Customer Service - 2 fabulous experiences

The most important part of business - The Customer ...

Today my blog is not about my work, my business or even photography - it is about customer service and two experiences that I wanted to share with you from an eventful week.

Now some of you may have seen my frustrated post on Facebook this week about my car breaking down - for the 3rd time in less than a year! But - this post is not to moan about this experience, but to express my delight at how well I was dealt with as a customer.

My car is pretty important to my life - don't get me wrong, I don't give my cars names or anything like that but it does give me the independence that I need in order to do my job and to look after my family - so it's looked after - let's put it that way.

When anyone's car breaks down it is frustrating - the time you lose not to mention the people you may have to let down. But if a company can pick up the pieces and put them back together and turn your way of thinking like Audi did with me last week then they must be doing something right.

First of all, the Audi assist people were fabulous, they get someone out to you as soon as they can, they call you back to make sure you're Ok and to let you know when someone is on their way. They get a car delivered to you so you can carry on your life without too much disruption.

Secondly, the Bradford Audi garage were brilliant in dealing with the fault, getting everything fixed and getting my car back to me.

So, what's so good about all that I hear you ask - they are after all only doing their job? But, it's more than that, these people believe in the brand and more important than that - they care, and they want their customers to care too. All the staff that I encountered on my journey last week took ownership of the problem, knew that the brand had let me down and strived to fix it.

My second experience was whilst out in York shopping for aftershave and perfume! I know, it all sounds a bit strange and quite frankly, why would you care about my shopping experiences - but this particular shop is well worth shouting about - not because of what it sells, but because of the way that it does it.

Whilst my husband is a big aftershave fan I am not a big perfume buyer - not because I don't like it - far from it - but unfortunately lots of perfumes don't like me! So we wandered into Burgins Perfumery in York (round the corner from Betty's Tea Rooms) and my husband bought his aftershave. Whilst we were there I thought I'd just ask them what they recommended I might try as I tried so many before and I had very little success. This is where the customer service kicked in! I was encouraged to smell lots of different fragrances from lots of different brands - clearing my nose in between smells with a quick smell of coffee beans (I'd never heard of it before but it really works!)

The owner of the shop was brilliant - he listened to what I had to say then set about trying to find the right fragrance for me. Again, I here you say - well that's his job - but surely you could say that about lots of high street stores selling the same perfumes - it's their jobs too. But this gentleman understood his products, he loved his products and most important - he cared about his customer. This sale was not about him getting a few pounds richer - it was about making me a long term customer who would return time and time again.

Did he solve the problem - well that we are not entirely sure of but I walked around the rest of the day wearing one of the perfumes he suggested without any adverse reactions so let's hope so!

So, why am I telling you all this, well, I have always believed that my customers are the most important part of my business and I really want them all to have the best I can possibly give them. For me, your photographs are the most important memory you will have and it is my job to give you the very best I can. I use the best suppliers I can find - who also believe in their brands and deliver fab service. 

Customer service is not about pandering to someone's every whim - it's about taking time to understand a person's needs and then delivering it - something which we strive very hard to do here - and I hope - succeed at. :)

Nicky

The two companies featured in this post can be contacted at:

Burgins Perfumery - 01904 623137

Bradford Audi - 01274 715600