1994-2002 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Thats exactly right!
I work a customer service job. On busy occasions I might come in contact with 600 clients a month. The most important part of the job is making sure the customer leaves happy. Sometimes its a pain, but as a business, we actually prefer the customers that have quirky and strange requests. Why?.. because this opens up an oportunity to go above and beyond our competitors. Customer relations is not about providing the service thats expected, its about providing the service they never thought existed. Catering to customer needs secures the customer and not only that, they love to tell their friends how good you are. People like to brag how well they are treated, it conveys that they are to be respected.
Sounds like SAAB/GM needs to provide some mandatory customer service training to their employees. I wish that all companies would.
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On a somewhat realated story...
I love to ride motocross. One of the biggest brands in MX is FOX. Im sure you all have seen the city boy wannabees with there Fox shirts walking around. Well anyway, I decided to buy a FOX helmet, its was their top of the line helmet, the Ricky Carmichael replica. Its wasnt cheap at $370. The helmet has all kinds of fancy venting and lightening techniques to try and set it apart from the others.
The first time it touched ground, very lightly at that, from a slide out, the shell completly cracked up the back. The crack eminated from a large vent hole in the back of the shell. Im not an engineer, but a few things seem obvious. EIther the hole was cut improperly, as not to relieve corner stress or the hole is so large it reduces structural integrity. I think this was a "defect". So I sent it back to FOX, which probably has the deepest pockets of the whole industry. There reply was just a simple "sorry". At this point im kinda angry that Im out $370 which I believe is a defect. So I tried to cut a deal with them. I asked " How about, I'll pay cost for a new one, continue to advertise your helmet on my head for you, and I still be a happy fox customer."
Once again I'll I get is a "sorry". I wonder where these people are coming from. I already paid the exorbitant price which gave them their profits. Now Im just asking for "cost" on a replacement, which wouldnt cost them anything, Id tell my friends how cool Fox was to deal with, and Id be advertising the helment on my head where it matters most, the racetrack.
Because of their attitude with me, I posted the treatment I recieved on the message boards. I got 72 replies, many stating that they changed their mind about buying that helmet. I probably had over 500+ views. I haven't bought a fox product since, and have purchased probably $1000 worth of gear from alternate brands, which are superior in quality anyway.
So big bad Fox with its no help attitude, refusing to let a customer with a defective product replace it at cost, which cost them zero, has lost thousands of dollars in sales based on that decision. Im a young 26 years old too. I have lots of gear buying years left in me, probably several thousands of dollars worth. Too bad fox wont see a dime of it.
I cant believe that a company that wants to excel has management that OKs these decisions. Either they failed 1st grade math, or they are just plain stupid.
posted by 24.176.254...
, Sat, 2 Apr 2005 20:36:29
, Sat, 2 Apr 2005 14:13:06, Sun, 3 Apr 2005 13:58:52, Sun, 3 Apr 2005 13:16:06, Mon, 4 Apr 2005 16:52:51
, Fri, 1 Apr 2005 19:29:02, Sat, 2 Apr 2005 19:44:35, Sun, 3 Apr 2005 13:29:49, Fri, 1 Apr 2005 16:42:47, Sat, 2 Apr 2005 12:02:32
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