Small Business UnMarketing

How NOT To Do Customer Service If You Want Repeat Customers

I was reading the Sunday newspaper and saw something that caught my eye. It was a folding pocket knife with an inlaid engraving of a old time locomotive. I ordered two, both to be used an gifts a few months later.

Time passed. The check was cashed. Nothing arrived in the mail. I had not written down the address of the company so I went online to find them. Nothing. I looked at the back of the check to get clues from the rubber stamp. Nothing. The two occasions came and went and I purchased alternative gifts. I kept the cancelled check in a special box on my desk. I kept thinking the package would arrive unexpectedly one day. It never did.

Yesterday I received a letter. When I saw the return address it looked familiar. Yes, it was the company I had ordered from. I tore open the letter to read it.

Dear Connie Green,

Thank you for ordering. The items listed below are permanently out of stock. We apologize for any inconvenience. Your payment will be applied to your next order. We hope we have another opportunity to serve you.

Sincerely,

Name Withheld - Customer Service Representative

Why am I taking up space here to tell you this story? I had ordered these gift items on September 16, 2006. Yes, it has been almost two years now, and they are finally contacting me. No, you may not have another opportunity to serve me. You never served me in the first place. I called the company today - at least I now had a phone number - and asked for my $82.90 to be refunded. I'll let you know when the check arrives, but I won't be surprised if it is 2010 when that happens.

In case you are wondering which company this is - they are called Collector Gallery and are located in Holmes, Pennsylvania.

Customer Service - It Can Make You Or Break You

What kind of customer service policy does your business have? If you are still thinking about the answer to this question, you may need to set some guidelines. Many businesses address customer service issues on an individual basis, meaning that there is no set way of dealing with clients who are unhappy for one reason or another.

My business is handled entirely on the internet, so people contact me by email if there is a problem, question, or concern. I have found through experience that it is best to pick up the phone and speak directly to the person who is unhappy. It makes the situation more personal and it is much easier for me to resolve the matter.

Take a look at how your business operates and develop a policy that is in line with this. See if there is someone who can be in charge of handling these issues so that you don't have to always be the one to speak with the client. If you are the only one, then be ready to do it joyfully and graciously so you will not lose clients because of a misunderstanding.