Going above and beyond to deliver good service
Readers tell positive stories of retailers, manufacturers of appliances and faucets
I hear daily stories of disappointing customer service. To change things up a bit, I devoted a recent column to stories of delightful customer service.
In response, readers sent me examples of companies that went beyond their expectations to deliver service with a smile and a little something extra that wowed them. Costco: This retailer’s return policy is among the best he’s seen, Alan McLachlan says.
“We buy both in-store and online. When we return products, they only ask why and accept the item back 100 per cent of the time. We have returned TVs, chairs and clothes, all with no issue. And they support their ‘softly spoken’ policy of paying you back the value of any price reduction within 30 days.” Amazon: Jim Elliott ordered a television for his brother in Belleville, Ont., but used his Toronto address for delivery. Amazon quickly corrected the error. Soon after the TV arrived in Belleville, it had problems. Amazon sent a new TV and issued stickers for a free return. No questions asked.
“I find one aspect of contacting Amazon amusing, but great as well,” Elliott says. “If you want to speak to customer service, you just type in your phone number and hang up. Almost before you take your hand off the phone, it rings. It’s Amazon customer service, which will not leave you until your problems are corrected or solved.” Whirlpool: A year ago, David and Jill Remski bought the top-of-the-line Kitchen Aid 9-speed hand mixer. A rubber scraper recently got caught between the beaters and snapped a Teflon locking ring that held them in place. The mixer still worked, but less effectively.
Jill couldn’t find anyone to fix it and called the customer service number in the manual. Whirlpool, which owns Kitchen Aid, asked what the problem was.
“I wasn’t even finished describing the damage when I was told to send photos of my bill and the mixer by email. Just
two hours after submitting the photos, I got an email telling me to call back. A very cheerful lady said she would send us a replacement unit.
“Our new unit arrived in just over a week and we received a shipping label to send the broken unit back. We couldn’t be more impressed with Whirlpool’s promptness and willingness to take responsibility. Despite the weakness of the part that broke, we were partly at fault for the damage. Not to mention that the one-year warranty was expired by a few days.” Moen: This manufacturer of kitchen and bathroom faucets received kudos from two readers.
“The gasket under our 20year-old kitchen faucet corroded so badly it dissolved into nothing, causing the spout to grind against the counter top whenever it was swivelled,” said Maurice Sacco, who wrote to Moen Canada to see if there was a replacement part he could buy.
“Without asking for proof of purchase or verifying we were the original owners (we were not), Moen dispatched a replacement gasket, which we received in two days. It fit perfectly and functions nicely with the older faucet. No hesitation in helping, no hassle, no charge.”
Frank Weiner went to the company’s service depot in Oakville, Ont., with a kitchen faucet that didn’t work. He was prepared for a fight.
“I took a deep breath to tell them our woes, but the service man didn’t even let me start. He asked for my phone number and said he’d replace it. I walked out 10 minutes later with a new and better kitchen faucet. Thank you, Moen.” Kohler: Lisa Stasyshyn praised this faucet manufacturer for also standing behind its products.
“They claim to have a lifetime guarantee and never quibble about replacing a part that wears out,” she said. “I’ve had several replacements on the kitchen faucet: three spray heads, two cartridges, bearings, rings and even hoses when their spray head changed design. This is over a 20-year period. They also explain how to do the repairs when I need guidance.
“I am set to put in a new-style faucet next week and there is no way I would consider a different manufacturer. In fact, the old faucet is still so good I’m trying to convince my daughter to upgrade hers to my old one.” Oakley: Jim Solomon discovered an old scratched set of sunglass frames and interchangeable lenses that he no longer used. He packed them up and sent them to Oakley’s head office in California.
“I enclosed a note saying I got great use of these when cycle touring. I specifically said I wasn’t asking for replacements, but thought the R&D staff might find the scuffed lenses useful when developing a new lens,” he said.
“Two months later, I received a package from Oakley with a new set of frames and three types of lenses. A note inside said, ‘We call this customer service, sir.’ Lifelong customer – you bet.” My view: These stories are not a blanket endorsement. Companies can impress one day and mess up another day. I just want to show that superlative customer service exists. It should be recognized and applauded.