Service
is a Two-Way Street
Hi Ron,
I was having trouble with a set of tires I purchased
for my automobile. The ride was rough and unacceptable.
The store was willing to exchange the tires or give
me a refund. However, it was not definite that the tires
were actually the cause of my problem.
Paul, the mechanic servicing my cars for the last six
years, offered to take a look. His son Mike did a diagnostic
check that took an hour and a half. Afterwards, they
explained what the real problem was. Then they offered
a recommendation and I followed their advice. The problem
was resolved with an exchange of tires to a different
model.
This service from Paul and Mike is excellent customer
care. But it gets even better. Paul refused to accept
any payment from me for the diagnostic service performed
on my automobile. And it gets even better than that!
Five days later I received a ‘Thank You!’
card from them both. They thanked me for letting them
serve me even though they didn’t charge anything
after discovering the cause of my problem. Now that
is great customer service!
I turned around and thanked them and their crew by having
pizza sent over to their repair shop for lunch. The
entire experience was truly delicious ‘food for
thought’.
Mel S., Motorola
Dear Mel,
***
Bravo to you
and to your mechanics. This story illustrates three
key principles in service.
First, Paul and Mike
understand the ‘lifetime value of a customer’.
You have been bringing your car to their shop for six
years. You have likely spent thousands of dollars with
them during this time. They can afford to give
you an hour or two of diagnostic service at no charge.
And with a gesture of generosity like that, you will
spend thousands more with them in the years to come.
Second, the card they
sent you was a brilliant investment of time and effort.
Writing the card took no more than five minutes –
yet it created an emotional impact no amount of paid
advertising will ever match. Your ‘positive word-of-
mouth’ when telling this story to others will
be more credible than any newspaper advertising, more
lasting than any radio or television commercial. Great
service providers, Paul and Mike. (Smart business people,
too.)
Third, your action
in sending a pizza and sharing your story with me demonstrates
that great service really is a two-way street. What
you send out comes back. What goes around, comes around.
When you give with a generous spirit and an open heart,
the world brings great things back to you.
Wishing you all the
best, Mel. May you continue to enjoy smooth rides and
smooth service.
Key Learning
Point
Delivering superior
service isn’t rocket science. The fundamentals of
world-class service are easy to learn – but not
always easy to apply. What makes one service provider
better than another is not more theory or information.
It’s more action!
Action
Steps
Choose one of the
fundamental service principles in this book and put it
into action this week. It doesn’t matter which principle
you choose. They all work well – when you do.
Next Article in Customer Service Partners >>
Four Questions to Boost Collaboration
First Article in Customer Service Perception Points >>
You Have Leverage. Use it
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Ron Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed customer service training educator for quality service.
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