Customer Service Trumped Price
This past Christmas season, we all wanted to save a few bucks. Free shipping, items on sale or the premium color discounted to the standard color was a true bargain. The past several years everyone watched their money for several reason. Thanks to higher consumer debt, friends out of work or the feeling extravagant spending was out-of-date shamed many people into looking for bargains. People were no longer timid to handover a fistful of coupons. Some members of the public flashed their coupons with pride while cable television celebrated the act of extreme couponing. Saved money was an art form and for others it was done for financial necessity.
After being on this earth for a few years, I came to several conclusions in life. One was customer service always wins me back as a customer. Yes, price is a huge motivator but good customer service always makes me want to work with that company again. Case in point, property insurance is pretty standard. You buy a policy that covered all your tangible assets. Not a surprise. Most policies can be lined up and compared line by line. The key differentiator is when you needed to exercise a policy; how your insurance teams treated you makes a world of difference. Did they act as your advocate?
For the second half of December I had the unpleasant experience of being in a car accident that was not my fault. Everyone in my family was safe. The tangible damage was our car. The auto body shop's team was amazing. They called every two days with an update on the status. One day they even said there was nothing new to report. Great customer service and they always returned my call within 24 hours.
A different service provider failed basic customer service. I had to initiate all calls and the paperwork. When I asked the provider to speak to the adjustor for answers, they never called me back with results. The service provider just said they were to busy with other customers and the national office would call me back. Very poor customer service. Guess who will not get my business again?
In the end the lowest price is great for something I never plan to buy again, say disposable plates at the dollar store. On the flip side, my daily uniform of jeans needed to be replaced frequently. Gap has always had amazing customer service, even when I order a smaller size that I will never fit into this century. Gap always got my bi-annual jeans order not because their jeans are fabulous or has free shipping. Instead, it was their customer service team who always offers the best service - period.
Can you name a few great customer service companies? Here are my top 5
Does customer service influence your future purchases? Who are your top customer service companies?
Sharon, The Mayor
After being on this earth for a few years, I came to several conclusions in life. One was customer service always wins me back as a customer. Yes, price is a huge motivator but good customer service always makes me want to work with that company again. Case in point, property insurance is pretty standard. You buy a policy that covered all your tangible assets. Not a surprise. Most policies can be lined up and compared line by line. The key differentiator is when you needed to exercise a policy; how your insurance teams treated you makes a world of difference. Did they act as your advocate?
For the second half of December I had the unpleasant experience of being in a car accident that was not my fault. Everyone in my family was safe. The tangible damage was our car. The auto body shop's team was amazing. They called every two days with an update on the status. One day they even said there was nothing new to report. Great customer service and they always returned my call within 24 hours.
A different service provider failed basic customer service. I had to initiate all calls and the paperwork. When I asked the provider to speak to the adjustor for answers, they never called me back with results. The service provider just said they were to busy with other customers and the national office would call me back. Very poor customer service. Guess who will not get my business again?
In the end the lowest price is great for something I never plan to buy again, say disposable plates at the dollar store. On the flip side, my daily uniform of jeans needed to be replaced frequently. Gap has always had amazing customer service, even when I order a smaller size that I will never fit into this century. Gap always got my bi-annual jeans order not because their jeans are fabulous or has free shipping. Instead, it was their customer service team who always offers the best service - period.
Can you name a few great customer service companies? Here are my top 5
- Gap
- Oxo
- Costco
- Lands End - online not the local Sears store.
- Liftmaster/Chamberlain Garage
Does customer service influence your future purchases? Who are your top customer service companies?
Sharon, The Mayor
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