Recently my husband purchased something through e-bay (and if you know my husband, that is almost an everyday occurrence like getting out of bed, brushing your teeth, taking the dog for a walk, buying something from e-bay. That’s his day.) He bought it through a company called
blinq.com, and he said that it went wonderfully smooth. Clear concise details, easy to read and using the proper “lingo” and all the shipping information he needed to make a decision. The purchase even arrived before they indicated it would which is also a lovely surprise – but it was the packing slip, giving full information of internal staff that worked on the order (if I needed the reference) that really took our attention. It was done with a twist.
Here is what it said:
Hello John – Good Buy!
You snagged that deal just in time … it was gone in a blinq!
Hello! Grand Gadget Guru OptoroW. Received your item, vetted it like an overbearing mother-in-law, and welcomed it to the family on May 1, 2011.
Deal! Bargain Hunter Extraordinaire John Jackson (You!) spotted an amazing deal, did a two-minute happy dance, then quickly placed the order on May 2, 2011.
So Long! International Super Spy Peter J. received your top-secret order notification, parachuted in, and hand-picked each item on May 3, 2011.
Good Buy! Double Black-Belt Ninja Aaron N. expertly packaged your order, recited a farewell haiku, and sent it on its way May 3, 2011.
Can you say that your customer service is this much fun? This accurate? Gives this much information? Can you even say that you have customer service?
I would like to think that I give exquisite customer service at
HRmarketer, attention to detail, take as much time as my clients need and go over the top with performance. I would encourage any of my clients who might read this to post in the comments if they have NOT received great customer service from me. Look out because you will certainly be “smothered with the Rita love”.
What can you do to truly understand if you offer customer service that is worthy of the value of your product, and that is the key – if you feel that your solution is valuable and worthy to the industry, you need to respect your company, your employees and especially your clients to back it up with “BEYOND” customer service.
How can you figure it out? I would say the first step is admitting that you need to improve this – NOW. Word of mouth can make or break a product offering and a company – seriously. Even the big guys.
* Doing exit interviews with outgoing customer service representatives
* Rewarding employees who have done a great job in a customer service situation
* Approach a company that you know is doing an outstanding job – even if it is a competitor. You might be surprised how willing they are to assist you in making the industry a well thought of and respected part of the industry.
* Never shake your head and say – “I don’t believe it”. Truly be honest with what you hear, and strive to make it right.
All this to say – You can have the BEST product or solution out there. You may have the most BRILLIANT technology and development team. You may have the most TALENTED sales and support staff. But if you do not have a quick, efficient, thorough and caring Customer Service team – Just call it quits now.
PS – we certainly do intend to buy from Blinq.com again. We loved the experience.
Labels: customer relationship management, customer service, service
