best and worst customer service experience essay

Customer Service Experience – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

You might have a lot of experience in delivering great customer service, but it doesn’t mean you are delivering a great customer service experience .

Hollywood flick The Good, The Bad and The Ugly tells the story of three gunslingers who compete for a gold fortune amidst the American Civil War. The phrase is commonly used to describe the best and worst of something, among others which could have been improved but were not. Today, we’re talking about the good, bad, and ugly side of customer service experience.

Customer service is pretty big in the modern digital age. We all engage with companies on a regular basis, and some things just don’t turn out the way you want them to. Now, combine this problem with modern technological innovation and multi-platform usage and you have the perfect recipe for customers with high demands.

Satisfying their needs and wants is the only thing that companies want to achieve, along with providing a good overall end-to-end customer experience. With the growth of technology, customers are beginning to use multiple channels ( email , social media , chat , voice , etc) when interacting with a brand. This makes it important for companies to provide an exceptional customer service experience when dealing with customers.

According to Marketing Week , 15 years ago, the average consumer typically used two touch-points when buying an item and only 7% regularly used more than four. Today consumers use an average of almost six touch points, with 50% regularly using more than four.

If I asked you to describe your previous customer service experience with a brand, what would your answer be? You would probably give an account of a positive customer experience or negative customer experience. This is exactly what makes up customer service experience – the way companies handle their customers.

Define: What is Customer Service Experience?

What is considered customer service experience? You won’t find many definitions of customer service experience. However, the truth is, it is very loosely defined and used by a variety of people in different industry. However, one thing is certain – it involves a fair amount of customer service. Let me explain.

Customer service experience is simply defined as the art of managing customers, and meeting or exceeding their wants and needs when they contact customer service. It can be used to describe someone asking about an item on a menu when ordering fast food at a drive-thru, or someone asking a salesman about a product at an electronics store. It is the service experience provided to customers at various points of contact with the organization.

Is there any difference between Customer Service Experience & Customer Experience? What about the difference between Customer Service Experience & Customer Service?

You probably already know the difference between customer service and customer experience. Customer service is part of the overall customer experience, and is reactive (unlike customer experience which is proactive).

Customer Service , Customer Service Experience , and Customer Experience are similar in the way that they all refer to dealing with customers and satisfying their needs and wants. Customer service experience is the overall experience of the customer when he deals with customer service and customer support, whereas customer experience is the sum of all interactions across all touch points with a brand.

5 Essentials of Customer Service Experience

There are 5 essentials to providing a good customer service experience:

The right timing
The right service
The right processes
The right people
The right training

Customer Service Experience Challenges

Companies face a variety of customer service challenges in their quest to provide an exceptional level of customer service. Not only do they have to deliver an amazing end-to-end customer service experience, they also have to do it on multiple channels. Here are some customer service experience challenges faced by companies:

Retaining customers and stopping churn
Minimizing CES, or customer effort score
Leverage customer intelligence to better engage customers
Turn agents into brand ambassadors
Eliminate interaction silos to decrease customer frustration

Why You Shouldn’t Provide Bad Customer Service

There are many reasons you should not be providing a bad level of customer service:

It forces the customer to tell his friends and family about your company in a negative manner.
The customer might go on a social media rampage.
It spoils your chances of having a second chance at gaining their trust
It might force the customer to switch to your competitor

The Good Experience: Good Customer Service Experience

When you have a good customer experience, it really speaks for itself. A good customer service experience is when the customer is satisfied with the company’s level of customer service.

Good Customer Service Experience Examples

Here are some examples of good customer experience:

When the company solves your problem in a timely manner
When the customer does not have to put in a lot of effort to get his problem solved
When the company adequately compensates the customer if requested.
When the customer service representative knows, understands, and effectively solves the customer’s problem on time.

The Bad Experience: Bad Customer Service Experience

Being a customer, how would you handle a bad customer service experience? It’s really not that hard to define poor customer service experience. But, when we do experience a negative customer service experience, it can result in distress and frustration for anybody.

A bad customer service experience results when a customer is dissatisf ied with the company he’s seeking assistance from. Bad customer experiences have adverse effects on business, such as reduced satisfaction, decreased customer loyalty, increased frustration, and higher customer churn.

Bad Customer Service Experience Examples

You probably experience bad customer service all the time – so many companies just don’t get it right. Here are some examples of a bad customer experience:

In case of a query that requires a customer service executive to make an in-house call and he doesn’t reach on time. This causes frustration because the customer might have been waiting for the executive for a long time, or might have cancelled his plans just to get his product / service fixed.
When a customer requests for assistance over the phone, and he has to wait ridiculously long periods of time just to talk to an agent.
When the customer service agent asks for more information to verify your profile.
Having to explain the same information to multiple customer service agents
A customer orders a product from an online ecommerce store, has a problem with it, and finds out he has to mail the product back himself.
The company takes too long to fix the problem.
Unreasonable payments and unexplained surcharges
Misinformation, or the agent provides wrong or inaccurate information
When the customer has to do more work in order to solve his problem.
When the agent follows a scripted response to provide customer service

The Worst Experience: The Worst Customer Service Experience

This is the ugliest part of customer service. Sometimes, customers go through quite an ordeal when dealing with customer service. We see it all the time on some social media posts which go viral. The worst customer service experience is when a customer is completely dissatisfied with the level of customer service a company has to offer.

Worst Customer Service Experience Examples

It doesn’t take rocket science to know when you’ve had the worst customer experience. Here are some of the worst examples of customer experience:

When the customer service representative has no idea what you’re talking about.
When the customer service representative does not speak the same language as you.
When the customer service representative starts using foul or abusive language.

Man with No Name: How to Apologize to a Customer for a Negative Customer Service Experience

The movie The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is about ‘Blondie’, or commonly known as the ‘Man with No Name’. In our contact center perspective, the Man with No Name is the agent who tries to apologize to the customer for a negative customer service experience.

We’ve all been there and experienced it at least once – you buy a product or service, something doesn’t go the way you had thought, and you end up waiting for an available customer service agent to talk to about your issue. You don’t care about his customer service experience skills – you just want someone at the company to talk to you about your specific problem. After 5 or 10 minutes, you get tired of waiting and cut the phone. You vow to hammer the next available agent with your frustration.

Mind you, these customer experience statistics might surprise you.

75% of online customers expect help within 5 minutes, according to Mckinsey . Moreover, according to Forrester , 45% of US consumers will abandon an online transaction if their questions or concerns are not addressed quickly.

But wait – soon you find out that your problem has been fixed and the agent on the other end seemed extra polite when dealing with you. So, you decide to might as well leave out the negativity till next time. Sometimes, the best way to deal with an angry customer about a poor customer service experience is simply apologizing to the customer.

Here’s how to apologize to a customer for a negative customer experience:

Understand : Thoroughly understand what they are trying to say and empathize with their problem.
Apologize : Saying sorry and apologizing is the best way to gain back a customer’s trust.
Explain : Explain why they had to face the problem and what really went wrong.
Fix : Fix their problem.
Offer a Reward / Compensation : You’ve delivered a bad customer service experience, now offer a reward to compensate for your mistake. This will make the customer feel special and willing to do business with you again.
End on a Positive Note : You don’t want your customer to feel dissatisfied in any way. Try to end on a positive note by asking what else you can do to help them, and end the conversation like a pro.
Implement their Feedback : Try to ensure they won’t face the same problem again.

The Ultimate Experience: Ultimate Customer Service Experience

There is a considerable amount of difference between the best and worst customer service experiences. Ultimate customer experiences are surprisingly hard to find, and very few of us actually get to experience it. An ultimate customer service experience is when a company goes beyond what is expected of them to deliver excellent customer service, and then more. In short, they are able to WOW the customer with their service.

Ultimate Customer Service Experience Examples

When you experience something special, you can feel it in an instant. Here are some examples of the ultimate customer experience:

When the company pleasantly surprises their customers in a positive manner
When the company presents a unique level of customer service experience that no one else in the market is doing.
When the company solves your problem in a timely manner and compensates the customer something in return
When you’re having a chat with a customer service chatbot , but you can’t tell whether it’s a chatbot or a real human

While you’re here, check out Ameyo’s customer service solutions to transform your customer service into the ultimate experience your customers will remember you for.

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best and worst customer service experience essay

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Describe your most recent customer service experience – 7 sample answers (briefly + in detail)

Applying for your first job in retail , you can hardly answer the typical customer service interview questions. It makes no sense to ask you about a time when you went above and beyond for the customer, or when you had to deal with an upset client. Hiring managers know that you simply do not have such an experience yet. Having said that, there are no newbies to customer service . Everyone of us shops somewhere, eats somewhere, and, if we have any money left, we go to cinema, or sports center, or any other place to satisfy our desire for entertainment. In all these places we gain customer service experience –from the other side of the table. Hiring managers wonder how we perceive it, and if we can tell a good service from a bad one .

