How does customer service make you feel?

Done well, it makes everyone happy.

Done poorly it makes us all feel a range of emotions.

The power of great customer service.

A couple of years pre-covid, I bought what I thought were a reputable replacement pair of wellington boots for work.

I went for a good rock solid workhorse pair, specifically for use on the odd occasion for tours in busy, muddy produce/production areas.

Nothing fancy about them, but they were expensive for wellington boots!

I needed to be able to trust them to do a job and to last a good few years.

During the lockdown my boots were stored in a boot bag, in a dry room. They were clean and ready for action!

And then the call came, jump into action, tour of muddy production area incoming…

You can imagine,  I was flippin’ annoyed to find that half way through my site tour, I could feel something cold and wet seeping through into my socks.

Not being a moaner, I was going to begrudgingly throw these away.

Once the laughter at my stinking wet socks died down, it was suggested that:

“being a top brand, surely they’d expect their products to last more than two years light usage, see if they can do anything to help”

“And they’ll have great customer service you’ll see”.

So I did just that..

Needless to say, they didn’t get their reputation for their great customer service, it’s was pants.

I was fobbed off with a link on how to look after your boots because they were over 12 months old.

It wouldn’t have taken much to rectify the situation for me.

I know things happen beyond people’s best endeavours but I wasn’t even offered a £2 tube of welly sealer, or even a call to talk to me.

Instead I received an equivalent to

so what mate, you’ve had them longer than 12 months! Here’s two fingers instead

ok, maybe not, but that’s how it felt!

To conclude this sorry tale

It just goes to show how far a little individual consideration, communication and understanding can go without either party feeling

‘hard done by’ or

‘out of pocket’

And how much damage is done when you have a customer ‘don’t care’ department, rather than great customer service.

It really is the smallest things that make the biggest difference, they do to me anyway.

How do you like my new planters?

At least I know they have pre-fertilized inners and they drain well!

Richard
Creative Director, Black House Creative

About the Author:
Richard is an international award winning, highly creative, commercially driven, professionally qualified design & marketing consultant. Experienced in all design disciplines and business sectors, Richard’s particular specialism is in branding, packaging and design.