My feet hurt, and I need new shoes. BUT, I dislike shoe shopping. Shoddy feet from years of competitive sports and the fact that I wear a size 10.5 make shoe shopping a real challenge — to say the least. Recently, I shopped eight stores, but came home empty handed – yet again.
Real world story: Because I am a big proponent of Zappos and its stellar customer service, I decided to give the retail outlet a try. First, I searched for shoes on the Zappos website, but quickly became overwhelmed by all the choices. So, it was time to pick up the telephone. My call was answered by an automated attendant who, at the end of her standard greeting, asked, “If you’d like to hear the joke of the day, press 5.” Naturally, I pressed 5, and proceeded to hear a gentleman tell the following joke: “What do clouds wear under their shorts? Thunder pants!”
A few seconds later, my call was answered by Nikia T. She was friendly and asked for my name — which she used throughout the telephone call. I quickly explained my problem, and Nikia slowly and patiently walked me through the website and even explained how I could narrow down my shoe options.
After deciding on a few pairs of shoes, I asked Nikia if I should have her order the shoes for me or should I do it online myself. She said to do whatever was easiest for me. I thought for a minute and decided it would be easier if I ordered the shoes myself.
To assist me, without me asking, Nikia provided me with some wonderful services:
- Set up my online profile, and found that I already had one.
- Sent me an email to re-set my password. How did she know I didn’t remember it?
- Upgraded me to VIP status so my items would be shipped sooner.
- Added my items of interest to my shopping cart so I didn’t have to search again.
- Noticed I had an expired coupon and automatically extended the expiration date. Who does that?
What a stress- free way to shop for shoes! It sure beat having to deal with the rude and uncaring customer service clerks in the eight stores I had recently visited. After dealing with them, I felt drained, deformed, and defeated. After dealing with Nikia at Zappos, I felt energized and excited. And now, I’m writing a blog post about my experience!
Addendum: After I placed my online order, I discovered that my 20% coupon was not discounted from my invoice. So, I called back Zappos – I was actually looking forward to doing so. This time, I spoke with a nice young lady named Melia. I explained how my coupon deduction wasn’t reflected in my final total price. I could tell this wasn’t something Melia normally handles. She put me on a brief hold, then returned to tell me that she manually subtracted my 20% discount from my invoice and that I was all set. Wow, talk about going above and beyond. She didn’t tell me to call another department. She didn’t transfer me to someone else. She didn’t tell me to call back on Monday, during regular business hours. She solved my problem, and that was that!
Gosh, what a lovely experience. I wonder what else I need from Zappos because I want to feel good about myself again. And I know that calling Zappos will do just that.
Strategies that Turn it Around:
- Be friendly and helpful at all times: when you put callers on hold, offer them a free joke while they wait.
- Give away extras: VIP upgrades, free shipping, coupon expiration extensions — customers love these!
- Do what the customer asks: don’t argue or place blame, instead, offer creative solutions.
Remember: To help customers find their sole mate — or the perfect sweater, handbag, or camping equipment — always over deliver on your customer service. Be kind, patient, and solve customer problems expeditiously and efficiently. And, who knows, you may just increase your profits in the process.
Have you experienced wonderful service from Zappos? Please share your story or thoughts in the comments section below.