Category Archives: Customer Service

customer service skills, case studies, how to keep customers and clients happy.

Ikea Has Good Karma For One Lucky Customer

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A short while ago I was on Facebook scanning the news feed and I saw that my cousin’s wife had posted a sad experience about having their van broken into, and of all things, HALF of an Ikea table, still in the brown non-descript box, was taken.  Did the thieves know what they were taking?  Probably not.  They probably just grabbed something they could carry, as it would have taken two of them to carry the heavy awkward box, just to ‘be cool’ or ‘be wannabe thugs’ or whatever ‘street cred’ they were after.  So my poor cousin and his wife were not only feeling violated by being the victims of a break and enter on their van, but they were then left with one of two boxes of an Ikea table, that incidentally wasn’t even something they were purchasing for their own use!  What to do?  What would you do?

I read this post on Facebook by my cousin’s wife yesterday:
“So I went to Ikea to see if they could refund me half my table back or let me just buy box 1 of 2… I know, long shot right?! Well not only did they do just that, they did one better, they gave me a gift card for the full amount so I could purchase another table!!! Ikea, you rock!!! Great customer service is still out there, as well as good people…. Karma;)”

I was thrilled to read this positive result from such an ugly event.  Now I don’t know if the Ikea employees were following a standard protocol, or felt sorry for her and empathized with her sad story, or succumbed to her charismatic story-telling, but whatever the reason, Ikea not only made her and her family happy, but got some great word-of-mouth advertising on the world’s largest social media platform (and now here too!).   This goes to show you that truly great customer service is about listening, empathy, genuine care for your customer, and two-way trust and loyalty.
Ikea – Swedish for Good Karma!  

Airline Security Spoof – But How Much of it is True?

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This is a funny video spoofing U.S. airline security personnel and the hoops passengers (i.e. customers) need to go through to board an airplane these days.  Even though it seems an exaggeration to me, I wonder if people out there have encountered something similar?  Feel free to leave a comment if you have!  Enjoy!

TTC Gets an A for Effort on ‘Personal Car’ April 1st Video

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Many companies and celebrities had fun with this year’s April Fool’s Day, including the TTC – Toronto Transit Commission.  I watched the above video, knowing it was a gag, and felt smug knowing I don’t break any social rules while in transit.  I see plenty of people who do.  I hate their actions.  I don’t hate them as a person, but I hate what they seemingly represent – a nameless member of a crowd who can do anything they want to and they know no one will call them on it – at least in Toronto (because ‘everyone is weird here anyway’, right?)

I give the TTC an A for effort with this video, but a B at best for performance.  No worries – it wasn’t supposed to be an expensive training video – just a gag with a point.  And I love their point.

We as riders love to complain about the TTC staff (drivers and operators) and sometimes they deserve it, but I love the fact that this video illustrates the more pervasive issue on the transit, and that is customer behaviour.   I almost wish (almost…) that TTC employed ‘social police’ that would come around the trains and give out warnings and tickets for fines to the people who listen loudly to their music on their phones (with no head phones), who put their bags all over the floor or in the seat next to them, who stand broadly in front of the doors that people need to exit and board from, who pig out loudly and messily, and those that have inappropriate loud conversations with friends in person or over the phone.  I’ve heard hard-core cursing, racism, sexism and general craziness during my rides over the years!  I’ve seen a dude roll a joint in a busy car at rush hour without a care in the world.  I’ve seen scam artists try to persuade others to give them money.

I’ve also seen kindness, tolerance, patience and happiness, and that is what I mostly see every day.

I am glad to know that I am one of the many positive contributors to a better way on the TTC.  I hope this video helps to create more.  Good job TTC!

Been to Starbucks Lately?

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My wife is a big fan of Starbucks. When asked, she says she has no problem paying a little extra (compared to other leading coffee shops in Toronto) for the better tasting coffee (in her opinion) and the proper customer service. I found this video of Starbucks Customer Service online. No it’s not in Toronto and yes it seems like a Starbucks PR vid, but anyway, take a look and a listen to how the manager explains his version of customer service.  What do you think?

York Region Article: YRT free for 2 months

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I know this post is late – sorry about that. For those that do not know, York Region Transit had a 3-month strike which obviously inconvenienced a lot of riders. We Torontonians clearly remember a few TTC strikes, right? Anyway what makes this YRT strike interesting is that after the two sides finally settled their contract dispute, YRT offered (and is still offering) free rides on YRT until the end of this month (March 2012). Isn’t that amazing for transit users?That is a big step in the right direction towards great customer service. I’ve never heard of a city transit giving free rides after a strike – have you? If so please tell me by writing a comment below. Anyway I was very impressed by this gesture, even though some people do not agree with this act (see comments below of original article).

In an ideal world (at least according to most riders), transit would be considered an essential service and would never go on strike, at least not an extended one. But in the meantime, I find it refreshing to say the least that York Region gave back to its riders, when they did not have to. Way to go!

