Good Customer Service Pays Off....

Companies that understand the value in providing good customer service deserve to win!!! My remote control starter for my car wasn't working. Rather than taking it in, I first tried changing the battery on the remote twice but it still only worked intermittently. I happened to be driving by the local electronics store where I purchased it the other day and decided to drop in. I was in a hurry and thankfully; there was no line up. The guy behind the counter listened to my complaint and told me it would cost $60.00 to replace it. Then he said "but before we do that, let's take a look inside because we may be able to fix it". He opened it, soldered a couple of wires, closed it up, walked outside to my car and voila, it started right away. He looked at me, handed me his card and said "thanks for coming in to Advance, let me know if there's anything else we can help you with." WOW!!!! Guess where we just bought our new 42" flat screen TV from...and we didn't even shop around to the big box stores. This company understands Customer Retention and they're a winner in my books!!!

Posted on January 23, 2007 08:59

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Comments:

Byron Hallson at Tue Jan 23 12:03:27 -0600 2007

I couldn't agree more. A single good or bad experience with a companies customer service can make or break a deal, not only at that time, but also in the future as well. As an example of my own, I recieved 2 cold pizza's from a pizza place. I called and spoke to the person taking orders, and requested new ones...they were not even warm, they were literally cold. It had taken 1 1/2 hours to receive them. I spoke to the supervisor who said I could have 10% off next time, and I said that it was insufficient. They appologized and said that was all they could do and asked if there was anything else they could help me with, and I stated that I would like new pizza's or a refund, and I was promptly told that we had dealt with that order and nothing else would be done. As you can imagine that was the last order that I, or anyone I can convince, ordered from that company. In my opinion a companies customer service is as important as the product they are offering.

Marnie at Tue Jan 23 19:17:37 -0600 2007

Well I know how important customer service is. I think every time I call a 1-800 number what would I do to handle this call.

Here is an example of what not to do. I bought a new computer from a popular computer company on boxing day, I didn't get a chance to set it up until yesterday. So I did everything the instructions told me to do. It came with McAfee so I installed the program just as it explained to and the computer died.... I was not impressed.

So I looked on the letter that accompanied the computer and there was a technical support number. I decided why not reinstall windows because there was nothing I had saved yet. While I was waiting on hold (oh, I forgot to mention it was not a toll free number), the first recording indicated a minimum of 5 minutes wait time so I held and paid 5 cents a minute. Then the agent comes on and is laughing I asked what was so funny and he said someone just told him a dirty joke and that he was going home in 30 minutes.

Then I explained what the problem was and he asked where I got my computer from and he started laughing again. I asked what was so funny and he explained that someone was making him laugh and he was sorry. This was extremely unacceptable as I was paying for this call.

While he was trying to find my computer on the system he was talking about his boss. Which again was something I didn't care to know.

Then I spent another 15 minutes while he searched for my computer. Then I asked him to hurry up in a calm voice as I was paying for this call. I asked can he please call me back. He put me on hold again because only his supervisor could access my client directory. He finally comes back and says yes I can call you back. I gave him my number and he then started to laugh again and asked what the internationally code was. I explained that I was in Canada and it was a regular long distance number, I used the example of calling his friend in New York, then I asked where he was and he said Tulsa Oklahoma.

I could not help but to chuckle that he didn't know he could direct dial to Canada. I think when training a customer service representative you should always explain country information for places that you would be speaking with, to make sure you do not sound like this gentleman.

He called me back in about 5 minutes and asks me to look at my startup files and he was looking for a specific application and of course I did not have that application. Then he explains you must not have that program so everything should be fine.

Thank you for calling popular computer company.

I was extremely upset. I just paid for a 20 minute call and there was no resolution.

I believe this is an example of what NOT to do.

Next time I call I may just ask them to call me back because I do not want to incur those charges again.

Tami at Fri Jan 26 09:29:06 -0600 2007

this was my experience with a popular chicken place. I could tell this story over and over. I order the special that they had one night, but instead of the coleslaw I order macaroni salad instead. Well when the guy came he didn't have my macaroni. So I cl the chicken place's hotline and they apologize and told me that the guy would be out. Well an hr went by and I still didn't receive my order. Of course I cl back and the caller told me there is nothing that they can do. Well now I am a little angry I ask to speak to the manager of course they don't have one because they are a chicken place hotline. So they let me talk to the guy in charge. Well when I talk to him he did not apologize for me waiting almost 2hrs for macaroni salad, but he did tell me he will give me a discount next time I order, then he told me I should cl the chicken place's location on Portage where it was coming from. Well thats what I did now its 3hrs I finally talk to the manager and she told me the delivery guy was on his way. 4hrs goes by know one is at my home, so I cl the manager back and she told me that someone was there I did not answer my door. Well we all know that was not true, so I demanded my money back and this manager flew into me saying that she can't do that it was not the policy and so on. Then she had a few nasty words to say to me and then hung up. So the next business day I cl the chicken place's head ofc and to make a short story sweet they were very very sorry and I got a free meal next time I went there.

Melanie at Fri Jan 26 11:54:30 -0600 2007

I had decided to go to a popular sub shop one day with some friends and they had gone before me to order. I had not yet decided what to order and the girl that was working said "can you fricken hurry up!" in some not so nice words. Understand there was no one in the line behind me to order so I walked out. I had the receipt from one of my friends and the girls name so I called the head office and explained the situation. Needless to say they were very sorry and i received 4 free subs and the girl is no longer working there

Joan at Fri Jan 26 20:41:39 -0600 2007

Speaking of Sub shops remember when you would get stamps at the popular sub place when you ordered a sub and after so many you would get a free one? I miss this so much, to think of it I haven't really gone there since they stop that.It takes the fun out of eating there. When I would have 5 stamps I would think gotta go to that sub place so I can buy another sub and get my last stamp, I wasn't even thinking about the sub I just wanted something for FREE! BRING BACK THE LOYALTY PROGRAM, I am hungry!

Don't you love loyalty programs? What is your favorite loyalty program (ex. Airmiles) if you are even a fan of them at all?

Vanessa at Sun Feb 04 13:52:27 -0600 2007

Apparently they took away the sub stamps, because an employee was selling rolls of stamps on ebay.

Melanie at Mon Feb 05 11:23:26 -0600 2007

My dad went shopping this past weekend for some computer equipment for a personnal care home that he works part time for. It wasn't just a small part it was hundreds of dollars of equipment. The sales man tried to sell him an extended warranty on the products when they already had a lifetime warranty from the manufactuer. My dad asked "Why would I extended warranty when there is lifetime warranty?" the salesman said "Well have fun finding the manufactuer!" My dad then said "Well so basically you are telling me not to buy the product." the salesman of course tried to take back what he said but my dads mind was made up and he went to another store and that Electronic Shop lost out on a lot of sales and my dad is advising other people and his clients to go elsewhere and not to that store!