Just a little personal story about customer service I thought I should share. Give credit where credit is due, right?
So I have this espresso machine that I purchased using wedding gift cards last year. It’s cost was $500 at the time, however about 3 months after I got it I happened by the store again and it was on sale for $399. I brought in my receipt and asked if they’d honor the new price and give me a refund for the difference. I was totally expecting to be told “hell noâ€? because the back of the receipt says this is only the policy for 10 days after the purchase. To my surprise, they honored it without question and gave me back a big fat Benjamin. Happy Customer.
This morning, well over a year after purchasing the espresso machine, it decides to to (pardon my French) tits up. The damn thing just wouldn’t power up. Totally lifeless. Knowing that it had been so long since the purchase I was certain I was screwed.
But I figured what the hell, packaged it up in the box that I kept (my wife wanted to throw it out last weekend) and took it back to the store. I had no idea where the receipt was (if I even had it). I get to the customer service desk and the lady is surprised to see my machine there for return. She said they’ve never gotten one of them back. I told her I loved the machine but it crapped out on me this morning and I’m dying for caffeine. She asked me when I purchased it and I told her I wasn’t exactly sure. She asked for a receipt, and I said I didn’t have it. She said “No problem…let’s go grab you a new one!â€? with a huge smile on her face, chipper as all get out.
She scanned the old box, then the new box, asked for my signature, and said “Well I hope you don’t have any problems with this one sir! I’m very sorry for the inconvenience!â€?. I stood there, half in shock, almost uncertain that it was OK to take the box and walk out. The manufacturers warranty is 12 months, it had been at least 14 since I purchased this piece, and the stores return policy states 180 days. In either case I was well beyond my right to return. Wow…Happy Customer once again.
I walked into the store this morning with an arsenal of things to say in case they didn’t want to take the exchange, things like “My family spent thousands of dollars here on wedding presents and you wont honor this one defective product return?!â€?. Do you ever do that when you’re about to confront a problem? Prepare your mind, load it up with verbal ammunition? I do - but I didn’t need any of it today. I guess the point of this post is to show that there really is good customer service out there.
As I write this I’m sipping on a delightful homemade cappuccino, made from a brand new espresso machine that I purchased at one hell of a stand-up department store, one with a serious eye for customer satisfaction. They’ve definitely earned my business now and in the future. Way to go Macy’s.
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