 Total
Recovery = Customer Delight
Douglas,
an elected delegate at the Democratic National Convention
in the United States, dropped his Handspring Visor personal
digital assistant (PDA) onto the stone floor of his
downtown hotel lobby.
The outer case of the PDA was chipped in one corner,
but the software and the system still worked. He called
Handspring to purchase a replacement cover.
‘Nothing doing,’ Handspring customer service
replied. They insisted that he needed a completely new
Visor.
‘No way!’, Douglas retorted. ‘Why
should I buy a new Visor, costing hundreds of dollars,
just to replace a plastic part worth a dollar or two
at most?’
‘Oh no,’ the representative assured him.
‘The new Visor won’t cost you a penny. Your
current Visor is still under warranty.’
The representative promised to ship a brand new Visor
to him immediately, and then explained that Douglas
could ship the old unit back in the very same box. She
apologized that the deadline had passed for next day
delivery, so the new PDA would arrive in two days instead.
Two days later, as promised, a small package arrived
for Douglas at the hotel. Inside was a brand new Visor
– with complete instructions on how to transfer
data from the old Visor into the new one, as well as
a pre-addressed courier delivery slip.
All Douglas had to do was transfer his data, put the
old Visor with the chipped cover into the box, apply
the pre-printed label and then call the toll-free number
to arrange an immediate courier pick-up.
Douglas is clear and expressive about his feelings:
‘This was truly delightful service. I define delightful
as something completely beyond the expected, something
that brings joy to the customer. And I certainly received
it in this case. I give a big hand of applause to Handspring!’
Key Learning Point
When things go wrong,
you have a precious opportunity to completely `Wow!' your
customer. Do everything you can to solve the problem in
a fast, generous and very convenient manner.
Handspring understands the value of a truly delighted
customer. Do you?
Action Steps
What is a truly
delighted customer worth to your business in repeat sales,
active referrals and positive word-of-mouth? Do your policies
reflect this understanding? Do you actively make the investment
required? Does everyone in your company agree?
Next Article in Customer Service Guarantees >>
Laundry Unlimited 'Bounces Back'
First Article in Customer Service Improvement >>
What is Ron's Website Really For?
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Ron Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed customer service training educator for quality service.
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