Hence they will ask you to describe your latest experience with (good, bad) customer service, and to do it either briefly or in detail . Your goal is to convince them that you know what good customer service means, understand the importance of it (they made you feel good at some place, and hence you will return another time and spend more money there), and want to deliver such in your new job . Let’s have a look at 7 sample answers to this interesting question. My list includes both shorter and longer answers, and I hope you will find at least one of them fitting for your interview, job application, or essay. Enjoy!

7 sample answers to “Describe your most recent customer service experience” interview question

Yesterday I dined in a restaurant with my boyfriend . It was out first visit to the place. What caught my eye immediately was that as soon as we sat down, someone approached us and brought us the menu. We didn’t have to wait for more than ten second. The waitress had a nice and welcoming smile , and was courteous and friendly. She came back less than three minutes later, and took our orders. You could really feel that she cared , and it made us feel welcome in the place. The food wasn’t the best–I would call it average to give it some justice. But the customer service was so good that I would seriously consider returning to the place, and give them another chance to cook better. This experience (and similar experiences) make me realize the huge importance of great customer service, and I hope to deliver such in my job.
The last one is a bad one . I left my car in a car repair shop. The mechanic said he’d call me , and the car would be ready by Wednesday. But he called neither on Tuesday nor Wednesday, and when I tried to call them they did not reply my call . As you can imagine, this made me really nervous. It is a good mechanic, they know how to repair anything, and they do it for a good price, but they lack customer service skills. I can imagine that they are probably busy and do not want to waste time with calling. At the same time though, a short one minute call would not put a dent to their daily schedule and it would change so much for me. Even if they said the car would not be ready by Wednesday. At least I would know what was going on… Sure enough I hope to deliver a better service to my customers in my job.
Speaking honestly, the last one I got here , in your place–though I am not the customer in a typical sense of the word. Yet as soon as I entered and said I was here for an interview, people treated me really nicely . They could probably sense that I was nervous–because I care about the result of this meeting. Hence they talked to me, offered me a chair and glass of water, wished me good luck. They went out of their way to make me feel good here, and to help me loosen up a bit. This means a lot to me, and I can sense customer service isn’t just an empty phrase here . It motivates me even more to succeed in this interview and get a job with you.
I had a problem with my router, and internet wasn’t working. Called the company, and they had me waiting on the line for twenty minutes , before finally one of the operators answered the call. Yet as soon as they understood my problem, they said it is one for a technician, and I had to wait for fifteen minutes on the line again . Finally I got to talk to the technician and he fixed my problem within minutes. Was this a good, or bad customer service? In my opinion, the company should hire more operators and technicians , so customers do not have to wait for so long on the line. Everyone is busy nowadays, and we cannot just waste 40 minutes hanging on the phone, waiting for someone to finally respond.
Just this morning, in a small cafeteria where I stopped for breakfast on my way here. From the first moment you could fell the barista hated their job . They played with their smartphone, and if I did not address them, they would not notice me in the shop at all. Then it took them a really long time to make a coffee, and even in a taste of it you could feel their bitterness . It was a bad customer service experience, and no doubt I won’t be stopping in the same place next time. I wished all people had jobs that they enjoy doing, though I also know it isn’t as easy as that in life.
Hairdresser two days ago is perhaps my latest experience. I had an idea of a style I wanted, of the haircut and color I desired. And I spent a considerable amount of time planning this. Yet when I shared my idea with the hairdresser, she said that the haircut isn’t really fitting for my hair type, and would not go well with my eyes and forehead. She calmly explained me why and suggested a different haircut, more fitting for my face and hair. I agreed and you can see the result is really good! I honestly feel she went above and beyond for me. If she didn’t care, she would just do what I initially asked her to do. No doubt I will recommend this hairdresser to other people, and will myself visit her again.
Went to the dentist just yesterday. I had an appointment on a certain time, and I came ten minutes earlier. Immediately I realized there were quite many people in the waiting room. Eventually it took ninety minutes until I finally got in. Neither the dentist nor their assistant said a single word of apology . Sure, I understand it isn’t always possible to predict how long each treatment will take. What’s more, a really painful case may arrive and get priority. I do not mind waiting, but I honestly think a word of apology, or some explanation, is necessary in this case. Everyone has some obligations, and while I could afford wasting two extra hours at a dentist, some people may not have such a luxury. But it is what it is, and I cherish even such customer service experiences , since they teach me how to do things better, in my own work, when dealing with my own customers.

Your attitude matters for the hiring managers, not the particular situation you narrate

Some people think their customer service experience is too basic, or uninteresting , to narrate in the interviews. Mark my words: they are asking about the latest experience, and you should narrate such. The key is to simply show that you have some eye for detail , and understand all the nuances of a good (or bad) customers service : how long it takes to get their attention, their non-verbal communication, whether they provide what they promise, how they treat you when you arrive, stay, and leave, etc. You should find enough examples on the list of sample answers above.

Describe briefly, or describe in detail

In some cases (especially on job applications ), they ask you for a “ brief ” description of your latest customer service experience. But what does brief really mean? For some people 20 words is already long, and some may consider 200 words still brief… Hence I would not bother with that much. As long as their is space on the application, and you have lines where you can write, feel free to elaborate on the experience, using the entire space allocated for this particular answer.

On the flip side, typically in job interviews , they may ask you to describe your experience with customer service in detail . In this case you can really describe all the nuances of the experience: overall vibe of the place, if employees took notice of you, waiting times, non-verbal communication, any problems or minuses you noticed, and so on. Hiring managers may elaborate on such a description with extra questions , and it can lead to an interesting discussion, at the end of which they may offer you the job. ..

Ready to answer this one? I hope so! Do not forget to check also sample answers to other tricky interview questions:

Tell us about a time when you went above and beyond .
What does an outstanding customer service mean to you?
Describe a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer .
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Good vs Great Customer Service Experience—What's the Difference?

Customer experience is a top priority for consumers. So much so that 86% of customers will pay more for a great experience. And if they are not satisfied, not buying from you is the least they can do .

In a world where most of us are glued to our smartphones, reports of bad customer experiences spread online very quickly. It's vital that you design your customer service experience in a way that makes your customers feel that you do care about them.

Today, we’ll show you how to turn a good customer service experience you might already deliver into a great customer service experience your customers will fall in love with.

In the meantime, you can start discovering what matters most to your customers with a Voice of Customer survey :

What is customer service experience?

Customer service experience is the sum of all the interactions a customer has with a company, both in direct communication and through other actions. These experiences can include checking out after making a purchase, talking to a sales representative, or trying to return a product.

Why is customer service experience important?

First of all, customer experience affects your customers’ loyalty to your brand and how they talk about you to other people, both online and offline. Retaining customers is the only natural way to grow businesses, and research says so, too. In fact, acquiring a new customer costs 5 times more than retaining an existing one .

If you deliver at least decent customer service experience, it pays off in more referrals, more satisfied customers, more sustainable growth, and more feedback you can use to develop your product or services further.

And a lack of customer service experience measures can, in turn, lead to disappointment on all sides.

collect and analyze feedback in one place banner

The difference between good and great customer service experience

The little things that you do to make your customer feel valued can make a huge difference in how they perceive your brand.

Let's suppose your customer is experiencing a problem and they’re speaking directly with your team.

Good customer service experience means you’ll hear their problems and assess how to tackle them. You look at what to do. Your customer service agents may not find a solution instantly, but in the end, the problem is remedied.

Great customer service experience , however, means that you’ll listen to their problems and look for solutions straight away. You quickly see what can be done, and how. If applicable, you compensate your client and turn a negative situation into a positive brand experience.

One of the many ways you can collect feedback on your customers' needs is by using surveys :

To offer great customer service experience, you need to have a solid customer experience strategy in place and clear processes for your team to follow. That way, every customer gets the same quality of customer service.

Every step of the customer experience with you, from discovery to post-purchase support, should be designed with your customers in mind .

Think about Amazon. It’s become a powerhouse thanks to the fantastic customer experience it provides. Whether you’re just browsing, going through the checkout process, or returning an item: it just works.

Delivering great customer service experience doesn’t always have to be about going the extra mile. Very often, it’s just doing the right things in the right way.

Great customer service experience: an example

Here's an example of a small business giving the best customer experience:

"I bought my car used from a dealership, and after seeing the advert online, I called to check if it was still available. It was. So the next day I went to have a look at it.

The moment I arrived, I looked at the car and then went inside to talk to the salesman, who was also the owner. He immediately got up, got the car out of the bay, handed me the keys, and let me have my time with the vehicle .

He didn't hover or try and tell me what to do. He just let me take the car out.

When I got back, I said I liked it. I asked if there was any movement on the price, and we quickly made a deal . I put down my deposit, and the next day I returned to pay in full and collected the car.

Doing the paperwork at his desk was stress-free: We were sitting in an open space with big windows. His wife was working at another desk, and their cocker spaniel was weaving around my feet. When everything was signed and paid for, we shook hands. I took my car home, enjoying the awareness of having a year-long warranty included in the deal."

