“Yes sir, certainly, if you order before 11PM tonight, the products will be there tomorrow.” The lady said on the phone, when I asked if there’s still 20 pens on stock and that I needed that specific golden Hay pen as a gift tomorrow for 20 people.
In the morning after, I receive a standard email “your product has left the warehouse and will ship today”.
Indeed, exactly my thoughts were “what?!”. Followed by some frustration.
When I called them up, I immediately was assured by the employee that it was indeed not the normal procedure, but they were shipped and would arrive tomorrow! Bye now.
… disappointed me.
It’s my strong belief that companies are helped by complaining customers because they can’t fix what they don’t know is broken.
Within minutes after my complaint email, this nice lady from customer support calls me. She takes around 30 seconds to listen to my story, then offers me “we’ll send you a surprise if you’re ok with that” and in under 2 minutes we hang up.
… overwhelmed.
… slightly happier and relieved, but something feels odd.
It’s status quo that customer service employees are allowed to provide unhappy customers with presents, or discount, up to a certain amount.
But all those companies who think they are copying Zappos are wrong. This bribe, this buy off of the moral responsibility that companies have to serve their paying customers is getting out of hand. The protocol now goes before sincerity.
Something like this. Hey! Ahh unhappy customer! Follow unhappy customer protocol! Give discount! Achieve calls-target! Next call! Repeat!
The thing is; I don’t want the stupid presents, nor the discount.
I just want someone to listen at my unhappiness.
I am a paying customer and just want to be understood. Is that so hard to do?
I just want to help you help me.
Sincerity is a scarcity.