Why Customer Service Really Matters
January 16, 2012, By Tom McNulty 0 comments
As a kid, I stocked shelves in my dad's small-town supermarket. He told me, "When someone asks you where something is, don't just point to it. TAKE them to it." And if the item wasn't on the shelf, I was supposed to get it from the store room and bring it to the customer. My dad was like that in every facet of his business. Even after his 12- or 14-hour days (common), he'd take time to deliver a box of food to someone who was sick or elderly.
From then on, my standards for customer service were high. I've long been a student of the phenomenon, and a fanatic about it.
I believe that customer service—good or bad—has a definite impact on a business's long-term success. With small, effortless acts, you can win customers for life. But all it takes is one lapse to lose them forever. And you can bet both types of customers will tell anyone who'll listen all about you.
Let's Start with the Good
I had an unbelievably great customer service experience just a few days ago. Briefly: I bought a nice Panasonic Lumix camera at Costco last year. It recently had an issue, and its one-year warranty was set to expire within the week. I just wanted Panasonic's phone number, but the store patched me through to Costco's "Conceirge Service," which comes with all electronics purchases.
Costco's "Steve" connected me directly with Panasonic and stayed on the line. The Panasonic guy quickly solved the issue. Steve said that if it hadn't been resolved, Costco would have replaced the camera regardless of when I bought it. I love this!
Other companies who have great customer service:
- Charles Schwab. They answer calls within a few rings, 24/7, and it's always someone in the U.S. who knows exactly how to help.
- Smith & Wesson. I bought a lifetime-warranted folding knife whose action got a bit gummy. They sent me a brand new one, no questions asked.
- Kowalski's. The employees in this mid-sized local supermarket recognize me, say hi, ask how I'm doing, and yes...insist on walking me directly to any product I ask about. I'll always shop there.
- Amazon. You can quickly drill down to a customer service link. Click it, your phone starts ringing instantly, and you're talking to an Amazon rep in a minute or two.
NEXT: The Bad
