We all make mistakes. Great customer service is like the CTRL+Z for real life, or Apple+Z for us mac users.
I’ve had three really remarkable customer service experiences this past month. The companies could have refused me service saying that it was simply my mistake: Losing my wallet, showing up for a concert on the wrong day and an application error that led to a misprint on a business card. Instead they did something better.
In all three cases the companies responded with information, help, and forgiveness. A Zipcar employee helped me get back my lost wallet and then even asked me if there was anything else he could do. When I tried to exchange tickets at a concert, Doug behind the desk, helped me understand why it wasn’t possible (even though he really wanted to) and how to make sure I’d have that option the next time. MOO Cards reprinted new cards with no questions asked, no returns required and at no charge.
I know that working on a customer service application makes me more aware of…well…customer service, but it’s also making me more aware of the cases of exemplary service. In the past I only noticed the bad examples. Nowadays, those good examples stand out because I can see what principles are guiding the actions that lead to great experiences. I can connect the dots.
Too often we’re just left frustrated with bad experiences. It can be hard to explain why it was so bad or how it can be better. Hopefully we can stop saying “that sucked” and start saying “that would have been better if they had shared more information” or “that would have been better if they had tried to understand my intentions”. We can change customer service if we have a direction.
It’s my hope that the principles of the conversation-centric approach to customer service enabled by Satisfaction will extend back out to the offline world. Unlike the cold efficiency of the phone tree which seems to have rubbed off on so many in-store service departments, Satisfaction might have a positive transformative effect online AND offline. A return to humanity in customer service through the influence of an online example. This is the kind of web app I’m excited to be building.
-Leslie
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As an old-school Unix guy, my first thought is “it’s a way to stop time?”
It also took me forever to realize ctrl-Z in this case didn’t mean something out of Nicholson Baker’s “Fermata.”
Wanted to share my amazing customer service tale:
I ordered a camera from Amazon, and mistakenly had it shipped via 1-click checkout to an older address. The camera was delivered, but dissapeared. I called to find out what I could do, expecting I’d have to go through my credit card’s coverage for this. They simply said, “We’ll send you a new one at no charge.” I said I needed it for an upcoming trip. They said, we’ll Fedex it to you next day.
Now this is above and beyond the call of duty, and I am buying from Amazon from now on if I have a choice. OK, if I can’t buy from an independent bookseller that is. I still want there to be mom and pop places for that.
That is fantastic! So many factors are involved in choosing where you are going to make your purchases. Sometimes I really want to stroll though a door and enjoy the walk there, but sometimes you just want an item now. Shopping online is as a close as I can get to instantaneous ownership, it’s as simple as it gets (and hopefully getting even simpler). I’m glad to hear that they realize this simplicity is what drew you there in the first place and is the niche of your shopping behavior that they should always be catering too!
Also, I’m being schooled!…now I’m going to have to go pick up some of Baker’s books, thanks!
you really build a nice actual website and customer satisfaction should be able to be addressed in a more actual way than phpbb forums…
definitely you could have also a lot of success in France and I strongly suggest you to buy getsatisfaction.fr website name.
i can also help if ever you want any French informations…
bye
jm
paris
france
Thanks for the heads up on the MOO customer services!
@jm
We all are looking forward to being big enough for internalization issues. :) Along with building an actual product, Satisfaction is also spreading a philosophy about the ‘real lives’ of products and services. We see that products and services have a life cycle that has just begun when the item is off the shelf and in someone’s living room. Companies can’t make a policy of avoiding difficult customers interactions after an item is sold if they want products and their new owners to live a healthy and happy new life together. There is a new two-way relationship between providers and consumers that we want to empower.
So internationalization will also mean understanding how those relationships are treated differently in different countries, and that will be very interesting indeed. (^_^)
@Dan
I should add to this post and say that we had a few more blunders with Moo which eventually led to me giving up on re-orders because they were just taking to much of my time (got a web app to design over here…). Funny thing though, because of that fast reaction I’m still up for trying them again for my next batch of cards (or personal cards), but then again, who else *would* I go to for the same product. It helps to have a nitch in the market with a great product, that is until competition comes along, so MOO, fix your software!
I have created a blog on “Shaping the World” : How consumers can accelerate change in society: http://people20.blogspot.com
Thanks, Avinash
Compare these to the customer service provided by overseas call centers!
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[...] More examples of positive tech support experiences over at the getSatisfaction blog. [...]