Great Customer Service Experiences

I have had one great customer service experience recently, and a number of not-so great experiences. ?I would like to focus on the great experience, because the less-than experiences are pretty much a non-event these days.

I recently purchased a nice set of markers from an online company from which I had never ordered. ? The company sent me the wrong set accidentally ? they were the right colors, and I opened them and started to use them, but then realized that they were a different type of marker than I ordered. ? I contacted the company and let me know the error, and they were very apologetic ? rushing another set to me right away via expedited delivery.

I was busy and didn?t even have time to get to the new markers for a week or so. ?When I unpacked them ? there was a nice apology note from the company and a return label for the wrong marker set, which I set aside to save for my next trip to the post office. ?I thought this was nice, the whole process was very hassle-free. ? Later that week, I heard from a company representative via email, inquiring about the return of the markers and making sure I had received the return label.

I sent an email apologizing for not sending the original set back yet (mea culpa) and promised to do so, soon (I felt guilty for not getting them back sooner). ?The rep sent a note back, saying please no apologies, as it was their mistake, and to just send them back whenever I had the chance. ? ?The courtesy and integrity here rather blew my mind. ?Lately, I have had a few not-good experiences with big retailers sending me the wrong item, and they were not nearly so kind, just making extra work and trouble for me to find the right department, explain the problem, get a return authorization code, etc. ? Honestly, I am so busy that often I don?t even bother to make a return, if it?s a small item, as it takes too much time! ?It is frustrating when a company makes a mistake . . . but the smallest human kindness can make all of the difference in the experience.

Some of the finest companies in the world train their companies on customer service very stringently ? companies such as the Ritz Carlton, Disney and even some great restaurant chains (Houstons and Ruth?s Chris are examples) have well-defined policies about how to ?take care of customers. ? ?These companies understand the value of treating the customer with respect, and when customers are treated well, they also tend to behave with respect toward your company when you make a mistake. ? So having a refined customer service protocol actually becomes a two-way street that works for your business and customers alike. ? ?It?s a great investment, not only in your business ? but in furthering kindness in the world (yes, people say I?m a dreamer . . . !)

So I encourage you to take the time to invest in training your employees on the ethics of customer service in your business . . . and make a conscientious effort to define how you will handle different situations, even creating scenarios and run-throughs. ?It is easy, especially during the busy upcoming holiday season, to get overwhelmed and customers can begin to get more aggressive, as they are stressed, which can trigger less than optimal responses in your employees. ?A manual or guideline, or an afternoon of role-playing with your staff can be a great investment in your business . . . that will pay off in years to come. ? Believe it or not, a bad customer experience handled well can actually turn into gold for you business! ?But you have to make sure you are well-prepared for these situations.

All the best with the upcoming holiday season ? remember to breathe, and ?smile

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Source: http://www.web.com/blog/uncategorized/great-customer-service-experiences/

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