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Archive 2014 · On Exceptional Customer Service

  
 
nolaguy
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · On Exceptional Customer Service


This is prompted by trenchmonkey’s thread on Think Tank’s exceptional satisfaction of his needs (thanks for sharing, Will).

The big Q:
Tell us your stories about times when you provided both poor and extreme customer service. When have you failed? When have you succeeded …and what were the ramifications of both?


A few personal reflections on the concept:

For the life of me, I do not understand companies that don’t place their primary emphasis on product quality and customer service, or employees that don’t revel in problem solving for customers.

One night about 7PM when I was 17 or 18 I became aware a customer of our family business felt we’d done her a bad turn and I could not help but immediately call her at home to ask about and try to solve her discontent. Unbeknownst to me, my father was watching and upon hanging up the phone he asked me if I realized how impressive and rare that was. I totally didn’t get it. In my mind, I wasn’t going to be able to sleep that night until I was able to sort the problem out.

Funny as it was, the

" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">scene
in Fast Times at Ridgemont High where Judge Reinhold gets flustered and refuses to easily reimburse a dissatisfied customer for a fast food meal had me squirming uncomfortably. Just give the man his money back – even if you wind up paying for it out of your own pocket.

At the same time, employee's shouldn't have to think that way. I love the Nordstrom's legendary Employee Handbook's one instruction: "Rule #1: Use best judgment in all situations. There will be no additional rules."


I think poor service is often a matter of businesses screwing themselves by setting performance standards for their customer service people that actually punish the employee for providing exceptional satisfaction (e.g. spending too much time solving one customer’s dilemma).

No doubt it’s also influenced by abusive customers – but such pitfalls of a customer-centric policy can include error-trapping mechanisms to identify and quarantine jerk customers easily enough.


What are your thoughts? What are your stories about customer service between you and your customers? How did they play out? Have you had clients/customers like Will who could not say enough good about how you went above and beyond?

Regards,

Chuck

Edited on Mar 08, 2014 at 09:36 PM · View previous versions



Mar 08, 2014 at 06:08 PM
John Patrick
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · On Exceptional Customer Service


Fantastic customer service generally comes into play when there's an issue that needs to be solved. Sometimes, there are no issues, so it becomes difficult to judge. Other times, there's almost always an issue, and even fantastic customer service makes me not want to patronize the business, if I know that it's going to trouble from the get go.

That said, in alphabetical order, Adorama, B&H, Calumet, H&H, Really Right Stuff, Think Tank, WHCC... all have made sure that I will return to them when they have something I need.

John



Mar 08, 2014 at 08:36 PM
lukeb
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · On Exceptional Customer Service


Benro - noted somewhere in a post I did last year - they supplied me with parts to repair my sticks, and it wasn't workmanship nor materials. It was careless me! Mind you, they were 6+ years old, - no charge and priority mail on them.

That is customer service!





Mar 08, 2014 at 09:05 PM
Wobble
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · On Exceptional Customer Service


Realtor ethics class takeaway: You do not have to ask permission to do the right thing first.


Mar 08, 2014 at 10:05 PM
Helen Oster
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · On Exceptional Customer Service


John Patrick wrote:
Fantastic customer service generally comes into play when there's an issue that needs to be solved. Sometimes, there are no issues, so it becomes difficult to judge. Other times, there's almost always an issue, and even fantastic customer service makes me not want to patronize the business, if I know that it's going to trouble from the get go.

That said, in alphabetical order, Adorama, B&H, Calumet, H&H, Really Right Stuff, Think Tank, WHCC... all have made sure that I will return to them when they have something I need.

John


I appreciate hearing from all Adorama customers; if it's because of an experience that needs intervention or a process that is failing, it gives us a chance to improve.

And if it's down to a member of staff who has gone 'above and beyond', I get so much pleasure from sharing positive customer feedback with him or her.



Mar 09, 2014 at 06:42 AM
Paulthelefty
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · On Exceptional Customer Service


Can the good and the bad be from the same company?

I usually buy prints from Bay Photo. For my sports photos, the metallic paper is wonderful, and my clients love it. They ship to me UPS, and generally it is a non-event. About a year ago, I got a print that had slipped out of the protective interior sleeve and banged against the edge/corner of the outer box and some tape had stuck to it, damaging the surface. Can't deliver that; it needs to be perfect. Customer service was great, they shipped a new print overnight to me. Except, it also slipped out of the sleeve. Fortunately there was no further damage to this print, but I did call to tell them it almost happened again. Since then I have noted to make sure to tape the plastic, but have received (undamaged, mind you) a couple more prints that had slipped during shipping. So, how much are you going to spend on replacements due to shipping damage at the price of a 4 inch piece of tape? Law of averages I suppose, but still frustrating for me.

Paul



Mar 10, 2014 at 03:19 PM
henryp
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · On Exceptional Customer Service


John Patrick wrote:
That said, in alphabetical order, Adorama, B&H, Calumet, H&H, Really Right Stuff, Think Tank, WHCC... all have made sure that I will return to them when they have something I need.


Thank you. Gratifying to be in such good company.

Henry Posner
[email protected]
B&H Photo-Video



Mar 25, 2014 at 02:40 PM
Fred Amico
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · On Exceptional Customer Service


Helen Oster wrote:
I appreciate hearing from all Adorama customers; if it's because of an experience that needs intervention or a process that is failing, it gives us a chance to improve.

And if it's down to a member of staff who has gone 'above and beyond', I get so much pleasure from sharing positive customer feedback with him or her.


Helen,

I have ordered from Adorama for quite some time, and have always been satisfied with my transactions. Recently I had a concern and emailed you. You replied promptly and explained the situation to me. It is very gratifying to have a consumer advocate like you to turn to who actually answers inquiries, and honestly tries to help. Thank you!



Mar 26, 2014 at 04:40 PM
Helen Oster
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · On Exceptional Customer Service


Fred Amico wrote:
Helen,

I have ordered from Adorama for quite some time, and have always been satisfied with my transactions. Recently I had a concern and emailed you. You replied promptly and explained the situation to me. It is very gratifying to have a consumer advocate like you to turn to who actually answers inquiries, and honestly tries to help. Thank you!



Thank you!



Mar 26, 2014 at 05:29 PM





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