One Way to Serve Customers Well

Back in August, we posted a story about poor customer service called 'Customer Service - Not This Way'. That was 'the bad and ugly'.

How about the good? In that same post, we mentioned a company located in the Isle of Palms, South Carolina called Island Realty. When my May vacation accommodations didn't quite stack up to normal standards, I let the Island Realty folks know about it in a post-vacation survey. The motivation wasn't to smack them between the eyes; rather, the intention was to give them honest feedback on my experience. And that's what I did. Too many times we're just too nice or want to be gracious in our expressions of poor experiences. In most cases, nothing is said at all. That's actually a disservice to companies who will never know what happened. By telling them about your situation and giving details, there is a much better opportunity for improvement. Sadly, statistics show that a large majority never make a direct complaint or share feedback with the company. Instead, they tell others - - and it snowballs into negative word of mouth.

When my friends at Island Realty received my survey feedback, they took the high road and responded right away. No excuses, no shifting of blame. They didn't even give me the opportunity to start complaining to my network of friends. Instead, they acknowledged the situation, even apologized and offered a free week back at the beach as their way of addressing the issue. I was stunned. This was completely unexpected. Immediately, I took note of this action and told them how much I appreciated what they were doing.

That's a great example of extraordinary customer service. And you know what? That's probably the way it should always be with any business. Of course, I'm not suggesting you have to do what they did, but the point is that they took action and quickly addressed the situation proactively. Isn't this a great step toward building favorable customer relations and loyalty? Absolutely.

When companies invest in marketing to an audience, then they should take great care to ensure the customer's experience is a wonderful one. It isn't that difficult, but it does take some thought, strategy and effort. Getting a sale or a new client is only half the equation. Developing them into loyal patrons is the other half. Then they become your advocates!

By the way, we enjoyed a great stay back at the beach. And, as I absorbed the sun, waves and sand, I couldn't help but think it was only possible because of what Island Realty did. I'm a satisfied customer who is telling others about my experience. Great job guys.