Empowering Customer Service to save a customer

A recent experience got me thinking about, despite all the talk on the subject, how truly empowered customer service is to solve customer problems.

Back in early December 2008, I order furniture from an on-line retailer. The order was estimated for delivery in 8-10 weeks, putting delivery some where in the early February time frame. Without going into all the details, because there were so many failings in this process, let me focus on the retailer's CS function after delivery.

At the 12th week, my credit card was charged, so I assumed, per the purchase agreement, that the order was shipped. Late, but, I assumed it was on the way. I heard nothing. Another week. In week 14, I began calling and getting the run around and excuses as to the status of the order.

Jump ahead to week 17. The order finally arrives. The product was poorly constructed relative to the price point. And, the order was incomplete. Two days later, I got an email from the retailer's customer service "hoping that my experience was a good one". I replied that I was unsatisfied on all levels. At this point, even before this point, I would have expected some sort of remediation or offer from the company for my troubles. Nothing.

So, after I expressed my dissatisfaction in a return email, the head of customer service apparently followed up internally to understand the whole story. However, all I got back as a remediation was an historical recount of the experience, complete with a ting of finger pointing towards the manufacturer. This is how the email concluded from the retailer's head of customer service.

"...I just wanted to take this time , and let you know that your feedback is very important in helping us know when something is not right so we can get the issues resolved as fast as possible for our customer. Thanks again for the feedback it was very important to our company to hear this from our customers."

So that's it? Thanks for the feedback? Is that all that this customer service head is empowered to do? Thank me for my feedback? Or, does he really think this is sufficient to wipe away 18 weeks of a poor experience? This email exchange did nothing to satisfy me or overcome my negative experience. This CS head should be empowered to make economic, commercial or monetary decision that would, should such a situation occur in the future, actually show a desire to save a customer relationship. I don't know what it would have taken to rectify this experience in my mind. But, I know this was not it. While there are role model companies that understand the need for real economic empowerment at the front lines, all too often, this is as far as customer services is allowed to go. Apologies are free. And this company will realize, you get what you pay for.

Parker's Maple Syrup

Somewhere hidden in a corner of the Parker's Maple Barn gift shop (which is hidden in Southern New Hamshire) is a sign that says it all..."If the customer wants vanilla, give them vanilla."  While perhaps a mere wall decoration, it says a lot about this place.  

What was at first a journey to get a thing of fresh maple syrup, and a little sight-seeing experience quickly turned into one of the better experiences of this year.  I had never been to Parker's but had been to a couple of other maple syrup destinations.  I had not heard anything about Parker's (we were going with some friends), nor was I expecting anything other than a boon-doggle for expensive syrup.  

All I will say, is find a nice spring day.  Make your way to Parker's Maple Barn (address below) with a plan to arrive in the mid-morning.  When you park, put your name in with the restaurant.  Grab a maple donut and a little hot chocolate on your way up to the manufacturing barn, wait in line for a tour.  Listen, ask questions, and enjoy.  

Oh, and the breakfast is worth the ride as well.

Address:	1316 Brookline Road
	Mason, NH 03048
Phone:	(603) 878-2308 or (800) 832-2308
Fax:	(603) 878-1323
Email:	customerservice@parkersmaplebarn.com
Web:	parkersmaplebarn.com

The 411 on Directory Assistance

I had been a long time Cingular subscriber for my cell phone service at the time of the acquisition by AT&T. Having been around many acquisitions, I expected to feel some merger pains as a customer. This, however, was one of those funny bone pains that made me laugh through my grimace.

On my cell, I called directory assistance, which I learned later through an unrelated business encounter is outsourced to a third party company I believe called KGB - a contact center outsourcer. Through the automated IVR, I requested the number for Joseph A. Bank, a men's clothing store. The IVR didn't recognize my request, so I was transfered to an agent.

The agent asked for the business name again. I repeated. Because the company name is spelled "Jos A. Bank", the agent had to ask for the name several more times....the handle time clock was ticking.

She told me she had one listing, nowhere near the town where I had requested; in a different state, for that matter. Meanwhile, I knew there was a store in the location I had requested.

