5 Examples of Good Customer Service and What Lessons Can Be Learned

Every business owner knows that great customer service is essential for a thriving business. Here are 5 examples of good customer service, as well as what you can learn from each so your customer service team will be able to provide your customers with a wonderful experience.

The success of any business depends on its customer service. If you own a business, you know this to be all too true. After all, your customers return and spread the word when they have good experiences, not bad.

But how do you instill the value of good customer service in those who deliver it?

You hire your employees with the impression that they understand customer service. But sometimes the best employee (and business owner) needs a refresher on what good customer service looks like.

That’s why we’re bringing you these real-life, extraordinary examples of good customer service to model from!

Trader Joe’s Uncommon Delivery

The harsh Northeast winters are typically unforgiving, especially in Pennsylvania. There was one particular storm that stranded an 89-year-old man in his apartment.

Worried, his daughter phoned around in search of a grocery store that would deliver food to him. This was, of course, years before the convenience of AmazonFresh and Uber Eats.

After no luck, the woman finally called Trader Joe’s, who ended up making a very special exception.

Trader Joe’s not only delivered $50 worth of groceries to her father’s apartment within 30 minutes. They also didn’t charge her, and instead wished her a happy holiday.

To top it all off, they even suggested low-sodium items for the man’s low-sodium diet!

The Lesson

Company policy is company policy. But sometimes life throws us the kinds of curveballs where it’s okay to bend the policies.

Trader Joe’s delivered more than food that day. Teach your employees great customer service skills when handling circumstances like bad weather.

You can also teach your employees when to make exceptions to your company’s policy. By doing so, they can help those customers who are most in need.

Delta Employee Fixes a Sky-High Problem

Airlines, and airports in general, typically get a bad rep. But this is one of many examples of good customer service that can make you think differently about them.

Barbara Apple Sullivan had a big problem when she dropped her passport in an airport mailbox.

A Delta Airlines employee named Karim Sayoud came to her rescue. He called the U.S. Homeland Security Customs and Border Control. He then personally escorted Sullivan through customs and security.

The story doesn’t end there! Sayoud took it upon himself to mail back Sullivan’s passport in New York the following day.

The Lesson

Not every airport horror story has as happy of an ending as Sullivan’s.

There was no guarantee that Sullivan would’ve been able to travel that day. The Delta Airlines employee could’ve easily told Sullivan to come back the next day. Instead, Karim Sayoud demonstrated when an employee invests himself in the customer’s experience.

More companies should reward their employees for great customer service skills. You can also teach your employees how to handle problematic situations involving customers.

Starbucks Goes Above & Beyond

It’s hard to ensure that every single one of your customers leaves satisfied. A negative customer experience is bound to happen, which is why it’s important to always prepare for them.

Take this story that involved a man named Jason, Starbucks, and a minor disagreement.

A Starbucks Gold Card could once give you a 10% discount on every order back in 2009. But when one Starbucks would not honor that discount, Jason contacted customer support. Instead of refunding his money, Starbucks gave him a $50 gift card.

The Lesson

Bad customer experiences are bound to happen. Especially when employees don’t care to create solutions to problems. Sometimes bad customer experiences occur because employees don’t understand company policy.

You should always make sure your employees understand your own company’s policy. But you can also teach them how to handle disagreements in person and over the phone.

When a customer has a bad experience, you’ll do what you can to save their opinion of your brand.

Morton’s Leaves an Impression Full of Personality

Delivering quality products and services is at the heart of good customer service. But sometimes excellent customer service has more of a personality when delivering.

Take the time Peter Shankman wasn’t going to have time to eat dinner after a flight. Shankman jokingly tweeted at Morton’s Steakhouse requesting a steak when he arrived at his next destination. He got more than he bargained for.

When he arrived, a Morton’s employee was waiting with Shankman’s steak. Someone had caught wind of Shankman’s tweet and forwarded it to a nearby Morton’s in Newark.

The Lesson

It’s okay to have fun with your customers. Most times, they’ll appreciate the extra efforts you put in to make their day. Good experiences, after all, will keep them coming back again and again.

Encourage your employees to listen to your customers online and in person. They appreciate when their voices are heard!

Sainsbury’s Takes Customer Criticism to Heart

As a business owner, you’re probably no stranger to the occasional instance of criticism. Even the most successful business owners aren’t invincible to downright negative feedback.

Customer feedback, whether good or bad, is part of business. And without it, businesses would never challenge themselves to improve!

That’s something that Sainsbury’s, a UK-based chain supermarket, demonstrated an understanding of back in 2011.

Sainsbury’s used to brand a loaf of bread as “tiger bread”. However, the “tiger bread” actually resembles more of a giraffe’s spots.

A 3-year-old girl thought so, at least. So, she wrote to Sainsbury’s customer support telling them that it should be “giraffe bread”.

A representative from Sainsbury’s customer support team not only wrote her back. The company wound up re-branding the loaf of bread as “giraffe bread” in the end.

The Lesson

This is one of many heartfelt examples of good customer service. Sainsbury’s demonstrated great customer skills when they responded to the girl’s critique. They also took her input as an opportunity to improve some of their brandings.

The customer is not always right 100% of the time. But often, the customer can have a valuable opinion that can improve your business!

Every good business takes the time to respond to each of its customers. Encourage your employees to bring customer feedback to your attention.

Applying Examples of Good Customer Service in Your Own Business

The 5 examples of good customer service we shared are just the ones that made the headlines. The truth is that we all encounter good customer service every day, in a variety of forms.

The employees of your business already execute excellent customer service. By sharing these stories, you can inspire your employees to deliver in bigger and better ways.

But customer service doesn’t end after 5 p.m. or when you close the doors. Ensure that your customers have the best experience by hiring a live phone answering service. For more information, contact us today!

mcynar On June 11, 2018   /   Answering Services   /   Leave a comment