What makes this customer service experience great?

"Buying a car is stressful. If the seller had hovered around bombarding me with questions while I was trying to figure things out, it would have turned me off. At no point did I feel pressured or like a nuisance.

While I was waiting for the paperwork to be done, a customer came in. The woman wanted to have her car worked on in the shop. She seemed to be deliberately difficult. I sat there admiring how he and his wife dealt with that awkward customer with considerable aplomb."

How you can ensure a great customer service process

What steps can you take to ensure that you provide an excellent experience?

Do you remember the last time you had to call customer service to get a question answered about a product or service? Can you recall the experience?

You went to the website, found a contact number, and you embarked on a long wait that lasted way too long, making you anxious about the bill you'd pay. Finally, when you managed to get through, you didn't get help.

Maybe the person was rude, perhaps just incompetent, and, since the call was recorded, they passed you on to somebody else.

Or, maybe they transferred your call, and then the connection broke. Or you hit a communication barrier, unable to break through the jargon they used.

There are countless things that can go wrong with customer service today. How can you provide customer service experience that excels?

1. Use a customer feedback management system

With solid customer feedback management software, you can provide the best customer experience at every touchpoint along a customer journey.

Customer feedback software allows you to:

easily create and send surveys,
gain insights into how customers experience using your product or service,
have an overview of all the feedback you receive in one platform,
detect the most pressing problems your customers have that may lead to customer churn ,
integrate with other solutions to make the most of your data.

Any company should understand the importance of customer service. Still, if you want to excel at providing top customer experiences, track customer experience metrics such as the Net Promoter Score (NPS):

and the Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT).

The first one measures your customers' readiness to promote you. The latter tells you how satisfied your customers are with various aspects of your product or service.

Good customer feedback management software, such as Survicate, integrates with major marketing platforms, including Intercom and Hubspot .

This way, you can analyze the feedback you proactively gain with surveys and expand it even further. Moreover, you can compare it with the feedback your customers voluntarily give in your communication channels. The result is an accurate picture of your customer experience .

2. Offer multiple customer service channels

Providing your customers with avenues such as a website, blog content , phone number, text message, email, and social media channels allows them to reach you the way that works for them.

It’s often said that millennials hate picking up the phone to make a call. Creating different opportunities to connect with reps avoids lousy customer service experiences that ruin your reputation.

3. Be proactive in your customer service

Being reactive is not ideal for customer service.

Be proactive instead. If you're only talking to your customers when there's a problem, then you're doing something wrong.

Reach out to your customers and give them an opportunity to give feedback about their experience. This allows you to mitigate any issues before they escalate.

Here is a Customer Effort Score survey template you could send out to your customers to gather their feedback:

This type of survey helps you test how difficult it is for customers to perform a certain activity with your product or service. You can use the survey template above for free—just sign up for a Survicate freemium plan and you’ll find it in the template library.

4. Provide consistency in your customer service

Regardless of what avenue you're using, customer service should be customer-centric and consistent. Adjust the communication channel to the preferences of your target group. Make all the communication—be it on the phone, via email, or text—consistent.

And remember: great customer experience starts with great employee experience.

If something doesn't feel right, you need to identify the challenges and bottlenecks within your department. For this purpose, you can also use surveys. With Survicate, you can measure employee satisfaction with easy-to-use templates.

5. Manage customer expectations

A lot of customer dissatisfaction stems from misinformation or incorrect expectations. That is why it is essential to go the extra mile to make sure your messaging is logically designed against customer/user journey maps.

To manage customer expectations, you must commit to educating your business about what your customers need and how they perceive your product or services.

Here are some survey templates you can send out regularly to collect customer feedback :

Net Promoter Score will reveal how likely your customers are to recommend you to someone they know.
Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) will put a number on the customer satisfaction level. Make sure you run the survey at touchpoints crucial to your business.
Customer Effort Score will show you which types of processes your customers are struggling with and how.

There are countless types of surveys you can use to collect customer feedback. To get inspired, check out a list of survey templates most popular with Survicate's customers. There are over 125 templates that you can use for free and customize to suit your needs.

Common signs of poor customer service

Here are some fairly common causes of poor customer service. If any of the items on this list apply to your business, you need to reevaluate the way you provide customer support.

1. Providing only one specific channel for customer service

If you provide only a phone number or only an online contact form, you’re not doing everything you can to help customers reach out to you. Not every customer loves to sit hours on the phone with a customer service representative, and not everyone will take the time to write to you using a form.

A good rule of thumb is supporting customers on the same platform they used to contact you. So, you shouldn’t redirect your clients to a phone call if they sent their request via email, and vice versa.

Livechat apps and chatbots are a growing market for a very good reason: customers feel less intimidated by using a chat than by filling in a contact form. Chatbots are also proactive, which takes the weight of starting the conversation off your customers' shoulders.

If you want to find out if your helpdesk is doing a good job, this survey template will be particularly useful:

2. Displaying poor communication skills and little empathy

There are few things worse than being frustrated with a bad customer service representative. Someone rude either doesn't listen to your issue or can't relate to the problem you are experiencing. That’s if you manage to reach them…

In business, you need to put yourself in your customers’ shoes and react immediately if something doesn’t work.

Keep a close eye on individual agent performance to spot underperforming reps in time. If someone in your team is not great at showing empathy, you can offer them additional training.

You can use this survey template to learn directly from your clients how your customer service is performing:

3. Fear of ownership

Everyone makes mistakes. When someone at your company does something wrong, you need to own up. Make sure that your customer service staff know when to admit they, or the company, put a foot wrong. Train them to be polite when apologizing.

According to research by American Express, 33% of customers say they’d consider switching companies after just a single instance of poor service. However, most of them are willing to stay if the company shows genuine remorse.

Even if you're unsure whether it should be you saying this, a simple "we apologize" can go a long way.

4. Not educating customers

Customer service fails when customers don't understand the company's process. Whether they're returning a product or looking to get assistance with some other issue, educating them step by step is crucial.

It’s not about putting a few FAQs or contact details here and there. It’s actually about creating and publishing helpful resources for your clients so they can find their answers more quickly. For example, you can use an open-ended website survey asking “why are you leaving our site?” inside your help desk resources.

Create an amazing customer service experience today

Customers expect support to be tailored to their needs, work seamlessly, and to take place immediately. Alongside all those expectations, they also value the human touch.

Your business simply cannot afford to deliver a mediocre customer service experience. To stand out from the crowd, you need to sweep your customers off their feet.

And it does not have to be complicated or expensive. In fact, all the best things in life are free, including Survicate.

With Survicate, you can use over 300 survey templates and start collecting customer feedback where it matters. If you’re ready to gather amazing client insights, sign up today for a 10-day free trial and check out all Business plan features free of charge.

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Customer Service Experience, Essay Example

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You are free to use it as an inspiration or a source for your own work.

About two years ago, I and some of my friends made a trip to New York City (NYC). One of my friends Ada was a Nigerian girl with an upper class background whose father was a senior executive in a major Nigerian oil company. NYC is one of the fashion capitals of the world and it is not unusual for female tourists to shop at retail outlets operated by one of the leading fashion brands. My friend had been wanting a Louis Vuitton bag designed by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami for a long time, thus, we paid visit to the Louis Vuitton store in Manhattan.

All of us friends were dressed casually including my friend Ada and as we entered the shop, the store associates noticed our presence but didn’t pay attention to us. After a while, a European couple entered the shop and drew immediate attention from the store associates. The European couple was dressed up in designer clothing and looked rich. The store associates gave undivided attention to the couple for about half an hour which resulted in a sale of about $1,200. Ada felt she was being judged on the basis of both her skin color as well as her appearance even though the item she planned to purchase cost about $3,500. Even after the European couple left and despite the fact that we had come before the couple, store associates still didn’t come to us to inquire as to what we were looking for. It’s as if they had assumed given our appearance that we didn’t have the purchasing power to afford Louis Vuitton goods. Ada was so disappointed by the treatment she left the store without making any purchase and instead bought a bag from Gucci for about $3,000.

There were many factors that led to bad customer service from the Louis Vuitton store associates. The first factor was probably personal stereotypes of the store associates who may have assumed Ada comes from middle or low-income background, given her race and appearance. The second factor was age since we were all around 20 years of age and the store associates might have assumed we are merely passing time looking around.

The company could have ensured better customer service for everyone by providing diversity training to store associates. NYC is a major tourist spot and people come here from all over the world, thus, appearances can be deceptive. In addition, the store associates could also be provided rules common in other industries such as attending to every customer within a particular period of time and treating everyone with respect.

Service marketing is important because competition has grown intense and service marketing could be used to gain competitive advantage over the competition through differentiation. In addition, income levels have been rising and so have been customer expectations. Customers now do not only care about product but overall product experience.

