Customer Care Series – When things go horribly wrong
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When it comes to online sales and direct shipping, it is an unfortunate fact that from time to time, things are going to go awry. There are so many elements that are outside of your control, from fulfillment houses to courier services to inclement weather.
In my role as customer relations manager here at AmericanWinery.com, I have been run through the gamut of direct-shipping disasters. Over the Christmas holiday, we were met with many these uncontrollable factors, from frozen wine to lost packages and a few curve balls, too. Each incoming call or email was like a punch in the stomach, as nobody likes to be the bearer of bad news. You know what they say about shooting the messenger? I was in front of the firing squad.
This story can’t be going anywhere good, right? Well, I’m writing this, so I didn’t get executed over Christmas break. We are a customer-focused company, and we are fortunate to be working with the most customer-focused wineries in the United States, and I’m proud to say so.
Replacement wines were shipped out to the owners of exploded bottles and to expectant customers whose wine shipments had been lost by the courier. Occasionally, American Winery covered additional costs to ship wines 2-day air to customers who were dangerously close to the Christmas deadline. With willing-to-help winery partners, I was freed up to call FedEx and UPS in efforts to track down missing packages. I got to spend some time on the phone with some very lovely customers as well.
In the end, everybody got their wine. It was a Christmas miracle.
The point of the story? Going above and beyond to solve a customer’s problem makes a vast impact on the customer. A “recovered” customer can be a more loyal customer and better advocate for your brand than a customer whose experience with your brand has been completely flawless. At AmericanWinery.com, it is my job to get the customer the perfect bottle of wine, whether that means placing an order with a customer over the phone, tracking down a missing package, or just playing the mediator between customer and courier – I possess keen “wait-on-hold” skills. Even when the problem is outside of your control (I don’t know about you, but I do not have the ability to control the weather), your willingness to do whatever you can to minimize the impact of the issue on the customer will leave a positive impression on the customer.
Here’s another cheesy Starbucks-ism I learned in my days of sporting a green apron – when it comes to service recovery, Starbucks knows their beans (ha, pun intended). From now on, the word “latte” will mean so much more to you than steamed milk and espresso…
L – Listen to the customer’s problem
A – Acknowledge the customer’s concern – a little empathy goes a long way
T – Take action to solve the customer’s problem
T – Thank the customer for bringing the issue to your attention
E – Encourage their feedback in the future and encourage them to use your service again
So the next time you get hit with disastrous (or just mildly inconvenient) factors outside of your control, listen to the customer and do whatever is in your power to help them navigate the situation. If you get butterflies in your stomach and need a pep talk, give me a call. I moonlight as a motivational speaker.
