When Customer Service and Common Sense Meet

Last year I wrote an article entitled "Customer Service Should Be Common Sense".  I mentioned that customer service was the "vanguard of any business" and that customer services means "being genuinely engaged with your customer, smiling, giving, forgiving and pleasing".

When I had my own business, everything revolved around making my customers' experience the best I could, both for their satisfaction and my satisfaction, because if they were completely satisfied with the service I offered and gave, then I was satisfied.  Not only monetarily but also inwardly, at the heart.     

I wrote the article because I had often experienced some really rotten customer service and was frustrated that customer service just didn't seem to come naturally to some people and that common sense and customer service seemed light years apart.

Last week I had the immense pleasure of experiencing customer service at its rewarding best.  It gave me "heart" to know that there are still some people out there who know instinctively how to treat their most valuable asset, their customer/client. 

My son is getting married in a couple of months and I have been searching for a suitable "mother of the groom" gown.  None seemed to "pop" until along came this copper colored taffeta with its shutter pleats and elegant bolero. It was perfect in every way except it was just too tight around the hips and the departmental store confirmed that they did not have a bigger size.  My seamstress assured me that unless she had two of the same she could not perform the miracle I was wanting by adding to the one.

In desperation I emailed the company who manufactured the label on the dress to see if they actually made the style in the size I needed.  That is when I got to know Bob, the vice president.  He confirmed that it was not made in a bigger size in a missy.  This is when most people like the sales associate at the store, end their customer service.  Not Bob.  He took the service up a notch.  He told me that it was made in plus sizes and said if a plus size could work for me he could help me. 

I was delighted because it would be much easier for my seamstress to "take in" a larger garment than build one out of two and less expensive for me too.

Several emails later Bob introduced me to Kathryn.  She was the buyer of his retail client and she was able to search all the departmental stores in her group to find the gown in a plus size.  After a few emails and telephone calls were exchanged between us she excitedly told me that she had located the gown in Ohio and would have it shipped to my home in Florida.

I have just returned from my first fitting at the gallery who specialize in miracle alterations and I am extremely happy with the perfect fit of this lovely gown.   

Bob and Kathryn's willingness to go out of their way to make me and my special day happy is not only impressive but it makes customer service shine brilliantly and that definitely needs to be in the spotlight.  Thank you to both of you for your common sense approach to customer service.