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Customer Service — Excellence in Customer Service

Excellence in Customer Service

Categories: Customer Service

About this sample

Words: 1287 |

Published: Dec 12, 2018

Words: 1287 | Pages: 3 | 7 min read

Customer relationship marketing, service communications, demand and capacity management, performance measurement.

An ideal performance management system is one that energizes the people in an organization to focus effort on
Improving things that really matter
One that gives people the information and freedom that they need to realize
Their potential within their own roles and that aligns their contribution with the success of the enterprise.

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Good vs. Bad Customer Service: What's the Difference?

Updated: January 29, 2020

Published: September 09, 2019

Going on vacation is one of my favorite ways to spend money. And believe me, I like to spend money.

Everyone's idea of a perfect vacation is different, but for me, it's about luxury. If I'm spending my money on a break, I want to experience high-quality customer service. Everything should run as smoothly and effortlessly as possible, so I can spend my time relaxing, instead of sorting out problems.

It's for this reason that I am rather scrupulous when it comes to choosing a hotel. The hotel's customer service has become the primary factor that influences my stay. Even the highest-rated hotels can miss their mark if they don't deliver excellent customer service.

In this post, let's define what great customer service is using two, five-star hotels as our example. We'll compare one with above-and-beyond customer service against another hotel that fails to meet the same standard. Then, we'll explain how you can learn from these examples and apply them to your own business.

Examples of Good vs. Bad Customer Service

Before diving into my experiences at each hotel, let's identify each one as Hotel A and Hotel B. Hotel A had great service, while Hotel B did not.

Example of Good Customer Service

At Hotel A, breakfast would be served in five courses. Despite being delicious food, one morning I didn't want anything on the menu. Dimitri -- we knew the staff by name -- responded immediately with, "No problem! What would you like instead? The kitchen can prepare anything."

There wasn't any hesitation in offering me a solution to my problem. Within a few minutes, my avocado toast with a poached egg was delivered. Suffice to say, I was a very happy guest.

Every day, we would find our loungers by the pool and as soon as we laid down, one of the waiters would deliver us our favorite drinks. There was no need for us to explicitly order them as the staff got to know our routine and we were glad to accept the drinks. We would spend time having conversations with the staff, getting to know one another and genuinely enjoying their company.

Hotel A was beautiful, but what truly sets it apart was the standard of service it delivers. It was simply faultless. Now let's compare that to Hotel B.

Example of Bad Customer Service

Hotel B was wonderful, the food was excellent, the rooms were supremely comfortable and the hotel itself is beautifully designed. We enjoyed our stay and the facilities were great. So, what was different?

For starters, we ordered coffees at our sun loungers. It was windier than usual and as the wind picked up, it took with it my husband's full-to-the-brim coffee. It went all over his towel and lounger.

We signaled for assistance and a waitress hurried over. When we explained the situation, her immediate response was, "Are you willing to pay for this coffee?"

You could see the panic on the waitress's face as it was clear that she was completely unsure of how to handle the situation. When we -- rather awkwardly -- replied by saying that we hoped to get a replacement coffee, ideally free of charge, it took three staff members to assess the situation before the manager was called over. Immediately, he ordered us a replacement coffee.

My husband and I chatted about our experiences at each hotel. We both agreed that the situation at Hotel B was handled poorly, despite its ultimately good outcome. How could such a wonderful hotel have such arduous processes in place for rectifying minor mistakes? It wasn't long into our chat when we both realized the key difference was between the two companies.

The Difference Between Good vs. Bad Customer Service

The staff at Hotel A, regardless of seniority, were encouraged to think on their feet and apply common sense to resolve situations. It wasn't that nothing ever went wrong at Hotel A, but rather staff members were able to solve problems by themselves. In short, they were given the autonomy to do their jobs to the highest standard. This seems to be a theme with most businesses that are known for their good customer service .

Conversely, at Hotel B, it became clear that management were the only people applying common sense to situations and making decisions. Because of this, if anything went wrong none of the junior staff members were able to do anything. This created unnecessary drama and angst.

Why Bad Customer Service Occurs

In hindsight, it's easy to criticize Hotel B for their customer service protocol. In fact, you may be wondering why an organization would resort to such an inefficient approach. However, there are a few factors that could have led to this system and they could easily affect your business as well.

Junior members don't have as much responsibility or expertise as management or aren't paid enough to make decisions.
In the past, junior members were allowed to make decisions and made poor choices.
Not everyone has common sense, so it's easier to standardize the processes and elect management to make decisions.

The first two reasons can be corrected with proper hiring and training. Staffing your teams with trustworthy employees is critical to customer service. If you can't trust reps to make their own decisions, they'll end up encountering bottlenecks and data silos when trying to resolve basic customer service issues.

The last reason on this list is a problem that growing organizations often face. As they hire more employees, they need to ensure a consistent experience for their customers. However, as you standardize your company's processes, you may lose personalization elements that made your brand successful.

In the next section, let's talk about how you can maintain that high-quality level of customer service as you grow your customer base .

How to Maintain Good Customer Service

While customer expectations remain the same for growing businesses, the focus of customer service shifts as companies increase in size .

1. Balance personalization with efficiency.

With smaller companies, customers expect personalized customer service. There are fewer people to remember, from both the perspective of the employee and the customer, so forming strong relationships is easier.

With growing companies, customers understand that service may be less personalized, but is more efficient because the company has more resources. This means that customer service problems should be resolved quickly and at little expense to the customer. For example, this is why we expect refunds to be processed faster by larger companies.

2. Value every customer's experience.

In the case of #CoffeeGate, the result was positive; we got our replacement coffee free of charge, which we were happy about. However, the overall experience didn't match up to our expectations. It was about the way the service was delivered that left us with a sour taste.

We felt that the company's motivation boiled down to money. How much would it cost to replace the coffee? Were we willing to pay for the original one? How were they going to sort out the bill?

It felt cold because we were no longer valued customers. Instead, we were just some arbitrary guests costing the business money. It's situations like these where customer service teams need to assess the situation and provide an appropriate response. While large organizations have protocol for a reason, these rules shouldn't contribute to a negative customer experience, especially when it's over a trivial matter.

3. Hire motivated staff.

At Hotel A, you got the feeling that the staff enjoyed their work. It felt like they were always happy to help when needed. In return, customers enjoyed spending time with them because the environment felt relaxed and happy. Because the staff liked their jobs, they contributed to a positive customer experience. And, the result?

We spent more money and we would go back and do it over and over again.

4. Use customer service to complement sales.

Great businesses recognize that customer service isn't cost-centered. Instead, going the extra mile to provide great customer service creates its own sales opportunities. For example, customers who experience excellent service are more likely to purchase again and spend 17% more with your company. Not only do customers remember positive experiences, but service reps also have the opportunity to upsell and cross-sell .

Excellent customer service isn't about procedure and protocol, it's about how you make your customers feel. Get that right, and they'll be loyal to your brand for a long time. And if in doubt, here's a good rule of thumb: if the wind blows your customer's coffee over, get them a new one.

If you're looking to avoid a service catastrophe like this one, read how you can improve customer experience .

Don't forget to share this post!

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Essay on Customer Service

Students are often asked to write an essay on Customer Service in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Customer Service

Introduction.

Customer service is a crucial part of every business. It involves helping customers before, during, and after they buy a product. Good customer service can make people feel valued and happy.

Importance of Customer Service

Customer service is important because it can make or break a business. If customers are happy, they will come back and also tell others about their positive experience. This can lead to more customers and increased profits.

Ways to Provide Good Customer Service

To provide good customer service, businesses should listen to their customers, solve their problems quickly, and treat them with respect. Training staff in these areas can greatly improve customer service.

In conclusion, customer service is very important for a business. It can attract more customers, increase profits, and improve the business’s reputation.

250 Words Essay on Customer Service

Introduction to customer service, the importance of customer service.

Superior customer service is the cornerstone of customer retention and loyalty. It fosters trust, ensuring customers feel valued and heard. It is not just about resolving issues but also about understanding customer needs and expectations.

Elements of Effective Customer Service

Effective customer service consists of several elements. Firstly, communication skills are paramount. Representatives should be able to articulate solutions clearly and empathetically. Secondly, problem-solving skills are crucial. The ability to analyze situations and provide swift resolutions is key. Lastly, patience and understanding are vital. Customers may be frustrated, so maintaining a calm demeanor is essential.

Customer Service in the Digital Age

The digital age has transformed customer service. Customers now expect round-the-clock assistance through various channels, such as social media, email, and live chat. Companies must adapt to these expectations to stay competitive.

In conclusion, customer service is a vital component of a successful business. It requires a blend of communication skills, problem-solving abilities, patience, and understanding. In the digital era, it also necessitates a multi-channel approach to meet customer expectations.

500 Words Essay on Customer Service

Customer service is a vital aspect of any business operation that directly interacts with the customers. It involves providing assistance, advice, and support to the customers before, during, and after purchasing goods or services. This concept is integral to the success of a business as it significantly influences customer satisfaction and loyalty.