York Region Article: YRT free for 2 months
You will be able to ride York Region Transit for free for nearly two months starting Saturday.
York Region council committed to making the service free for at least one month but is now committing to go further.
Free service is available from Feb. 4 to March 31.
With ridership levels certain to drop following the three-month strike, the region hopes you’ll consider leaving your car at home for a change.
“If you used our buses before, we’re welcoming you back,” regional chairperson Bill Fisch said. “And if you have never experienced transit in York Region before, the next two months are a great opportunity to give it a try.” Continue reading here: http://www.yorkregion.com/news/news/article/1289578

CBC Marketplace Looks at Canada’s Worst Customer Service

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Long checkout lines, difficult-to-find salespeople, and unfriendly customer service rank among Canadians’ biggest pet peeves when it comes to retail service, according to a poll done for CBC Marketplace.
The show, which begins its new season on Jan. 6 with a one-hour special, asked Canadians about their experiences — both positive and negative — with customer service in national retail chain stores, including: department and big box general merchandise stores; electronic stores; major fashion stores; furniture and furnishing stores; health and beauty/drug stores; and home improvement stores.
The poll didn’t survey people on their attitude towards banks, cable companies, cell phone/internet service, airlines, utilities, grocery/food services, restaurants, or automotive dealers/service.
Canadians’ biggest pet peeves in terms of bad customer service in the store include (figures indicate percentage of times each answer was among respondents’ top three):

  • Long lineups at checkout (42%).
  • Difficulty finding salespeople in the store (39%).
  • Rude/unfriendly salespeople (33%).
  • Salespeople who ignore you (24%).
  • Difficulty finding out how much products cost (23%).

Canadians also had some main gripes when it came to their post-purchase customer service experience. Those complaints included having to fight too hard to resolve issues, which was a top-three complaint for 51 per cent of respondents. A return policy that was limited to in-store credits — no cash refund — was a top-three complaint for 49 per cent of respondents, while a return policy with hidden limitations was cited by 47 per cent in their top three.
Asked to rank their top three most-important elements of in-store customer service, 54 per cent said clearly priced products, while 48 per cent said having advertised products in stock. Almost half — 48 per cent — said fast service at checkout lines was among their top three.
The results are based on an online survey conducted by Leger Marketing between July 19 and July 24, 2011. A total of 1,025 Canadians answered the survey.
View original CBC Marketplace link here:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/01/05/customer-service-pet-peeves-marketplace.html?cmp=rss 

A Little Thoughtfulness Goes a Long Way for a Hockey Fan

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I’ve got a quick story to tell you about some really nice, thoughtful customer service.
I was having lunch today at one of my favourite spots, The Pilot, in Toronto.  If you don’t know this place, it’s one of the oldest pubs in Toronto, opening in 1944, although in a different location.  It honours the WW2 air force pilots. 
I like it because this place always seems to have a great atmosphere to it, and the food is better than your average pub fare for sure, which is important to me.  BTW have you tried their fries?  Outstanding!
Anyway so I’m sitting in the upper dining area by myself, watching boxing on TV while I wait for my burger and fries.  (Don’t worry, I did have my beer already!)  After a quick TKO I think to myself  “Is Canada playing today in the World Juniors (IIHF)?” 
I make a mental note to myself to ask to waitress when she comes back. 
I didn’t get the chance because my food was brought out to me by a guy from the kitchen.  So since I had already NLP-programmed myself to ask my question, I did, even though he was not my server.  He said he wasn’t sure if Team Canada was playing but he would check for me and if it was, change the channel on ‘my’ TV. 
I felt a little guilty after he left because I was sure he had other responsibilities to handle, and after all, he wasn’t my server.  I also told myself not to be upset if he indeed does not come back.
Imagine my pleasant surprise when he came back and informed me that Team Canada wasn’t playing until 8pm in the evening.  I thought that was great he came back, and thanked him.
Then 2 minutes later he returns and says “The other Team Canada is playing, the international league – do you want me to put that on the TV for ya?”  I understood he was referring to the Spengler Cup tourney and immediately said “Sure!”
So I had the pleasure of watching the first period of the game while I ate and relaxed.  I thought that was really considerate and cool of him to come back twice, and it showed empathy and a care for his work environment.  No wonder it is a really popular pub!  Little things make the difference, and little things go a long way in customer satisfaction and loyalty.  I will be going back, of course!
Last thought on this:  Go Team Canada Go!  Both of you!

Toronto Hotel Blames Guest for Bad Internet

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Last week I was honoured to have a client fly in to Toronto all the way from Paris, France to do a week of intensive communication coaching with me. It was her first time in Toronto and so I was more than happy to recommend some places to see, some restaurants to go and a few great hotels near my office.
I’m not going to mention the name of the hotel she chose in this post, simply because this story is technically ‘hearsay’ as I did not witness the conversations myself. Needless to say it is a very recognizable name and in a very popular area. I want to share with you her story to use as a learning lesson for those of you who are managers, customer service trainers, or leaders in your company, especially if you work in the hotel or guest services industry.

Quick Background: My client is a calm, mature, friendly and polite woman. She is very optimistic and enjoys her work and world travel. Her job frequently takes her to Washington 3 times a year, as well as to other US cities.

