Customer Service: Turn A Nightmare Into A Dream

Like most people I deal with some sort of ‘customer service’ on what seems like an almost weekly basis, whether it be for a billing or shipping issue on an account or to get something fixed that is broken.

Over the past couple of years I have started to see a troubling trend when it comes to service and only a few gold star performances. What ever happened to the old saying “the customer is always right?” Here are two companies that understand customer service and satisfaction and how I think they’re making it work. 

I’ll protect the innocent when it comes to of all of the nightmare experiences I’ve had this year — from being told that the charges are accurate when they’re clearly wrong, to taking more than an hour to activate a new product and needing to demand a manager on the phone who somehow got it accomplished in 30 seconds. Not to be forgotten was the clearly drunk and abusive waiter who got fired during dinner by the Assistant Manager after the Manager insisted the waiter was just ‘goofy’ and refused to act.

Negative aside there are some very positive experiences I had this year that I hope all other companies can take a lesson from.

The first involved the coffee company N’espresso (twitter: @Nespresso).

I have a couple of their very nice espresso machines. One has a separate “aeroccino” used to warm and froth milk. It requires the use of an electric base which got lost. It was a personal mistake and was no fault of N’espresso. When I called to inquire about whether they sold the base separately rather than the whole device I was told they did not.  However the customer service rep immediately asked if she could confirm my mailing address and then told me she would ship me an entire new device at no cost — a $100 product for free — regardless of the fact it was my mistake.  A few days later it arrived in the mail and happened to be their newest model, which I did not have before.  Here is the kicker to it all — twice since then I have received phone calls from N’espresso to ensure the product was working properly and that I was happy with the company.  Now that is what I call good service — a willingness to help the customer without hesitation and then a couple of follow-ups to ensure satisfaction and quality.

The second story involves the smaller cruise line Seabourn (twitter: @SeabournCruise).

I have been on a few cruises with this company and can’t get over the quality of service they provide to customers.  While I think the company, like most out there, is working hard to reduce expenses, this company still continues to make sure it keeps the satisfaction of customers at the top of its list.  The all inclusive cruise line prides itself on serving the customer with top of the line products, foods and service.

Some examples of their gold star performances:  A passenger felt their meal wasn’t cooked as requested. Instead of giving them a hassle, the chef himself came to inspect the dish, apologize to the passenger personally, fix the meal and re-serve it along with a bottle of wine. This cruise line also prides itself on knowing the customers. You can occasionally see managers and staffers studying booklets that contain the passengers’ pictures, names, hometowns and preferences. It is typical for the majority of the staff to know the basics on you from memory within the first 48-hours. It helps build a bond and makes you feel like you’re really important. Lastly, they make sure you’re happy. They do this by simply asking you what you think: is there anything else they can do?; Is there something that they could have done better? The great part is that they follow through by taking your suggestions and putting them to work and you’re able to see that first hand.

Bottom line—how can you turn a customer service nightmare into a dream?

• The Customer Is Always Right: Let them know that you understand their frustration. Offer to help them out by sending a new product for free or at a discount. Even if they’re not right, try taking some responsibility on your shoulders and help them work toward a solution.
• Personalization: Study the customer’s file and absorb some of it. Try to know where they’re calling from and even ask them what they like to be called — their first name, Mr.___, or Mrs.___, etc. Give them your name and a direct extension if they have additional problems. That can build a short term bond and help them relax.
• Satisfaction Guaranteed: As the customer if there is anything more that you can do for them and see if what you’ve done is acceptable. Take their suggestions for improvement if they offer them and then work with those suggestions rather than just tossing them into the circular file. Follow up with the customer through an email, phone call at a convenient hour or through the mail to let them know you care about their experience.