The Importance of Excellent Customer Service

Furthermore, in the digital age, customer service has evolved to include online interactions. This shift has increased the importance of customer service, as online reviews and social media can significantly impact a business’s reputation.

Components of Effective Customer Service

Effective customer service comprises various components, each contributing to the overall customer experience. Firstly, communication is key. This includes not only verbal and written communication but also non-verbal cues such as body language and tone of voice. Employees must be trained to communicate clearly, empathetically, and professionally.

Lastly, a deep understanding of the product or service being offered is essential. This knowledge allows representatives to accurately answer customer queries and provide useful advice.

Challenges in Delivering High-Quality Customer Service

Despite its importance, delivering high-quality customer service can be challenging. One of the main challenges is managing customer expectations. Customers often have high expectations, and failing to meet these can lead to dissatisfaction.

Moreover, the rise of digital platforms has brought its own set of challenges. Businesses must now manage customer interactions across various channels, including email, social media, and live chat.

Conclusion: The Future of Customer Service

As businesses continue to navigate the digital landscape, the importance of customer service will only increase. Advances in technology, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, are set to revolutionize customer service, offering new ways to interact with customers and solve their problems. However, the human element of customer service will remain crucial. Businesses that can combine technological innovations with a genuine commitment to customer satisfaction will be best positioned for success.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Happy studying!

Essay on Customer Experience

The term “servicescape” refers to the geographical setting where services are exchanged. Before the consumer sets foot inside the establishment or engages in conversation with a staff member, it affects how they think about the location (Taylor, 2020). When it comes to achieving business success, the servicescape of a company is a crucial factor to consider. Two of the most significant roles are brand image and differentiation, facilitating social interactions, and being a social hub. As a general rule, facilitation refers to the process of making the purchasing and service delivery procedures as straightforward and practical as is possible, whereas socializing refers to the process of making interactions between customers and employees, as well as interactions between customers themselves, as simple and uncomplicated as is possible (Taylor, 2020). The first impression that clients receive of the service environment, also known as the brand image, differentiates the business from the competition and positions the company in a better position.

Individuals in the environment might perform better if they used the service-scape as a facilitator. It is vital to have a properly planned facility and fully functional facility to make the experience of using the service pleasurable for customers. On the other side, a poorly designed product may aggravate customers (Roy, Singh, Hope, Nguyen & Harrigan 2019). The servicescape layout will clarify where they are permitted and prohibited to go inside the facility. In business, it is essential to give careful consideration to the servicescape design since doing so stimulates contact between customers and employees, resulting in a better experience all around for everyone involved. When retail stores are too crowded, the mood of the shopping center as a whole might be negatively affected. Customers could benefit from crowding in some circumstances, such as during live concerts or athletic events, when it improves the overall experience of those in attendance (Roy, Singh, Hope, Nguyen & Harrigan 2019). The term “environment” refers to spreading pleasure via social contagion. People tend to congregate in places like cafés, pubs, and nightclubs because they like interacting with one another in these settings. Managers of a company need to be aware of how the appropriate level of social density shifts from one service interaction to the next. This affects the degree to which customers are satisfied with the service they received and their desire to use it again. Before developing a location that fosters more significant in-person interaction, a firm must first decide whether or not a social experience is essential to its clients (Roy, Singh, Hope, Nguyen & Harrigan 2019). This is a key step in the design process. Customers of other businesses, such as banks, doctors, and lawyers, may try to steer clear of one another whenever it is practical.

Using servicescape helps define a brand’s place in the market and set it apart from other companies in the same industry. One of the industries in which servicescape plays a big part in differentiating organizations from one another is the banking industry. Trust serves as the cornerstone upon which banking brands and enterprises are built (Jeon, Kim, Han, Huang & Kim 2021). The present and future customers of a banking brand may have an easier time placing their trust in the goods and services of the brand if the servicescapes seem more professional. A prospective customer will not doubt that banking with this brand is carried out in a manner that is both trustworthy and conducted professionally.

Like any other marketing effort, a successful servicescape seeks to shape how the general public perceives the organization it represents—because of this, selling the brand in the market is made simpler, especially to those consumers who believe it to be a good one (Jeon, Kim, Han, Huang & Kim 2021). The environment in which brands are served may influence purchasers’ perceptions of those brands even before the products themselves have been shown to them. It is essential to have a well-designed physical facility to differentiate oneself from the competition and communicate to potential customers who the intended audience is for a certain service. For instance, if the physical surroundings of a business were to be altered, the company’s position in the market may shift, and the business might gain new clients (Jeon, Kim, Han, Huang & Kim 2021). Customers who fall into a certain demographic may be identified based on the store’s color scheme and the music played there. The layout of the physical environment of a service organization’s many locations may also serve to differentiate one from another. It is common to practice in the hospitality industry for hotels to provide many levels of dining choices, each of which has its distinctive layout (Jeon, Kim, Han, Huang & Kim 2021). It is vital to understand why and how the effects develop and how they may be controlled, even from a strategic point of view, to make practical judgments on the architecture of the servicescape. This is so that one may make informed decisions .

A company’s activities to keep consumers coming back and increase its profitability are called customer retention. A business needs to implement customer retention methods to maximize the value of the current client base. Retaining customers has several advantages, both monetary and intangible (Alkitbi, Alshurideh, Al Kurdi & Salloum 2020). This strategy may enhance the long-term profitability and brand image of the organization.

It is expensive, time-consuming, and energy-intensive to acquire new clients. It’s not uncommon for a lead that an organization has been cultivating for weeks or even months to decide to go with a competition. Having a high rate of customer churn (customers who do not return after their first purchase) forces a business to seek new clients (Alkitbi, Alshurideh, Al Kurdi & Salloum 2020). The firm may save money in the long run by focusing on customer retention instead of attracting new customers and reducing the amount of money the business spends on advertising and attracting new consumers.

A customer’s purchase doesn’t mean the transaction is done. Not following up with consumers after the sale is one of the most common blunders firms make. Not only can these follow-up activities help the business keep customers, but they may also raise the current sales value. It’s important to keep in touch with the customers after they’ve bought a service from the company, especially if they’ve already upgraded their membership (Gao, Li, Fan & Jia 2021). If a consumer buys the goods, ask if they’d want to round off their purchase with a related item.

Because they know their clients, successful firms are excellent at what they do. As a result, they have a deep understanding of their consumer demographics and the issues they encounter, the emotions they experience, the amount of change they want to accomplish, and their willingness to purchase. Businesses must have this degree of knowledge to retain customers (Gao, Li, Fan & Jia 2021). In addition, this information is useful for retaining customers. The product development and customer care departments may both benefit from this approach.

Retaining customers is one of the most important aspects of running a successful company. Loyalty is formed when a consumer comes back to the company for the same goods and services. Because of this, they begin to suggest the company to their family, friends, and acquaintances in turn. In addition, customers may post good online evaluations, which serve as word-of-mouth marketing on the internet (Gao, Li, Fan & Jia 2021). The business may further lower the client acquisition costs by focusing on customer retention. Because of the way the business handles others, it will attract new clients.

The opposite of client retention is customer churn. Poor product quality, customer service, and special offers from rivals contribute to consumer dissatisfaction. It’s bad for any company to lose a client for whatever reason. The business may limit the number of customers that discontinue doing business by focusing on client retention techniques. Due to this strategy, there will be fewer bad reviews, both in-person and online (Alkitbi, Alshurideh, Al Kurdi & Salloum 2020). No matter how successful your company is, it is imperative that the business focus on customer retention as a top priority. Many businesses use strategies to keep consumers happy, such as tailoring their interactions with them and providing them with ways to submit feedback.

There are currently no Limited Time Discounts & Offers available. A business has to provide deals and discounts that are only available for a short period if it wants to maintain its consumers (Christodoulopoulou, 2018). They contribute to the development of a sense of urgency in the workplace. The use of limited-time deals and promotions has the added advantage of regularly reducing the amount of stock you have on hand.

Lack of segmentation. Many companies do not make an effort to divide their customer base in the most effective manner possible. If they do not correctly segment their data, they will not be able to get to know each of their customers individually. The discounts and product recommendations they provide may not be appropriate for a homemaker and mother of three in her forties, instead of someone interested in fitness and is 18 years old (Christodoulopoulou, 2018). Send an offer of buy one gets one free merchandise to your regular customers. On the other hand, this could not be the case for some more well-off customers. A business needs to divide the customers into several groups to cater to each of them with tailored goods and services.

Unhappy and dissatisfied customers. It is typical practice for a customer who joins a firm to be taken for granted once they have done so. Because they aren’t provided the attention they need, customers are left with the impression that they aren’t valued. A business needs to demonstrate more respect and thanks to its customers if the business want to maintain them as customers (Almohaimmeed, 2019). This displays both your respect for them as a one-of-a-kind individual and your profound care for the happiness and health of the other person. As a result, customers will be thinking about it for a very long time.