She came in to our session on the second morning and said “Okay – today I can feel that I’m in Canada and not the US”.
“Why is that?” I inquired.
“Because I called the front desk to tell them that my internet access that I paid for is not working properly, and she (the young lady at the front desk) said “well all of our other guest rooms are working properly. Maybe it’s your computer!”
“So I said it is not my computer. I do international business travel all the time and there is nothing wrong with my computer. I’ll even bring it down to you and show you.”
“So I brought my computer down to the front lobby to show them that the internet works perfectly there. They had no choice but to agree.”
“Finally they upgraded my room to a much bigger room now, for 2 people, and the internet works fine. I couldn’t believe it. In the US, you would never have had that conversation. Right from the beginning it would have been an apology and an attempt to fix the problem immediately or a move to a new room without the 30-minute discussion that wasted my time.”

In the end she was overall very happy with her first time in Toronto, and with her coaching as well.  🙂  But this short story is a reminder to those in customer service to be careful how you challenge guests, even accidentally, and to watch your word choice and tone of voice.

No Call Equals No Sale, and No Return Customer

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This story starts off with great customer service, and then unfortunately leads to disappointment.

On October 11th of this year I was searching for Star Trek TOS (The Original Series) Season 2 box set, which had been digitally remastered in 2008 and I was just getting around to collecting the DVDs this year.  (I am a life-long Trekkie!)

I had already watched all of season 1 and was on the hunt for the season 2 box set.  I went to HMV at Yonge/Bloor and they didn’t have it.  I went to Sunrise Records & Tapes and they didn’t have it either, but the staff including the manager bent over backwards trying to either locate it in the back or see if it was lying around somewhere hiding.  I really appreciated their effort.  In the end of all I decided to place an order with the manager for Season 2, since it was not in the store, and I purchased Season 3 which was in the store.  Hey it was even 10 bucks cheaper there than at HMV, so why not?

Sounds like pretty good customer service right?  Winning the business away from the large conglomerate HMV?  Yes…until…

I gave the manager my name, phone number and wrote out specific details of what I was putting on order.  He promised to call as soon as it was in.  He assured me that that little piece of paper would not get lost, and it would be ordered promptly.

Today is November 25th and there has not been any phone call from the Sunrise manager or staff to either say “Hey Geek!  Your Star Trek is in!  Come pick it up before we sell it to another Trekkie!” or
“Sorry for the delay Sir, your order will take longer than expected, but we are working on it” or
“Are you sure you really want Star Trek?” or any other voice message.

KHAAAANNNNN!!!!!!!!

I guess I will have to look to eBay or go back to HMV.  Maybe it’s worth paying the extra 10 bucks if the big stores have better ordering systems.  Maybe I was fooled by the personalized care and concern from the littler store, and have now paid the price by being forced to watch the 3rd season before the 2nd (Yes that’s right – I watched it.  I couldn’t wait!)

The message here is you must keep your word to keep your customers.  If you promise to order an item, then order the damned thing and keep in contact with your customer if there will be delays.  Christmas is coming and I like to buy CDs and DVDs for my loved ones, and myself.  Where do you think I will be shopping?  HINT – I already purchased a CD today at HMV.

Sorry Sunrise.  You had me at “Hello!” but lost me at “We’ll call you.”

Do You Prefer the Staff to be Nameless or Individuals?

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My wife and I recently went to Summerhill Spa to redeem our freebie (mentioned below), and the first thing I should get out of the way is that the 90-minute hot stone therapy massages were great and we were satisfied.  We tipped well to show our gratitude.
The one thing my wife and I both noticed and thought odd, and is the subject of this blog post, was that no one introduced themselves, either when we came into the establishment nor right before our massages were to start.  They were all Asians in black – well one had a white T-shirt on, but essentially if you did not ask for their names you could not request the masseuse again.  I actually did ask their names (as is my habit and training) and both ladies seemed surprised.  So my first thought was that this was a customer service training mistake, and also it was doing a dis-service to the masseuses as surely their tips and requests would rise if they introduced themselves at the beginning, built rapport and thanked the patrons as they left, giving the patron a name to go with the face and service.
Then it occurred to me that perhaps the management had not over-looked something.  Perhaps they intentionally did not use name-tags, and did not encourage the staff to introduce themselves. 
Why would that be? 
Perhaps to establish a sense of standardization of service at the spa.  In other words – don’t come to the spa just for your favourite girl, because if/when she leaves to go work elsewhere, she might take clients with her!  At the very least clients who’d grown accustomed to her may not return. 
The funny thing is as mentioned before that all the girls are Asian, so if you are not too good at differentiating between Chinese, Korean and Japanese, and if you didn’t ask for names, you simply could not request the same masseuse you had for the next time.  You would have to trust in the standardization of quality of the ‘Women in Black’.
I don’t know which way is better, and I don’t know for sure why the management decided to use this no-name style.  Do you have any thoughts?
For now I think I am going to stick to my belief and communication skills training that says that a name is the most wonderful sound in the world to a person, and to be remembered by someone is flattering and the beginning of building rapport and a healthy relationship.  I always endeavor to remember names of folks in the service industry, especially at places I frequent.  I think I would hope for the same from others.  What do you think/prefer?