EPISODE 122
Thank you for tuning in to episode 122! In today’s solo episode, I would like to tell you a quick story about an excellent customer service experience and how to use the same tactics to create raving fans!
Full disclosure…this isn’t a commercial for 1800 contacts, but it could be. So…Justen recently ordered contacts for me from 1-800 contacts. We thought they had the correct prescription on file, but when I received my order, I realized it was an old prescription. Justen and I both assumed this was going to turn into a super expensive mistake. To top things off, I needed the new contacts ASAP since we’ll be leaving on vacation soon. Although he was dreading it, Justen called the 1-800 customer service number, and this is where all the magic happened. The service rep asked for the new prescription, and instead of dealing with a scan, upload, and email situation, Justen was able to text the new prescription. She instantly had the new prescription on file, and the new contacts were ordered. The rep then issued a postage-paid return label for the first order, and to make everything more blissful, she rushed the new contacts to me for free!
I tell you this story because all I knew of it at first was that my prescription was wrong. A few days later, I got my new contacts, and Justen explained how easy it was for him to return and exchange my contacts. It was his enthusiasm that made me realize how easy it is for any of us as business owners to provide this type of customer service. Justen is now spreading the word and raves about the service that he received.
Since I returned my first order, the only thing the company is paying for out of pocket would be the cost of shipping. Now I’m not saying you need to do this for every one of your customers, but I think it pays to have a budget for this type of customer service response. For less than $20.00, Justen is telling the world to buy contacts from 1800 contacts…not to mention that I’m spreading the word too.
I know that you can spend a lot more than that on advertising and never get a single customer. It is essential to recognize that if you’re dealing with an exchange, you’ve already won the customer, and it’s a lot less expensive to keep them as a customer than trying to get a new one. Imagine if you’d had this exact situation happen to you when you needed to exchange an item. I think you, too, would be a raving fan! I have to admit that the return and exchange policy is one of the first things that I visit before making an online purchase. This is also the number one reason why I love Zappos. It can be super tricky to purchase a pair of comfortable shoes, especially if you’re doing your shopping online! It would be a deal-breaker if I was made to keep a pair of shoes that did not fit well or were uncomfortable.
More and more businesses out there are adopting this type of customer service, and it is by far one of the best ways to keep your customers happy. It’s refreshing to have a conversation with a customer service rep that is empowered to make a customer happy. I feel it’s a win-win for everyone involved!
So I urge you to take a look at your customer service policies. How do you handle a return or an exchange? Are you providing excellent customer service even if it’s not your fault that the order was wrong, as was the case with my contacts? If you already have a marketing plan in place, could you take a portion of that budget and offer free returns or exchanges? Remember that it only takes a tiny bit of kindness to develop a repeat customer, and a repeat customer is by far your biggest advertiser! I would love to know if you’ve had a similar experience. Send me a DM or email!
I also wanted to thank you for all of your support! It’s been a bit over two years that I have been sharing tips, stories, and expert advice with you, and it makes me happy to know that you keep coming back to listen. I’ll be traveling a bit over the next few months, but I’ll still have an episode out for you each Wednesday.
Connect with me on Instagram @ _handmadeceo and if you want to follow my upcoming Italy and Mexico adventures, be sure to look for me at @_marialaurin. I’ll be traveling with my parents and kids, so say a little prayer for me!
I’ll see you next time!
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