Increasing the level of competition. The level of competition is consistently becoming tougher. If the business do nothing to differentiate itself from its competitors, it risk losing customers. It’s unfortunate, but the business could decide to do business with one of the competitors who operate differently. If a business wants to be successful, doing research on the market and developing innovative products is necessary (Almohaimmeed, 2019). Because of this, the business will be able to maintain its already established clientele while also drawing in brand new customers.

Taylor Jr, S. (2020). The socially distant servicescape: An investigation of consumer preference’s during the re-opening phase. International journal of hospitality management , 91 , 102692.

Roy, S. K., Singh, G., Hope, M., Nguyen, B., & Harrigan, P. (2019). The rise of smart consumers: role of smart servicescape and smart consumer experience co-creation. Journal of Marketing Management , 35 (15-16), 1480-1513.

Jeon, Y., Kim, D., Han, S., Huang, Y., & Kim, J. (2021). How Does Service Environment Enhance Consumer Loyalty in the Sport Fitness Industry? The Role of Servicescape, Cosumption Motivation, Emotional and Flow Experiences. Sustainability , 13 (11), 6414.

Alkitbi, S. S., Alshurideh, M., Al Kurdi, B., & Salloum, S. A. (2020, October). Factors affect customer retention: A systematic review. In International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Systems and Informatics (pp. 656-667). Springer, Cham.

Gao, W., Li, W., Fan, H., & Jia, X. (2021). How customer experience incongruence affects omnichannel customer retention: The moderating role of channel characteristics. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services , 60 , 102487.

Christodoulopoulou, A. (2018). An Empirical Investigation of Customer Retention: Addressing Unique Challenges in Customer-Firm Relationships.

Almohaimmeed, B. (2019). Pillars of customer retention: An empirical study on the influence of customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, customer profitability on customer retention. Serbian Journal of Management , 14 (2), 421-435.

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How to answer "What is your experience with customer service?" (with sample answers)

Why Employers Ask This

Employers ask about your experience with customer service because it is an essential skill in many job roles. Whether you are working in retail, food service, hospitality, or any other customer-facing industry, you need to be able to communicate effectively with customers. Companies want to hire individuals who can provide excellent customer service, resolve issues efficiently, and create a positive experience for customers.

In addition, employers want to gauge your experience with difficult customers. Customer service can be challenging, and customers can be demanding, angry, and even abusive sometimes. Therefore, employers want to assess your ability to handle pressure and manage customer's needs and expectations.

How to Answer the Question

When answering the question, "What is your experience with customer service?" in a job interview, keep the following tips in mind:

Highlight your relevant experience: Discuss any previous job roles where you have interacted with customers and provided excellent service. Provide examples of a time when you handled customer complaints and resolved issues to the customer's satisfaction.
Show your communication skills: Customer service requires excellent communication skills, both verbal and written. Talk about how you addressed customers' concerns and effectively communicated with them, even in challenging situations.
Discuss your ability to handle pressure: The interviewer may want to assess your ability to handle stress, particularly when dealing with difficult customers. Mention how you remained calm, empathetic, and professional in resolving the customer's concerns.
Emphasize your ability to work in a team: Customer service is often a team effort. Bring up any instances where you collaborated with colleagues or worked in a team to provide seamless customer service experience.

Remember to be honest and concise in your response. Provide specific examples to back up your claims, and avoid generalities. Your answer should demonstrate that you have the skills and experience needed to excel in a customer-focused role.

Sample answers:

"I've never worked in customer service before, but I'm really good with people. I think I could figure it out pretty quickly."

This answer is bad because it doesn't address the question directly. The interviewer wants to know if you have experience in customer service and how it relates to the job you're applying for. Saying that you've never worked in customer service isn't a good start, and then trying to pivot to a vague positive is unlikely to impress the interviewer.

"I've had some limited experience with customer service in my previous role, where I occasionally had to help field customer complaints. I found that I really enjoyed the opportunity to help solve problems and make customers happy."

This answer is okay, but it could be stronger. It does address the question by acknowledging some customer service experience, but it doesn't provide much detail about what the experience was or how it relates to the job being applied for.

"I've worked in customer service for the past two years in a call center, where I handled an average of 50 calls a day. I'm experienced in de-escalating tense situations, solving customer problems, and ensuring customer satisfaction. I understand that each customer is unique, with their own problems and concerns, and I always strive to listen and address their needs."

This answer is great because it directly and specifically addresses the question while also highlighting the applicant's experience and skills. By providing concrete details about the type of customer service work they've done, the applicant demonstrates their competency and experience in the field. This answer also shows the interviewer that the applicant has a customer-focused approach and has experience dealing with difficult situations.

"I have over five years of experience in customer service across various industries, including retail, hospitality, and healthcare. In my role as a customer service manager at XYZ company, I oversaw a team of 12 customer service representatives and implemented a new training program that resulted in a 25% increase in customer satisfaction ratings. I'm passionate about delivering exceptional customer service and I believe that my experience and skills would enable me to thrive in this role."

This answer is great because it not only directly answers the question, but it also goes above and beyond by offering specific examples of the applicant's experience managing customer service teams and implementing successful initiatives. By highlighting their passion for customer service, the applicant shows that they are not only skilled but also enthusiastic about the work. This answer would likely leave a positive impression on the interviewer.

10 Unforgettable Customer Service Stories

Why are we as consumers so captivated by stories of great customer service ? Perhaps it’s because they serve as a reminder that there are companies (and amazing support professionals) who still care about their customers.

Every company says their customers are their #1 priority, but stories show us that many businesses are ready, willing, and able to go the extra mile for each and every one of their customers.

As Benjamin Franklin would put it: “Well done is better than well said.”

We agree, and throughout the rest of this guide, we’ll take a close look at some memorable customer service stories in an effort to highlight those businesses who “walk the walk” when it comes to delivering the kind of service that wins a customer over for life.

Along the way, you’ll find insights for your own business to consider and some exceptional inspiration to pass on to your support team.

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1. Sainsbury’s takes advice from a three-year old

A rigid attitude might just be the antithesis of great customer service. Proving that they’re a company that knows how to have a little fun, this story from Sainsbury’s supermarket highlights how your support team should spot great opportunities to do things that are quirky and out of the ordinary.

Lily Robinson (who insists that she is three and a half years old) was quite confused by one of Sainsbury’s products called tiger bread. In her eyes, the bread didn’t resemble a tiger at all, and, in fact, looked very much like a giraffe.

It's hard to disagree with her!

With a little assistance from mom and dad, she wrote a letter to Sainsbury’s customer service department.

To her surprise, customer support manager Chris King told her that he couldn’t agree more. He explained the origins of the name:

“I think renaming tiger bread giraffe bread is a brilliant idea — it looks much more like the blotches on a giraffe than the stripes on a tiger, doesn’t it? It is called tiger bread because the first baker who made it a loooong time ago thought it looked stripey like a tiger. Maybe they were a bit silly.”

Lily’s mom enjoyed the letters and ended up posting them on her blog. Before long, this cute correspondence was a viral hit, and the pressure was on for Sainsbury’s to change the name of the product to the much more appropriate giraffe bread.

Knowing the customer was certainly right in this instance — and spotting an unusual opportunity to do something fun — Sainsbury’s changed the name of the bread and put signs around their stores that give a humorous nod to Lily’s original idea.

2. Gaylord Opryland wows a repeat customer

It doesn’t take a slew of consumer data to support the argument that your regular customers are your rock. As such, taking care of them is not just the right thing to do. It’s also good for business.

Consider the case of regular Gaylord Opryland hotel customer Christina McMenemy who stayed at the resort three years in a row for the annual BlissDom conference.

During each stay, McMenemy found herself entranced by one of the features in her hotel room: An alarm clock that played light music (as in, the kind that you’d experience in a high-end spa).

McMenemy loved the clock radio. She had never slept better than she did while using it.

For three years, McMenemy tried to find the exact model clock from her hotel room to no avail. She had nearly given up hope when she messaged the company’s Twitter page during her most recent trip to Opryland.

Resigned to her fate, she attended the conference and let the alarm clock hunt go.

But upon returning to her room she was surprised to find not one but two spa clocks and a letter with her name on it.

Opryland recognized an opportunity to make sure a long-time customer had one of the best experiences ever. And they didn’t just win a customer for life; they also bought plenty of goodwill with folks at the conference (and beyond) who subsequently heard about the story.

“You reaffirmed that there are still companies out there focused on great service, and you’ve made a lifelong fan out of me.”–Christina McMenemy

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3. Bungie creates a holiday miracle

The belief that you should do your best to “make things right” with customers in tough situations is a recurring theme among those companies with legendary customer service. That said, even the greats of the customer service world will have a hard time topping this next story.

In another outstanding example of taking care of customers, Bungie , one of the most beloved game developers in the industry, raised the bar for their willingness to take care of their fans.

The story begins with a distraught father whose son had to receive liver transplant surgery around the holidays.

