Good Customer Service

If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends. - JEFF BEZOS

Customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong. - DONALD PORTER

Last summer, I wrote of the drama we had with my daughter's "floating" swim fin that she lost and we wanted a refund for. At the time, the manufacturer had promised not only a refund, but a replacement pair of fins that had been tested.

We waited, and waited. Followed up. Got an email back that basically said, "I'm sorry, I thought that had been processed. I'll do it now." and then waited and waited and followed up again. And again. Finally, after several months of waiting and following up, my DD received a Visa gift card in the mail in November for the cost of the fins. While she didn't receive the replacement pair, we're still satisfied with the outcome, if a bit dismayed it took so much nagging on our part.

I've decided, though, that I'm not going to sit back and let ourselves be "taken" by poorly made products. In November, DD bought the cutest little snowflake necklace from AC Moore. The snowflakes lit up and flashed. She'd planned on using it as the garland on her tiny artificial Christmas tree she puts in her room, so imagine our dismay when, one-by-one the snowflakes stopped lighting up over a matter of a week or so until only ONE was lit.

They were only $5 and we didn't have our receipt. Plus AC Moore is at the mall and it was the weekend after Thanksgiving -- no way I was going to battle the mall. So, I emailed them and included a picture of the necklace with its one flashing light. Told them I loved their store, and that we patronized them all the time (we do -- DD gets much of her jewelry supplies there) and was sad that they had such poor products in their store. I explained that my daughter had purchased it with her own money and that we didn't keep the receipt, but that I wanted to bring it to their attention.

Not only did they get back to me the same day, but they offered to send a gift card for refund. I'd heard that before (see above) but gave it a shot. I want you to know that the gift card arrived in a matter of a few days. AC Moore gets a bit two thumbs up from me.

Most recently, DD received a Rubik's Slide game from one of the ladies at our agility class (I think she's their mascot ... lol). She LOVED that game and the first night she had it she played it for hours. The next morning, she came downstairs in tears -- the control button wasn't working (the button that selects your game, gives you the solution you're trying for and controls the volume). We put in new batteries in case that might help. It didn't.

So ... she'd had it one day, and although she played it to death, she didn't drop it on the floor or into the bathtub. The game should hold up to a little playing. I have no idea where the woman got the game, obviously we didn't have a receipt for it, so off I went to the computer again. I emailed them and explained the situation concisely.

The following day, I received a response. They apologized, said that they stand behind their products and would send DD a new Rubik's Slide via Fed Ex. Though that was only a couple of days ago, and we haven't rec'd the toy yet, I still feel heartened by the response.

EDITED TO ADD: FedEx just dropped off her new Rubik's Slide. Good for TechnoSource -- two thumbs up.

Fact is, those folks have taken a bad situation (especially AC Moore, because we use them all the time and there is plenty of competition we could use instead) and made me and my DD feel warm and fuzzy.

Good customer service goes a long, long way.

======================

Deep Down You Are Sensitive

You're the type of person who notices everything and forgets nothing. You are very in tune with the world. You feel deeply, and sometimes the silliest things can effect you. You are easily brought to laughter or tears. You don't show the world how fragile you are. You instead show people how insightful you can be. You are good at anticipating what's going to happen in your life. You are often the first one to see what's coming.

The Eye Test

Blogthings: Quizzes and Tests and Memes, Oh My!

I don't think I am sensitive, but most of the description fits...

===============

Appearances and Good Customer Service

The world is governed more by appearance than realities so that it is fully as necessary to seem to know something as to know it. ~Daniel Webster

I'm being interviewed at The Coffee Stop today. Come on over and find out what made me snort.

==============

Last night, DH and I were watching county music videos, and Nan Kelly was interviewing Keith Urban.

DH said, "I don't understand why anyone would think he was hot. He looks like a scally-wag."

I said, "Most 'hot' guys look scruffy and unkempt theses days. Besides, I don't get why most women think 'hot' guys are hot. Look at Billy Currington. I don't think he's hot and (Billy, if you're reading this, I'll apologize now... you might be a rocket scientist, but you just don't look like one) he looks like he has an IQ of 2. I'd take Keith Urban over Billy Currington every day of the week."


DH said, incredulously, "Really? I think Billy's hotter than Keith."

(Note: We have these conversations about women, too, and have decided that the current hottest chicks in country music are Sara Evans and Carrie Underwood).

So what do YOU think?

Keith:




Or Billy:



You don't want to know what I said about Tim McGraw. Poor Tim. I wasn't kind.

==============================

I was going to do the Monday Morning Meme, but it asks what I think is sexy about me and, as I sit here in my jammies, with hair askew and breath that is a mix of morning/coffee, I couldn't think of anything.

Those just aren't the kinds of questions to ask me before I've had a shower.

===============================

Something I admire in salespeople: honesty.

I know that sounds like a no-brainer, but I'll tell you right now... I had two experiences yesterday that cemented my loyalty to two stores.

Osborne's Agway: Besides the fact that they love my dog, yesterday I was looking for a remote training collar for Dakota and they only had a small dog size. The clerk there gave me a website to find them and said that the prices were even better than their store would offer. Now, I shop there all the time. It's where I get my pet food and my bird food and most of my gardening supplies. But I love them even more now...

Pets Supply USA: They opened near us recently, which was nice because there aren't any other big pet places within easy driving distance. I decided to go there yesterday after Agway, just to see if they had a remote trainer. They did. The guy took it out and let me look at it and we talked about all the options. I mentioned that I really didn't want to use the "shock" option, just the "good tone/bad tone" one. He asked if Dakota was voice trained. I said... sort of. He told me, if I wasn't going to use the shock, there was no point in getting the collar--that the "good tone/bad tone" is the same thing as saying "NO!" or "good girl" (in the different tones of voice).

His honesty lost him (and I believe he's the manager) a $100+ sale, but gained a loyal customer. It's a bit reminiscent of Miracle on 34th Street when Santa sends people to different stores.

In any case, I was very happy with people yesterday.

=========================

From Melissa:

You Are Not Messy

You're so clean, people have accused you of being a clean freak! You like things tidy, organized, and smelling fresh. Messes drive you crazy, especially when you didn't make them. It's hard for you to live with a slob - or someone who leaves their dishes in the sink.

Are You Messy?