Are Your Clients Helping You Be More Successful?

Superbowl happens only one time every year, and I’m a huge sports fan, so I really enjoy that time of the year. For the first time in history, the Superbowl has just been granted to an “outside” stadium. This year, I was even more excited because I’ve followed Peyton Manning since he was in college at the University of Tennessee, where I am an alumnus. So, I am also an Indianapolis Colts fan too.

A few years ago when the Colts won the Superbowl I waited too long to order the special jersey they had for the game. I was really disappointed to find out they were sold out of them, so this year, when I remembered the jersey incident, I was determined not to let that happen again.

I went online, to the pro shop and ordered my new jersey. I waited with much anticipation as several days went by and I didn’t get a shipping confirmation – after all, the big game was getting closer and closer.

So, I sent an email to check on the status of my jersey, but I didn’t get a response, so after a day or so, I picked up the phone and called customer service. I was very happy to be told that my jersey was scheduled to be shipped that very day and she asked me if I wanted the tracking number. I said, of course I would like to have it. I then inquired as to when the jersey would arrive.

Much to my surprise she said it was shipping ground so that would be Monday. Well, this was a problem because the game was on Sunday and if I’m spending $100 for a jersey, I certainly wanted to wear it while I was watching the game (what good does it do me to have it if I have to wait until next season to wear it?).

When I inquired to the “customer service” rep about this her reply to me was something like . . . “well, it clearly stated right on the website that it takes 3-5 days to process your order and another 1-5 days for your items to arrive to you from shipping. You ordered the item (why are things always items?) 3 days ago and it will take 3 days to get it to Florida because you asked for it to be shipped ground, so we did exactly what we said we would and you should have known this was the case.”

Well, alrighty then. No offer for me to pay more to have it shipped faster, no offer to do anything extra – just a curt scolding of me for expecting anything more than what I was told I was going to get.

I mean, it was Superbowl time and it seemed obvious to me that most of the sales being made right then were more than likely related to that. I wondered why they didn’t have something on their site that indicated if you wanted it by Superbowl; you had to order it by this date, or in order to get in time to wear for the Superbowl you would have to use ove
ight shipping, or whatever. You know, like they do at Christmas and other holiday times.

So, there I had it. But, that just irritated me, and the more I thought about it the more I was frustrated, so I called back and explained to the different person what had just happened and asked it I could pay a higher shipping rate to have the jersey in time for the game.

There was a sort of awkward, pregnant pause, and after confirming that I already had a tracking number, this gal said something like “well . . . , that’s not how we usually do things. Our policy is that once a tracking number has been issued for an order, we don’t change anything about the order.”

At this point, I’m thinking being in the Superbowl isn’t “ordinary circumstances” so just as I’m thinking it might be time to ask for a supervisor, the rep asks me “would you like me to check with my supervisor to see if we can change it?” I told her that was exactly what I’d like her to do. So, she put me on hold. And, I was on hold for quite a while – long enough that I was thinking maybe it was ete
al hold and she wasn’t coming back.

About that time, she asked me if I wanted to put the additional shipping charge on the same credit card I used to buy the item (there’s that word again). I inquired as to how much extra it was going to be, she tells me $20, so I say yes, that credit card is fine.

Then, she informed me that she was told to let me know that this is all contingent on her being able to find my box and changing the shipping label on it. And, sometimes they aren’t able to find boxes. But, she would call me if she found it and give me the new tracking number.

I’m happy to report that she did call and that after tracking the “item” it was scheduled to be here in time for me to wear it for the big game (in which I hoped Peyton would play well and the Colts would win – unfortunately, that didn’t happen).

Here’s the question . . . why did I, the client, who had spent my money, have to work that hard to get my item sent to me in time for the big game? Why weren’t the employees more empowered to help people and to make decisions about doing what’s right for clients? What would happen if employees had a chance to help clients more?
My guess is if they did any of these things, the company would make more sales, have less returns, and make more money in the long run, with more repeat customers and orders than ever before. Who knows I might even be writing a story about the great service I got instead of this one about how I had to fix my own issue.

All of us could probably improve our customer service and give our clients better experiences than we are now – even if you’re already doing a good job with it. It’s just one more reason we all need to know how our phones are being answered and what our staff and employees are telling our clients.

Empower your staff to help your clients. Don’t handcuff them by putting such strict restrictions on them that it makes it difficult, or impossible, for them to give your clients a WOW experience. In the end, you’ll make more money by going the extra mile for your clients and letting your staff give them the experience of their lives.
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