Customer Service
Customer Service: The Power of Small Details
Exceptional customer service is often defined by the ability to give customers that “wow” feeling during their interaction with you or your company. It is frequently the simplest gestures that make the biggest positive impact—and, conversely, the smallest overlooked details that can cost you a customer.
The following true story illustrates exactly how this can happen. For anonymity, all brand names have been removed.
The Purchase Journey
Albert had recently retired. He and his wife were enthusiastic caravanners and had spent many enjoyable holidays travelling with their caravan. They wanted a new caravan so they visited the national caravan show at the NEC. After a full day exploring the wide range of makes and models, they found a caravan they loved and placed an order.
While at the show, Albert noticed a stand displaying two 4x4 vehicles suitable for towing the twin-axle caravan he had just purchased. His car was aging and due for replacement so he and his wife enquired about the larger model and learned that it was more than capable of towing their new caravan.
Over the following weeks, Albert received numerous letters from dealerships inviting him to visit their showrooms. The local dealer had a notoriously poor reputation, so Albert decided to look further afield. One dealership eventually made an irresistible offer, and Albert ordered the car in metallic blue.
A Small Detail Overlooked
When the car arrived, an excited Albert went to collect it. He immediately noticed that the tow ball cover was missing. The salesperson apologised and returned moments later with a plain black plastic cap rather than the branded white version shown in the brochure. Albert queried this and was assured that the correct cover would be ordered. Unfortunatly, it never arrived.
At the first annual service, Albert raised the issue again and received the same promise—with the same result.
Albert was disappointed but decided to let it go. When he took the car in for its second annual service, he raised the issue once more. The service manager apologised and promised to personally ensure that the correct cover would be ordered and delivered within a week. Again, it never arrived.
At the third annual service, Albert insisted, only to be told that the branded cap only came as part of a complete tow kit costing £900. Understandably, he refused. Despite this, Albert still remained delighted with the car itself and simply accepted that he would never receive the branded tow ball cover.
A New Experience at a New Dealership
Sometime later, Albert noticed that his local dealership had undergone a full rebrand and change of ownership. Online reviews showed a dramatic improvement, so when he needed new wiper blades, he decided to call in.
He was greeted promptly by the service receptionist and directed to the parts department, where he purchased the wiper blades. He also asked once again about the elusive branded tow ball cover. The parts adviser said he believed they only came with the full tow kit. Disappointed, Albert left.
A few days later, Albert received a call from the same parts adviser. He had managed to track down the exact branded tow ball cover and had even obtained two, knowing they were easily misplaced.
A delighted Albert collected them shortly afterwards and paid the grand total of £2.20 (£1.10 each).
The Lasting Impact
Albert was thrilled to finally have the correct tow ball cover, but more importantly, he was deeply impressed by the lengths the new dealership went to in order to resolve his issue. The fact that they were able to source the part at such a low cost only added to his positive experience.
Several months later, Albert’s car required a major service and MOT, an expensive job. It was obvious which dealership earned his business, and equally obvious which one lost it.
All that future revenue was lost over a £1.10 plastic cap.