guarantees Act that needed to be put right.

Hunter's post was liked more than 600 times and garnered more than 100 positive comments.

"It seems it has resonated. I think most people understand it's not going to go right 100 per cent of the time, it's more about what you do when it doesn't.