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I seem incapable of writing about anything except customer service these days. So here goes...
Went to a local department store today to buy stuff in their Labour weekend sale. I bought something that I have needed for a while at 50% of RRP. All good so far. The salesperson was friendly and chatty and as I was paying for the items she says "would you like a free pen". Sure I say and she drops it in the bag. Its a nice looking pen and it was in no way part of the inducement to buy - just an added extra. Its what the marketing folk call "surprise & delight" or some such drivel.
So here I am, I have bought the items I want at a good price and the service was spot on. Then I go to use the pen - it is broken. The ballpoint bit won't extend out of its housing. No amount of twisting, pressing, levering or various other flexing will not let the point extend. And it is a nice pen - it looks much better than the usual promo junk. I'm beginning to think that the company know they are faulty and are just dumping them off on customers.
What does this mean for customer satisfaction. It means that from a very satisfied customer, I am now a slightly irked one even though the source of the irritation was not related to the base purchase at all - that is still perfectly good. I guess the lesson is that you need to take a bit of care not to be too clever for your own good.
Oh and by the way, I did eventually get the pen working. But I had to resort to my toolbox to do it - pliers and WD40 did the job. I suspect most people won't be that determined.
Went to a local department store today to buy stuff in their Labour weekend sale. I bought something that I have needed for a while at 50% of RRP. All good so far. The salesperson was friendly and chatty and as I was paying for the items she says "would you like a free pen". Sure I say and she drops it in the bag. Its a nice looking pen and it was in no way part of the inducement to buy - just an added extra. Its what the marketing folk call "surprise & delight" or some such drivel.
So here I am, I have bought the items I want at a good price and the service was spot on. Then I go to use the pen - it is broken. The ballpoint bit won't extend out of its housing. No amount of twisting, pressing, levering or various other flexing will not let the point extend. And it is a nice pen - it looks much better than the usual promo junk. I'm beginning to think that the company know they are faulty and are just dumping them off on customers.
What does this mean for customer satisfaction. It means that from a very satisfied customer, I am now a slightly irked one even though the source of the irritation was not related to the base purchase at all - that is still perfectly good. I guess the lesson is that you need to take a bit of care not to be too clever for your own good.
Oh and by the way, I did eventually get the pen working. But I had to resort to my toolbox to do it - pliers and WD40 did the job. I suspect most people won't be that determined.