“Men are rich only as they give. He who gives great service gets great rewards.”
Elbert Green Hubbard (1856 – 1915), American writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher
Ten years ago, while working in my family’s office furniture business, I learned that negative customer experiences are the best source of new business opportunities. Recently, I relearned that important paradoxical lesson.
The furniture industry is often frustrating for consumers and retailers. Customers wonder why it takes 12 weeks to have a new sofa manufactured and delivered when they can drive a new car off the lot immediately. When I explained how the two industries are different, my words did little to assuage customers tired of long waits.
I vividly recall one customer who received a desk, credenza, and file pedestal from our store about three months after ordering them. Unfortunately, when they arrived, the quality of veneer did not match what he saw in our show room. Furthermore, when the furniture was delivered, our drivers accidentally dinged some corners.
Irate, the customer called me and unloaded his frustrations in a three minute expletive-laced tirade. After hearing him out, I apologized and asked what we could do to make him feel better. He asked for new furniture and a reasonable discount amount which I agreed to provide. Furthermore, I told him that I would do everything possible to expedite his order.
Fortunately, his new office furniture arrived in perfect condition and we delivered it without incident. He came into the store to thank me personally for resolving the issue. On that same visit, he ordered an expensive desk chair. In the following months, he referred at least three people to our store who made big purchases. One of them told me, “John told me that you screwed up his order but worked with him to make things right. That’s why I’m here.”
Our customer service manager told me that many of our most enthusiastic customers were the ones that experienced the biggest problems with their orders. When she bent over backwards to solve these issues, these customers, who were used to lackluster retail service at other stores, were ecstatic. Invariably, they would come back to our store and send in their friends.
My wife and I dropped off Bella, our company’s Director of Goodwill (DOG), at our local boutique pet hotel. Since she had enjoyed three previous stays there, we were confident that Bella was going to have fun. About an hour after leaving Bella and en route to a conference we would be attending for three days, we received a phone call from the pet hotel’s owner informing us that a puppy had accidently nipped our dog while playing. Her calm demeanor and proposed solution of taking Bella to our vet for stitches made us feel like the situation was under control.
Although we were worried, we were also grateful to be informed immediately about the situation. Over the next couple of days, we received updates on Bella’s situation and what was being done to ensure that she had optimal care. Furthermore, we were given the direct cell phone numbers for both of the pet hotel’s owners in case we had any questions or worries. When we returned, the owner greeted us with a profuse apology and waived the $100 cost of Bella’s stay - a nice gesture considering the vet’s bill was $350. (As a side note, Bella was her happy self the whole time. For her, it was an adventure!).
While we have no idea whether Bella’s bite might have been prevented, we know that she received great care and we felt like the pet hotel’s owners were truly concerned about how we and our dog felt. We’ll have no hesitation about having Bella stay at the pet hotel again and we’ll continue referring our friends.
While it’s true that excellent repeat business and referral opportunities come from customers who have had far from perfect experiences, it’s the savvy business owner who realizes this and works hard to turn unhappy customers into excellent company evangelists.
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