Since being in the hospital left his son unable to play the newest release of his favorite video game franchise, Halo, his dad reached out to Bungie.

The response he received from the company went far beyond what anyone expected!

First, the entire Bungie team signed and sent a card with get-well wishes.

To make up for missing out on playing Halo, the team built him a custom helmet based off of the main character and sent it — along with shirts, toys, and custom art from the game’s designers.

His father later posted a thank you thread and a collection of images on Christmas day, which was when Bungie visited his son in the hospital and brought the gifts.

“He was absolutely shocked when he saw the custom helmet from Halo Reach! Bungie, you have played a huge part in making this smile! My family can’t thank you enough!”

4. Jim Shukys’ Auto sweats the small stuff

Many of the memorable stories that we’ve covered so far focus on a company’s stellar response to an usual situation, but what about those day-to-day service stories?

Superb service is not limited to out-of-the-ordinary circumstances. It can be incorporated into the very fabric of your business, showing up in even the most common of instances.

That’s why we love this next story shared by a customer in Streetsboro, Ohio.

The story was posted on Reddit under the appropriately titled topic of “I have never in my life seen this level of customer service” and included this genuine, thoughtful thank-you note.

But the best part of this tale is that despite the fact that this image was shared on the internet, random commenters starting pointing out that they knew exactly which business this was:

“I used to live in Streetsboro and I know exactly who that is. He’s a good man, stay with him!”

Now that’s the definition of memorable service! The praise continued with non-customers, too, with one commenter saying,

“It’s little things like this that earn business. If I got this card I would never use another mechanic in my life.”

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5. A Lego service rep saves the day

Losing a favorite toy feels devastating to a young child. Longtime Lego fan Luka Apps spent all of his Christmas money on a Ninjago (Lego ninja) named Jay XZ. Against his dad’s advisement, he brought his Ninjago on a shopping trip ... and lost it.

Luka wrote a letter to Lego explaining his loss and assuring the Lego staff that he would take extra-special care of his action figure if they sent him another one.

My name is Luka Apps and I am seven years old.

With all my money I got for Christmas I bought the Ninjago kit of the Ultrasonic Raider. The number is 9449. It is really good.

My Daddy just took me to Sainsbury’s and told me to leave the people at home but I took them and I lost Jay ZX at the shop as it fell out of my coat.

I am really upset I have lost him. Daddy said to send you a email to see if you will send me another one.

I promise I won’t take him to the shop again if you can.

The response he received from Lego customer support representative Richard was nothing short of amazing. Richard told Luke that he had talked to Sensei Wu (a Ninjago character), writing:

He told me to tell you, “Luka, your father seems like a very wise man. You must always protect your Ninjago minifigures like the dragons protect the Weapons of Spinjitzu!”

Sensei Wu also told me it was okay if I sent you a new Jay and told me it would be okay if I included something extra for you because anyone that saves their Christmas money to buy the Ultrasonic Raider must be a really big Ninjago fan.

So, I hope you enjoy your Jay minifigure with all his weapons. You will actually have the only Jay minifigure that combines 3 different Jays into one! I am also going to send you a bad guy for him to fight!

Just remember, what Sensei Wu said: keep your minifigures protected like the Weapons of Spinjitzu! And of course, always listen to your dad.

It’s so rare to see such a thoughtful, creative response to a distraught customer that this story went viral.

6. Trader Joe’s delivers (literally)

An elderly man, 89 years of age, was snowed in at his Pennsylvanian home around the holidays, and his daughter was worried that he wasn’t going to have access to enough food due to the impending storm and bad weather in the area.

After calling multiple stores in a desperate attempt to find anyone who would deliver to her father’s home, she finally got ahold of someone at Trader Joe’s who told her that they also do not deliver ... normally.

Given the extreme circumstance, they told her that they would gladly deliver directly to his home and even suggested additional delivery items that would fit perfectly with his special low-sodium diet.

After the daughter placed the order for the food, the employee on the phone told her that she didn’t need to worry about the price; the food would be delivered free of charge. The employee then wished her a Merry Christmas.

Less than 30 minutes later the food was at the man’s doorstep — for free!

In refusing to let red tape get in the way of a customer in need, Trader Joe’s shows that customer service doesn’t need to be about the fanfare; it can simply be about doing the right thing.

7. Morton’s Steakhouse is full of surprises

This is a fun one! It’s also a quirky reminder that many of the most fondly remembered service stories are the ones that come out of left field. This story certainly fits the bill, and it is bound to inspire you to take some extra time to surprise a valued customer every once in a while.

Peter Shankman knows a thing or two about customer service. As an author, consultant, and speaker on the topic, it’s safe to say his standards are high.

While at an airport, Shankman realized that if he didn’t grab a bite to eat he’d be stuck riding the plane back on an empty stomach. Not one for fast food, Shankman took a shot in the dark and jokingly tweeted to one of his favorite restaurants, Morton’s, asking them if they would deliver him a steak!

Even though he’s a longtime customer of the steakhouse, Shankman admits that he had no expectations when he sent out the tweet. After all, who ever heard of steak on wheels?!

To Shankman’s utter disbelief, one of Morton’s staff drove 23 miles to the airport to greet him with a full meal:

“He proceeds to tell me that he’d heard I was hungry, and inside is a 24 oz. Porterhouse steak, an order of Colossal Shrimp, a side of potatoes, one of Morton’s famous round things of bread, two napkins, and silverware.”–Peter Shankman

One of the most interesting things about Shankman’s story is that he admits that this “stunt” was meant to be out of the ordinary ... and that’s completely okay.

“Customer service isn’t about telling people how awesome you are, it’s about creating stories that do the talking for you.”

This is a stellar example of doing exactly that, and Morton’s deserves all of the attention it received (and more) for making it happen.

8. B. Dalton Bookseller calls the competition

While great customer service stories can be a dime a dozen if you’re looking for them, you can’t help but think that some of these tales seem especially calculated.

It makes good business sense to treat customers well, doesn’t it? Big companies probably aren’t hesitant to go above and beyond for customers if they suspect it could result in free press, especially around the holidays.

But when you hear a tale like this, you know a business is truly focused on customer happiness.

A B. Dalton customer (before the company was acquired by Barnes & Noble) was visiting the store to pick up a book requested by her son for Christmas.

“The young lady looked in the computer inventory to see if they had the requested book. It showed there were some in stock, still packed. She went to look through the packed books and could find none.”

For the sake of not stopping the relentless pursuit of customer happiness, the B. Dalton representative actually called their competition (in this case, Borders) to reserve a book for the customer and printed out directions to where she could pick it up!

“She gave me the contact name at Borders and told me to just go up to the counter and my book would be waiting.”–Reader DD Moffitt

While the B. Dalton team may not have made the sale that day, their outstanding commitment to wowing customers won them a repeat shopper for life .

9. United Airlines delays flight for dying mother

It’s always heart-wrenching when a close family member passes. Sharing the final moments with a person we love can be a small respite in a truly difficult situation.

When Kerry Drake got on his United Airlines flight, the mother he was en route to see was facing her final hours. To add an extra layer of distress, Drake knew that if he missed his connecting flight he would likely not see her before she passed.

After his first flight got delayed, Drake broke down into tears on the plane. The flight attendants soon noticed his state and quickly found out what was wrong. Within minutes, Drake’s dilemma was relayed to the captain, who radioed ahead to Drake’s next flight.

The flight’s crew responded by delaying the flight’s departure to make sure he got on board.

“I was still like maybe 20 yards away when I heard the gate agent say, ‘Mr. Drake, we’ve been expecting you,’” he said.

When Drake finally sat on the second flight, he realized how much went into getting him onto the plane.

“I was overcome with emotion!”

The result of many staff members working together to go above-and-beyond the call of duty to help this customer was that Drake made it to the hospital in time to see his mother.

“At one point she opened her eyes, and I think she recognized me,” said Drake, who spent the night at the hospital. “Around 4 a.m. she had a real moment of coherence, a last rally, although we didn’t know it at the time. It was the last time.”

She died that very morning.

Drake wrote the staff a heartfelt thank you letter expressing his immense gratitude for a team who was willing to pull out all the stops to assist in any way they could.

In the coverage of this story on CNN , consumer advocate Christopher Elliot said:

“Airline employees are evaluated based on their ability to keep a schedule. Airlines compete with each other on who has the best on-time departure record. When the crew on this flight heard about this distraught passenger trying to make his connection, they must have said, ‘To hell with it’ ... and they made the right call.”

We think so, too.

10. Ritz-Carlton helps with Joshie’s extended vacation

Ritz-Carlton is one of those few large companies that is held to high standards from their consumers. With an almost legendary reputation for service, one has to wonder: Do they really live up to the hype?

The story of Joshie the giraffe certainly presents a compelling case for “yes!” In case you’ve never come across this fantastic tale, the story begins when customer Chris Hurn’s son left his favorite stuffed giraffe, “Joshie,” in their hotel room after a recent stay.

