I have had my Amazon Kindle for about 18 months (6 months out of warranty), and a few weeks ago it started behaving strangely, in that whenever it went onto standby, it would crash.
So, I started a live chat with Amazon support on their website to see if we could resolve it. The short version of what happened is that they are replacing it with a brand new (not refurbished) 3G Kindle, at a total cost to me of $85, bearing in mind that my Kindle is 6 months out of warranty, and that the total cost of the order (include shipping and tax), is $210. They had no obligation whatsoever to offer me a $125 discount on a replacement unit.
The customer service staff were friendly, supportive and helpful. My new Kindle arrives next week.
Imagine if every company offered such great service.
What service do you offer?
Customer Service (Maybe)
It seems to me that all service sectors preach that customer service should be supreme. Yet most fall short, not that they don’t try they actually do come close. The disparity lies in proper training and upkeep of that training. I find that after the initial training of the trainer the modules just seem to fade after a while. Is the program that difficult or is the training to expensive? Companies spend a lot of money on various training modules, I often wonder why they don’t succeed. Well this next example might be one reason. I recently had to visit my bank Chase Bank of Nevada. I had been assured that when I opened my checking account that Money orders would be free of charge. The day that I walked in to Chase Bank I proceeded to ask the customer service banker to issue a money order, she asked for how much and proceeded with the transaction, and just before debiting the account she informed me that there was a charge for this service. I promptly said no, there is no charge for money orders on this account. I asked to speak to the manager (Abraham Azar) I explained that when this account was opened it was based on the fact that money orders where free. The banker informed me that the policy had changed. I politely asked him to waive it, he said that “I will do no such thing” Now it was not the words that infuriated me as much as the attitude he took. Basically it said ” If you don’t like it go elsewhere”
It became very obvious that customer service training was not high on the priority list at Chase Bank. If the situation had been approached differently, maybe this scenario could have been avoided. He had the option to waive the fee, or explain the policy change in such a way as to defuse the matter. He chose to add fuel to the fire. Was it necessary? What did he expect to gain? Is this the new policy at all Chase Banks? I know that at one time or another we have all had bouts with rude customer service agents at one time or another, however it has always been the way that it is handled that makes the difference.
Alan Campbell CHA
Alan you are so right. Imagine how easy it could have been for the bank manager to make a situation that he was happy, and you thought what a great bank it is.
Yes, the true measure of customer service is how it is handled when something does go wrong, because it will happen in every company at some stage or another.
Amazon have made a friend for life, and Chase have probably lost a few potential customers.
And now you are lifer with Amazon!
I’ve gotten the same sort of support from them. “Support” is the active word to me. A few years back I ordered some electronics, because the ad said it would integrate with a service I was using. Unfortunately, it did not. So I called them, and asked to return it although it plainly stated that no returns on electronics.
Long story short, they saw the situation, issued an RMA, credited my credit card that day (not weeks later) and gave me a discount on my next purchase.
A few months later, a book I ordered arrived two days after the promised next day delivery. So I simply let them know about it (no damage done – right?) simply to allow them to flag a possible issue.
I got a call from them that day – profusely apologizing (I was never offended!) and credited the full purchase and shipping on the book with their complements.
Amazing.
I use Amazon for thousands of dollars of purchases each year now. I look there first for everything.
When will other companies learn? The cost of making it right is far offset by the intense loyalty you can earn.
Too true Mike, I wish that other companies could learn from Amazon, their service makes for millions of seriously loyal customers.