“Customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong.”
– Donald Porter – V.P., British Airways

I recently had an exceptional customer service experience. I had to take my car into my local dealer for repairs and the job was not done quite right. The technician apparently had not checked out the alignment properly and I had to take the car back. The service department gave me a loaner car and did the work correctly this time. Even though the work was not done correctly the first time, they did a good job of “customer service recovery”.

A few days later I received a letter from the service manager saying that I might get a survey from the manufacturer about my recent customer service experience. His letter went on to say that if I could not write “Truly Outstanding” in every category, he would appreciate hearing from me. So I called him and told him that although they got it right the second time around and I wasn’t unhappy with my experience, I couldn’t rate it as outstanding. When I explained what had happened, he apologized and said he was very sorry that the job hadn’t been done right the first time.

When I asked him what he wanted me to do about the manufacturer’s survey, he told me, and this is important, that I should write whatever I felt was accurate. He did not ask me to score them “truly outstanding.” His entire focus was on pleasing me and getting feedback to improve their service quality not on increasing their score with the manufacturer. This service manager turned what had been an mediocre customer experience into an exceptional customer experience. If he hadn’t taken the extra step to make sure that I was completely satisfied, I wouldn’t have stormed off in a huff. I probably would have continued to do business with the dealership, although I might have been tempted to take my car elsewhere the next time it needs service. However, because the service manager took the time to send the letter, talk with me and apologize, I’ll not only be loyal to the dealership, I’ll recommend it to my friends and colleagues. That’s the least expensive and most credible advertising the dealership will ever have — and all it took was a few minutes of the service manager’s time.

World-class customer service isn’t a once-a-year customer satisfaction survey. It’s a day-in, day-out commitment to keep in touch with your customers and ask how you’re doing. Customers don’t expect perfection, but the way you handle problems can make or break your relationship. Unless they’re dealt with quickly and courteously, small problems can erode loyalty and make it easier for your competitors to win your customers over.

Would your customers rate your customer service as truly outstanding? If you’re not sure, it’s time to sit down and talk with them. Some of what they tell you may be painful to hear, but it’s the first step toward providing world-class customer service.