I asked her if there were more listings. She said yes and gave me another location. Again, not the one I needed. I asked "is that all fo them?". She proclaimed, "Oh no. I have a whole list here but I'm only allowed to give you two listings." Huh?

As perplexed as I was, having knowledge of call center customer service operations, I could only imagin how the average joe would react to this comment. Either the agent was on the phone too long and threatening to surpass the call handle time target. Or, as an outsourcer, perhaps they get paid by Cingular per call. So, the policy is to offer limited information. Any further requests need to be made via a newly placed call.

New Shoes

A friend of mine, George, purchased a pair of basketball shoes from Dick's Sporting Goods a couple of months ago. He had played about 10 times in them and his feet usually were killing him after the first game. He went back to Dick's to buy another pair yesterday and was talking to the sales person. What I would have expected from the sales rep is to adopt the company line and say "sorry we don't refund them after you have worn them." Especially in a down economy that would have been the easy thing to do.

Instead the rep asked if he had the shoes with him. He had George try them on, agreed that they were the right size and that there was a chance the shoe was defective. He gave him a full "store credit" and helped recommend a different pair to try.

In the end, George bought a new pair of shoes and was so impressed he called to tell me about the story. Not only did that single act create a little more individual loyalty, but he also created additional halo effect in that he was so inspired to tell others. And in the world of blogging, might have created more.

Direct from Customer

I am a huge Seth Godin blog fan. If you have not signed up for his blog, I would highly recommend it. It's a interesting daily little tidbit that makes you think about customer experience in a unique way.

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/03/direct-from-consumer-marketing.html

The Luxury of being the 800lb Gorilla

I was chatting with a friend of mine who I had not seen in a long time.  He happens to own a bar and we got on the topic of customer service.  I was watching how he managed his customers (old habit) and it was quickly apparent this was a guy who knew his customers. 

A couple of quick observations:

- A regular walked in, he chimed out the guys name (or the bar's nickname for him) to me and said "he's going to have 4-6 Rolling Rocks and will be here for an hour and a half."  I noticed the guy leave later and looked down at my watch noting he had been there for an hour and twenty minutes.  I then asked the bartender how many he had, to which the answer was "3".

-A couple walked in and had a couple of drinks two tables away.  They left and came back 30 minutes later.  As they walked by the bartender remembered them and said "another..." and paused as she was trying to think of their order.  My friend, while acting like it was part of our discussion, answered "Bass and Sam Adam Light."  

So back to our discussion of customer service...The place was one of the larger Budweiser pub clients in the area.  Budweiser had decided to cut back their shipments from Wednesday & Friday to just Wednesday.  No problem in general, but it did put more pressure on ordering and inventory.  He felt like he did a nice business with Budweiser and was often willing to bring in new Bud products.  Sometime after the scheduling change, he forgot to order enough to cover for a live band for Friday night and called the sales rep to ask a favor for an additional shipment.  To his amazement, the sales rep simply followed the company line "we only ship to you on Wednesdays."  He admitted it was a favor to which the sales rep simply said "sorry."

The next morning (Friday) as he was pulling in the lot the Budweiser truck was delivering to another bar in the same parking lot.  Their regular delivery day was Friday.

While I certainly don't know the whole story, I do see this "company line" excuse happen all the time.  I understand that we need to run numbers and that sometime Customer Service can be a costly endeavor.  And that we do on occasion need to put our foot down, but do we need to abandon it all the time?  Yes, it is true that the bar probably won't throw out Budweiser as a supplier, but the company and the rep lost money that night.

And on another level, it made me think about the Wed/Fri delivery options.  If you are dropping one day of delivery for cost constraints (which is completely understandable), why run the same route both days?  Wouldn't it make more sense to deliver to both bars on the same day?  

While there are potentially legitimate reasons for all actions, I would venture a guess that a number of decisions were made in vacuums with partial bits of information to serve specific questions.  I also believe that these decisions were based on "how do we minimize cost", not "how do we maximize long term profits and brand leverage."

I wonder how the 800lb industry giants fade into oblivion over time?  

In this case, I would think that Budweiser would be better served focusing on customer service and leveraging that value to bring new things to markets, improve placement, and promotion.