A Smart Shopper Asks Questions with a Smile
Regardless of the huge holiday sales and the temporary staff that are in place to help us during this exceptionally busy time of year, the smart customer asks questions, and the smart customer service representative considers the best way to handle the inquiry themselves or to refer the request to a supervisor. Let me share three (3) great examples of this that took place over the past week:
Verizon Phones and RCN Internet Services: I am satisfied with the service delivery from both of these organizations. However I cannot forget the frustration and the hour plus of my time that it took to load my RCN email address onto my Verizon Android. I recently realized that emails going out from my RCN address on my smart phone device were identified as coming from “Me” vs. coming from Sharon Lewis. Upon calling Verizon Help Services I was told that we would have to un-install and then re-install the RCN internet provider services from my smart phone. … Not so fast. There must be an alternative way to do this.
• Imagine my relief when only 11 minutes later, I said “thank you and happy holidays” to the service rep who figured out how to fix the situation without uninstalling anything from my phone! All I had to do was “to ask” for another possible solution.
Bloomingdales: Finding the one shirt that you love at a ridiculously reasonable price in the wrong size is a frustration that we have all felt. No problem. I asked the sales associate to re-direct me to the rack where I originally found the shirt. When we reached location, it seemed that I had the only one. Again, no problem – can you do a store search to see if the item could be shipped from another location. “Oh no, she said. Much of the sales inventory is out on the floor in our store and we now charge $20 in shipping and handling fees”.
Really, I can’t remember the last time, I spent $20 to ship one small clothing item—in a non-rushed fashion—from any department store or on-line retailer.
Let me hold onto this shirt while I continue to look around the sales floor.
• As I finished my shopping and went to the sales desk, I found myself working with a lovely sales associate who was very attentive and very ashamed by the way today’s consumers throw “fine clothing” around the racks. So, I said, any chance you can do a store look-up for me on this shirt. “Oh sure”, she said and proceeded to find four shirts (in my size) at a West Coast store. “I can have it shipped for you at no charge she said. And, if for some reason the inventory is not correct, we will reverse the transaction. So, let’s do the shirt process as a stand-alone transaction so that it is easier to reconcile your credit card bill. Now, that’s a pleasant service experience.
A visit with the Doctor Allen: I sat in the examining room reading a magazine when the doctor knocked on the door and came in for our appointment. As I started to explain my reason for the appointment, I said “would you like me to get on the examining table as I explain my concerns to you?”
• His response— “This appointment is about you. Whatever is most comfortable for you to be while you tell me about your pain.” Yup—I stopped mid-thought—thank you. That is really nice!!
A Smart Shopper Ask Questions with a Smile.
Sharon Lewis 