Raising the Bar on Customer Service

Having been in the kitchen and bath industry both from a retail and manufacturing standpoint, one thing is crystal clear: If we're not always looking at customer service as a way of doing business, then we are missing a major component of our business.

I'm sure that, without exception, everyone reading this column can think of an experience when you were not afforded the customer service you felt you deserved. If it was anything like the experiences I've had, you always thought you were right and simply just were not taken care of as the customer.

What did you do about it? Never return to that store or company again? Tell everyone you know about the bad experience? Or, did you just accept that as a way they do business?

Regardless of how you reacted, you must think about what your customers will do if they aren't happy.

SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE
Recently, I had an experience with a major electronics company that made we wonder how good our company's customer service is. I had just purchased a digital camera and the necessary accessories for it. When I arrived home, however, I discovered that the salesman had sold me the incorrect memory chip for the camera. Obviously, I was disappointed with the fact that I had to go back to the store, not to mention the fact that I couldn't use the camera on a job I wanted to photograph.

When I returned to the electronics store, I found that the correct memory chip cost $5 more than the one I was sold the previous night. I went to the counter with the new item and I told the store employee that I thought it was fair for them to do an even exchange for the product, simply to compensate me for my inconvenience. I was told that I'd have to see the manager. As I waited, I discovered that the very man standing next to the cashier was, in fact, the manager I was to discuss this situation with - but only after he'd finished up with some paper shuffling.

Upon my sharing with him my desire to simply do an even trade based on the circumstances, he informed me that the store policy mandated no even-exchange. When I offered to simply return the items and go elsewhere, he pointed to a sign over his head that read, "Any open box item returned will be charged a 15% restocking charge."