CS at TBM suck's
12-11-2012, 09:34 AM
#26
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RE: CS at TBM suck's
I spent a dozen years as a sales manager in the consumer electronics industry - which is even more competitive than the hobby industry. Outstanding customer service was my constant goal, as that made me more money down the road - a LOT more money. It's much cheaper to take care of the customers you have than to attract new ones to replace them. Do an outstanding job, and an average customer will tell two friends. Do a crappy job, and they'll tell twenty.
If one of my people had steered a customer wrong, as in this case, I would have fixed it - period. In this case, I would have shipped the correct spinner at no extra charge for the difference or the shipping, and a "Sorry for the confusion" note written on the invoice. Maybe cost us ten bucks, but we'd get that back on the next sale.
I left a huge consumer electronics retailer when they became slaves to their stock price, at the expense of customer service. I went to work for a little independent store that had been in town since the beginning of television, still with the original owner. He'd sold off the Service department years earlier to the service tech, but they still had the same name with Service stuck on the end. The best year he'd ever had was just over a million in sales. The first full year after I became sales manager, we did $4.1 million. The owner decided to retire, and offered to pretty much give me the business. After consulting with the wife, I declined - I was already spending too much time at work, and was needed at home. Had I taken over, the business would have owned me. He sold to a Sony rep, and I stayed on for five hard years.
An example of customer service paying off: A customer bought a Sony big screen ($3500 set at the time) and it developed a problem three months later. Service went out and picked up the set, laid it on it's face in a van, fixed it and returned it - with minor but noticable scratches. Customer was upset, wanted it fixed. Service refused. By the time he got to me, he was pretty upset. Legally, it wasn't my problem - but our name was on their door, and the "service department" was damaging our reputation - so I did a quick mental calculation and decided the best course of action. I explained to the customer that even though it wasn't my companies fault or responsibility, we would take care of it. He, of course, wanted to know how. I asked him "Can you be home at 10AM tomorrow?" and he said "Why, you want to see it?". My reply was "No, I want to deliver a new set." He was skeptical, so I told him I would instruct the delivery guys to leave the box factory-sealed until he could inspect it. He stood there, speechless, for several seconds, dumbstruck. Then he shook my hand and left, still unsure if I was sincere.
I took the damaged set and knocked $300 off it - which was still well above cost. It sold the following weekend, to a young couple who figured that the scratches weren't that big a deal and knew we'd stand behind the set. Everybody was happy.
About six months later, that customer called right before closing, and asked if I'd help his buddy out with some audio gear - and they were on the way. I waited and let them in, and 45 minutes later closed a sale totalling nearly $20k in high-end, highly proitable audio components. Seems the guy I'd gone above and beyond for had told his buddy about it, and told him he HAD to buy from me because if there was a problem, I would make it right. That $300 in goodwill netted over $10,000 in profit on ONE sale - and the buddy told me he never would have considered us had the first guy not told him the story.
TBM missed an opportunity here.
If one of my people had steered a customer wrong, as in this case, I would have fixed it - period. In this case, I would have shipped the correct spinner at no extra charge for the difference or the shipping, and a "Sorry for the confusion" note written on the invoice. Maybe cost us ten bucks, but we'd get that back on the next sale.
I left a huge consumer electronics retailer when they became slaves to their stock price, at the expense of customer service. I went to work for a little independent store that had been in town since the beginning of television, still with the original owner. He'd sold off the Service department years earlier to the service tech, but they still had the same name with Service stuck on the end. The best year he'd ever had was just over a million in sales. The first full year after I became sales manager, we did $4.1 million. The owner decided to retire, and offered to pretty much give me the business. After consulting with the wife, I declined - I was already spending too much time at work, and was needed at home. Had I taken over, the business would have owned me. He sold to a Sony rep, and I stayed on for five hard years.
An example of customer service paying off: A customer bought a Sony big screen ($3500 set at the time) and it developed a problem three months later. Service went out and picked up the set, laid it on it's face in a van, fixed it and returned it - with minor but noticable scratches. Customer was upset, wanted it fixed. Service refused. By the time he got to me, he was pretty upset. Legally, it wasn't my problem - but our name was on their door, and the "service department" was damaging our reputation - so I did a quick mental calculation and decided the best course of action. I explained to the customer that even though it wasn't my companies fault or responsibility, we would take care of it. He, of course, wanted to know how. I asked him "Can you be home at 10AM tomorrow?" and he said "Why, you want to see it?". My reply was "No, I want to deliver a new set." He was skeptical, so I told him I would instruct the delivery guys to leave the box factory-sealed until he could inspect it. He stood there, speechless, for several seconds, dumbstruck. Then he shook my hand and left, still unsure if I was sincere.
I took the damaged set and knocked $300 off it - which was still well above cost. It sold the following weekend, to a young couple who figured that the scratches weren't that big a deal and knew we'd stand behind the set. Everybody was happy.
About six months later, that customer called right before closing, and asked if I'd help his buddy out with some audio gear - and they were on the way. I waited and let them in, and 45 minutes later closed a sale totalling nearly $20k in high-end, highly proitable audio components. Seems the guy I'd gone above and beyond for had told his buddy about it, and told him he HAD to buy from me because if there was a problem, I would make it right. That $300 in goodwill netted over $10,000 in profit on ONE sale - and the buddy told me he never would have considered us had the first guy not told him the story.
TBM missed an opportunity here.
12-11-2012, 01:39 PM
#28
RE: CS at TBM suck's
ORIGINAL: PLANE JIM
Are you mad again?
Are you mad again?
01-17-2013, 10:45 AM
#29
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RE: CS at TBM suck's
I was in sales myself Trent. You are absolutely correct, when happy tell your friends but when unhappy tell the world.
01-17-2013, 01:40 PM
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RE: CS at TBM suck's
I am happy to report the issue has been resolved. After a lengthy discussion with the CS manager, via email, they are shipping out my spinner. Free of further charge. So they will see future purchases from me.
01-17-2013, 05:16 PM
#31
RE: CS at TBM suck's
The same type of thing just happened between myself and Summit Racing [auto parts]..except that Summit took complete ownership of the mistaken advice I was given and they ate the portion of the transaction that they were morally at fault for.
They must place the highest priority on dealing honorably with their public....or else risk losing the public's confidence.
They must place the highest priority on dealing honorably with their public....or else risk losing the public's confidence.
01-17-2013, 09:43 PM
#33
RE: CS at TBM suck's
ORIGINAL: Mpizpilot
Well I'm gonna go ahead and say the two times I needed to contact tbm's customer service my issues were taken care of promptly and fairly.
Well I'm gonna go ahead and say the two times I needed to contact tbm's customer service my issues were taken care of promptly and fairly.
I probably wouldn't. I'd want to see a couple more 9's to the right side of a decimal point.
TBM might have had a near perfect record during any given time frame, but all it takes is 1 episode like this where the customer gets treated badly for me to wonder if they can do it once, can they do it again..?
