Since the set had been off warranty for some time, I was not all that optimistic about my chances of resolving the problem this way, but given my Scottish lineage and faced with the prospect of having to lay out a big wad of cash, figured I had to at least try.
In any event, after a little discussion about the problem (a red line that crossed the screen that was clearly not centre ice) I was given a toll free customer care number to call. Still expecting the worse, I dialed this number with fingers poised in anticipation of having to respond to one of those annoying automated response systems we have all grown to expect when calling such 'services'.
Much to my surprise, the phone was answered by an actual human being, and a very pleasant one at that. Again, I explain the problem to the best of my ability and after a sincere expression of empathy from someone who was obviously a fellow hockey fan, was advised that if I emailed a couple of photos showing the fault, this person would see what they could do.
With the next game only days away, I immediately filled this request and minutes later received a response which outlined a proposed resolution. No, they did not offer to replace the set for free (after all, the set was several years old) but, what they did propose was more than fair and far exceeded my expectations.
To make a long story short, the morning before the next game, a new set was delivered to my door at just about the same time a customer satisfaction survey arrived in my inbox. Needless to say, I completed the survey expressing just how impressed I was with their service. Minutes later, another email arrived thanking me for my patience complete with a coupon attached that I could use against a future Sony purchase.
So say what you want about the amazing goal tending of Boston's Tim Thomas or Vancouver's Roberto Luongo (except in game 3). At least for me, Sony had just made the best save of the series.
I often rant about bad service, particularly when it involves poor after sale problem resolution. I suspect, I've even suggested there are few if any who get this bit right, but these guys clearly do - a quick empathetic response by a real person who's main concern isn't when the warranty ran out, or who is right and who is wrong, but rather, what's fair and what will it take to not only keep the customer, but to exceed their expectations and turn them into a loyal fan and vocale advocate.
Know any others?
P.S. Go Canucks Go!
To comment, or read the comments on this blog click on 'comments' beside the little envelope below. To read previous articles (this is #43), see the Blog Archive (mid right) and to become a Wavemaker Blogs follower, click on 'Follow' (lower right).
If you would like to be notified whenever a new Wavemaker blog topic is posted, just drop us an email at wmconsulting@live.com with "Blog Me" in the subject bar. We promise never to provide your contact details to anyone else and you can unsubscribe from this service at any time.
If you would like to know more about how Wavemaker Consulting can help your company improve the customer experience you provide, visit our Website, or email us at wmconsulting@live.com
Hi, Jim
ReplyDeleteA similar but different story. Our neighbour had a problem with his flat screen which he had purchased from Costco 3 years earlier. Like you, the problem occurred well after the expiry of his warranty. He had no expectation about getting any help, but decided to at least let Costco know about his dilema. While they did not replace the set, they did give him a $700 allowance on a new one. For a "discount" retailer, I believe Costco provides outstanding support and service to their members, which undoubtedly buys them a tremendous amount of loyalty.
Compare this experience with a recent interaction I had with Sears. We purchased a dishwasher about 6 years ago. After 5 years, the bottom dropped out of the cutlery basket, so off I go to their service department. Cost of a new basket is $50 which seems high in relation to the price of the dishwasher new. However, $10 per year is tolerable so we ordered a new one. The new one lasted 14 months which in my opinion is not acceptable, so I contacted the company only to be told that they couldn't (actually wouldn't) do anything to help me out. So, I have now purchased 2 of baskets which approximates 15% of the total cost of the unit. Will we be purchasing another Sears appliance?? I think not, thanks.
Hi Jim, top notch story as always! The company that goes the extra mile with service will almost invariably get plenty of repeat business. They also get plenty of referals.
ReplyDeleteThe reverse is of course also true, as the Sears experience mentioned in the first comment bears out.
Cheers, Mike
Hi Jim,
ReplyDeleteLovely blog! Thanks for the good news story.
Patricia
Great story! I have another great customer service experience story to share. After recently having purchased and installed the antivirus software Bit Defender I realized that the version I bought did not contain all of the protection I require. As I had already used the product key there was no returning it to the retailer I bought it from so I figured I would call Bit Defender customer support to see if they had any solutions. I was pleasantly caught off guard when I was put straight through to a real person (no need to maze my way through multiple automated messages) who gladly made me an offer to take 2 months off my 24 month registration key in exchange for an upgrade to the protection I needed. Not only did I find this offer extremely reasonable (the price of the full internet security software retails much higher than that of the anti-virus only software) but I also found the overall customer service to be excellent. The individual I spoke to was very professional, provided me with everything I needed to remove the old version of the software and install the new version and even personally followed up with me the next day to make sure everything had gone smoothly. The service I received from past internet security providers has paled in comparison to that of Bit Defender (despite the other providers being significantly more expensive!). When my subscription runs out I already know who I will be going back to!
ReplyDeleteHi Jim,
ReplyDeleteIt all worked this time, BUT, I was forced to see a photograph of you, taken some 20 years ago, to read something about a Canuck,(I assume to be one of the species of monster in the nearby forest) and to learn that Sony, as well as being into electronics, can make good saves. The story and the moral however were clear. Tee-hee. Keep up the good stuff.
Bestest to you all-Ray