Why can't all companies be this good??

stewarta13wsb

stewarta13wsb

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By all means call me a cynical dog, but over my 50 odd years I have been frequently disappointed, if not totally incensed and disgusted, by the average company’s Customer Service.

Here, for those who chose to read it, is a genuine (no I don’t work for them, or have shares) experience of what Customer Service SHOULD be –

About 3 years ago I received a gift of a Logitech cordless keyboard and mouse. It’s been great, no problems until the other day when the mouse stopped charging its internal batteries.
I looked on-line for a replacement, but wasn’t sure which new model would work with my keyboard, so with that instant expectation you get of wasted time and money, I decided to phone the help desk number. And this is where my story really starts…
No ringing for ages, it was answered in 2 rings! No Indians or Pakistanis that I couldn’t understand or couldn’t understand me (like Dell or AOL)– I think he was Swiss but with perfect English. No 3 to 4 minute wait while you work your way through an automated system (like BT or Sky) – just a real person, straight away, that we could each understand. And it just got better…

Although I wasn’t sure of an exact purchase date, and although I had no receipt, I was told I’d get a free replacement – it was still covered by warranty!!
Better yet, they wouldn’t just replace the mouse but the whole system (keboard included) and it’s here – it arrived within 3 days!!!

I know what company I’ll use for my next purchase – if Logitech make it, I’ll buy that brand in future.

Thanks for listening, and I hope it helps your decision making process sometime.
 
I got some great customer service from Next Directory.

I purchased a bed frame amongst other things from their catalogue and upon unpacking it there was no fixing kit to put it all together . . I phoned the customer service line at 7pm and within ten minutes I received a call back from a manager apologising asking what time the next day I could take delivery of a fixing kit. I said 5.00pm . I got home the next day and there was a courier who had come down all the way from Leeds waiting outside my house with the box of bits. Fantastic service I thought , when I opened the box there was not only the parts kit but also £50s worth of Next vouchers.

You really cant complain at that.

I phoned them backup and spoke to the senior manager to sing the customer services managers praises and thank them for thier efforts on my behalf and the senior manager seemed really pleased that his staff had been able to help and he was very appreciative of my call to say thanks.
 
Nice stories. Glad to see that some companies still put the customer first!
 
i've always had good customer service from apple. if something breaks, i have a replacement part the next day. on a few occasions i've had a replacement for a week before they've collected the old one. my ipod broke and they replaced it then and there, no questions.

i worked for many years running customer service teams. there's some basic maths which companies like audi do not seem to grasp. for example, i have an ongoing battle with audi about being given inaccurate information. it would have cost them a couple of hundred quid to put right. but no. audi uk are blaming the dealer and the dealer isn't prepared to take any responsiblity either. my estimate is that £200 probably doesn't cover 10 hours of customer service in real terms. i have used at least 10 hours of their time going back and forth. i have no problem bombarding them with crap as it is some (twisted) satisfaction to know that i've cost them a lot more so far than it would have cost them to come clean in the first place.

it costs roughly 6 times as much to gain a new customer than it does to retain an existing one - which is why companies like next will send you £50 in vouchers. will you use them again? of course you will. you'll sing their praises to as many people as you can (as you have). and if a company's service pi$$es you off, you'll also broadcast it ... and so the cycle goes on.

it's a real trick missed in my book that audi service hasn't realised that admission of fault not only ultimately costs them less but it also generates brand loyalty and good reputation which is a simple battle to win in the premium car market.

ok. rant over....
 
Add Dyson to the list please, used them a couple of times on my washing machine. English helpdesk, who are actually technical, and they use their own engineers (rather than subbing it out to some local spanner monkey). No serial numbers needed or even a model number. Just trouble free service. And when the engineer arrived he gave me loads of free stuff and replaced various bits of the machine that were just down to wear & tear and nothing to do with the actual problem.
I make a point of never buying extended warranties of any sort, but when this ones up for renewal I will be breaking that rule. I thought it had already expired, but it came with a 5 year parts & labour warranty!! Belief in your product or what?
Maybe we should have a new section on the forum for companies delivering good service? Yes I know that doesn't make sense on an Audi forum.
 
Add Oakley to the list too, some years ago I had a set of Frogskins sunnies, and I broke one of the arms in half... Called Oakley and asked if I could get replacement arms and they said "Yes, send the glasses in to us and we will sort them for you. pop into your nearest Oakley stockist and they will give you a box to send them in"

Well, my nearest stockist happend to be my regular bike shop, so i got the box, the bike shop sent it off (even though I didn't buy them from the shop, but I did spend a load in there) and 3 days later I had them back, with 2 new arms and looking good as new. No charge.


Thing is with good customer service is that a lot of the time we just let it go without mentioning it to anyone, and particularly not the retailer/store... I always make a point now of praising staff members if I think they have gone above and beyond, normally by writing to the store manager to make sure that their good customer service is recognised.
 
I wish all companies offered good customer service. i ordered a Smeg gas hob over two weeks ago and was told the availabilty was 7 days. so i've been ringing the company (waiting roughly 45 mins each time before they pickup the phone) and get someone who can't be bothered to help resolve my query, been told they don't know what's happening with the order and don't know when it's coming in. I know that all it would take is a call to the purchasing dept and the other end to findout what's happening rather than saying it's the suppliers fault. it is driving me MAD!!! the lack of service they offer very poor while they are quick to take your money but very very poor in customer service dept. Please beware of using www.Electicshop.com based in Luton.

Cheers :-(
 
Obviously if you shop around for the rock bottom price (especially on the web) then you can't expect any level of customer service should you need it. Having said that this doesn't mean you get anything better by shopping in the high street and paying over the odds for stuff. Just look at Currys/Dixons, absolutely abysmal.
 
AndyMac said:
Obviously if you shop around for the rock bottom price (especially on the web) then you can't expect any level of customer service should you need it.
Click to expand...

Well to be honest i didn't go with them because they were cheap it was moe the fact that they had stock. that's what i was lead to believe when i placed the order.
 
co55ie said:
I got some great customer service from Next Directory.

I purchased a bed frame amongst other things from their catalogue and upon unpacking it there was no fixing kit to put it all together . . I phoned the customer service line at 7pm and within ten minutes I received a call back from a manager apologising asking what time the next day I could take delivery of a fixing kit. I said 5.00pm . I got home the next day and there was a courier who had come down all the way from Leeds waiting outside my house with the box of bits. Fantastic service I thought , when I opened the box there was not only the parts kit but also £50s worth of Next vouchers.

You really cant complain at that.

I phoned them backup and spoke to the senior manager to sing the customer services managers praises and thank them for thier efforts on my behalf and the senior manager seemed really pleased that his staff had been able to help and he was very appreciative of my call to say thanks.
Click to expand...



We try our best i work for Next Directory they do look after customers quite well. If you have any problems let me know lol! only messing deal with it all day! :banghead:
 
necroeire said:
I got some great customer service from Audi Servicing....na only joking.
Click to expand...

Funnily enough the last few times I used my local dealer (Bexley Audi) for a service and some warranty work they were very helpful and much more friendly than they used to be. I mustve got 3 courtesy calls asking if I had been treated allright etc afterwards.. they are also going to do some work on my car under warranty even though it has run out.

Which is nice.
 
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