(almost) always thinking

Great customer service isn’t difficult – even if you mess up

30 January, 2007 at 10:13 pm Leave a comment

I have a horse with a bad back – its a long story which I won’t bore you with.  The upshot was that I had to call out the equine physiotherapist.  On her second visit she turned up an hour late, which wouldn’t have been so bad, except it was January and minus several degrees outside so by the time she arrived I couldn’t feel my toes.

She apologised for her lateness (I may have looked a tad miffed), did a great job treating my horse and I thought that was it until today when an envelope turned up in the mail.  It was a handwritten card (bonus points for having horses on the front) apologising for being late and enclosing a substantial gift voucher for the local saddlers.

I’ve waited before for late gas men, painters, deliveries and even blacksmiths but no-one has ever bothered to apologise in this way.  Can you imagine?  Dear Madam, we’re very sorry that we turned up an hour late, please find enclosed a Habitat voucher.  Yours, British Gas.

I know it isn’t a cheap way of apologising, but in terms of the customer loyalty and positive word of mouth it would generate (the whole livery yard is going to hear about this), its priceless.

Entry filed under: customer service, Life, Marketing. Tags: customer service, equine physiotherapist, word of mouth.