Mr. Hurn assured his distraught son that Joshie was just staying a few extra days on vacation. He then called the staff at the Ritz and relayed the story he had told his son.

In an all-star effort to make everything right for their customer, the staff at the Ritz created a series of photographs that included all of the activities Joshie had been involved in during his “extended vacation.”

First things first: They knew Joshie couldn’t just be aimlessly wandering around the Ritz without a staff card ... so they made him one!

After that, Joshie headed over to the pool area to relax.

Not one to sit around and do nothing, Joshie helped out in the loss prevention department.

Joshie then decided to melt away some stress with a spa day.

To top it all off, the Ritz sent Hurn and his son a booklet filled with information about Joshie’s stay, as well as a host of pictures showing what a good time he’d had.

What a story!

Like what you see? Share with a friend.

Gregory ciotti.

Greg is a writer, marketing strategist and alum of Help Scout. Connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn .

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5 Cringeworthy Customer Service Experiences (and How to Avoid Creating Them)

Customer Service & Engagement Experts

ProProfs Live Chat Editorial Team is a diverse group of professionals passionate about customer support and engagement. We update you on the latest trends, dive into technical topics, and offer insights to elevate your business.

We’ve all been there.

After making a purchase, you’re dissatisfied with a product or service. After being in touch with a customer service representative, the process becomes even more aggravating when a solution isn’t reached.

Inaction, rudeness and failure to take ownership of their mistakes – these are just some of the negative approaches to customer success that have left a black mark on many organizations. It doesn’t matter how much a business pulls in revenue-wise either; all companies are both equally susceptible to errors in judgment that leave a bad taste in consumers’ mouths.

Below, we’ve listed real-world examples of customer service gone horribly awry and offered up some universal lessons that can be gleaned from these stories. The underlying truth in all of them? Take your customer relationships seriously.

“No amount of advertising can repair the damage done by failing to properly address a customer’s concern.” — Albert Schindler

Whether it’s a lack of strong communication , an insensitive tone, automated replies or just a knowledge gap between the customers and the reps who serve them, forging an authentic rapport with clients are where revenues are won and lost these days.

In our digital-first age, negative word-of-mouth travels faster than ever, so preventable public displays of ineptitude should be avoided at all costs.

Examples of Terrible Customer Service Stories That Lead to Bad Experience and How to Avoid Replicating Them

The best way to not make the same mistakes is to learn from those who make them. We understand that they may not be visible to all. But here’s a list of terrible customer service stories that will help you know what shouldn’t be done with your customers.

Walmart’s Price Matching Mistake

We start things off with one of America’s best-known corporations, Walmart. The retail giant found itself in hot water in 2014 after they refused to match a lower price listed on their own website for an item at one of their Atlanta locations.

Apparently, when a local father and his son went to the store to track down a Lego set, the staff told them that they didn’t match their own online prices. “I had to buy it on Walmart.com and do the free pickup option in the store to get the lower price,” the father recalled. “My son and I stood there and watched as a different employee came a few minutes later, picked the item up off the shelf, and brought it back to the holding spot for pickup.”

The catch? The dad in question could only retrieve the item the following day, even though he was standing in the Walmart when he completed the transaction online. It’s a lack of convenience that defies logical explanation.

The lesson: Always prioritize the needs of your customers over the policies that have been drawn up in a boardroom somewhere. There are going to be exceptions to those rules and new loopholes that are found; it’s how you deal with those scenarios and how you put the consumer’s satisfaction first that will help you retain clients long-term.

Comcast’s Intentional Name Change Blunder

In 2015, Comcast was forced to apologize after a service rep changed a customer’s first name from Ricardo to “A**hole” when his wife refused to renew their contract. Seriously, it’s one of the terrible customer service stories that did happened.

Despite giving the customer a two-year refund and publicly showing some remorse for the actions of its employees, the story still made waves and went viral. Many thought the case was emblematic of Comcast’s reputation for consistently sinking to new customer service lows, even being named the most hated company in America in 2017.

In an industry where customer-facing staff members aren’t done any favors with head-scratching policies and lots of bureaucratic red tape, that kind of insensitive behavior won’t do your organization any favors.

The lesson : E mpathy for customers is sadly not a given in the business world and, oftentimes, failure in this department stems from a lack of internal emphasis on that quality. Teach management to care about their employees and that sense of responsibility will be reflected by customer service staff when they deal with clients.

Walgreens’ Customer’s Health Scare

A Walgreens customer had a very good reason to be miffed about her experience with the drugstore mainstay: She had suffered chest pains that were the result of a store’s pharmacist filling her prescription incorrectly for almost a year.

When she wanted to be compensated for time missed at her job as well as medical expenses, Walgreens referred her to a third-party company and then ghosted her altogether, refusing to respond to messages.

Eventually, when an apology was issued, it was the kind of vague lip service that only led to more bad press being sent the company’s way. In the court of public opinion, that type of response doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.

The lesson : Don’t just take responsibility for your actions but do so in a way that accurately reflects the severity of the situation. Mistakes happen and sometimes they’re unavoidable; take the proper steps to show other customers that you’re moving towards actionable change. It’s always better than hiding behind insincere prepared statements, thus helping you create examples of good customer service stories.

Whirlpool’s Embarrassing Negligence

As described in the NYT column “The Haggler,” a local woman encountered a customer service nightmare after purchasing a microwave oven for just over $216. It worked intermittently, requiring a company-approved service technician to visit her home five times, replacing certain parts more than once.

Whirlpool’s customer service response? The opposite of what you would’ve hoped.

Their team didn’t help her get a new equipment. Instead, they wanted her to wait out her 1-year warranty and go through another technician before an exchange would be considered.

Even after the column’s publication of the story gained traction, the company said they’d only give her a refund if she paid them to dispose of the machine as well as sign confidentiality clause. Both decisions made me do a double take while reading the initial report and I’m sure I’m not the only one.

The lesson : Don’t compound an upsetting issue by insisting on confidentiality clauses and requesting additional fees. Even if your business doesn’t make tons of money, the small monetary loss isn’t worth the PR disaster that could ensue. Weigh the pros and cons of a firm, policy-based carefully.

Gasp’s “Pretty Woman” Moment

Remember that scene in “Pretty Woman” when the saleswomen in a posh Los Angeles department store talk down to Julia Roberts? Well, something similar happened in Australia back in 2011, when Gasp employees were downright mean to a woman who was shopping for bridesmaid dresses.

During a follow-up email conversation with management, the company doubled down on defending this toxic behavior, stating that the customer should “shop somewhere else” because she wasn’t “fashion forward.”

It didn’t stop there. The negative press coverage that made its way into European and Western markets was described by the retailer’s area manager called the viral exposure the “best thing that has happened to our business.” Yikes.

The lesson : Don’t normalize rude, tone-deaf behavior of any kind. Once it becomes part of a company’s fabric, that kind of reputation can be very difficult to shake, especially in the comments section of their social media accounts. Always take the high road. After all, you’d rather like to be on the side that creates examples of good customer service stories, rather than terrible ones.

Set Examples of Good Customer Service Stories

To really understand your customers’ expectations, it is important to first see what the big names have done so far. By saying that, we basically want you to know what mistakes they’ve done and learn what you shouldn’t do to retain your customers. After all, you business is reliant on your customers and keeping them delighted is your number one priority.

That’s why we’ve compiled a list of examples of terrible mistakes that big names in the industry have committed so you could avoid making them again. Be the one who creates good examples and not the drastic ones.

Streamline Your Customer Interactions to Build A Lasting Relationship

These examples of customer service gone wrong are all cringe worthy at best but, when it comes to your business, all these snafus can easily be avoided. By making customers the priority when they have issues with a product or service, you’ll be promoting positive, productive discussion instead of a negative, toxic back-and-forth. Establishing your brand as a trustworthy entity that cares about their clients will go a long way to ensuring financial sustainability for years to come.

About the author

ProProfs Editorial Team

ProProfs Live Chat Editorial Team is a passionate group of customer service experts dedicated to empowering your live chat experiences with top-notch content. We stay ahead of the curve on trends, tackle technical hurdles, and provide practical tips to boost your business. With our commitment to quality and integrity, you can be confident you're getting the most reliable resources to enhance your customer support initiatives.

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Bad Customer Services

Subject:	Employee Relationships
Pages:	2
Words:	546
Reading time:	2 min
Study level:	College

Every successful business organization provides quality services and products to its customers. Businesses should treat their customers with respect, dignity, and professionalism. Many customers have encountered bad services or products from different businesses.

I have also encountered several bad experiences as a consumer. I recently visited my Mobile Network Provider (MNP) to register for a new tariff. I had always trusted the company because of its quality services and support systems. It is also one of the best telecommunication companies in the country. The company has always been successful. I have always treated this company with respect because of its quality services.

The first observation after visiting one of the company’s Customer Care Centers was a queue of about 20 customers. These clients were looking for assistance from the company. I joined the queue with very high expectations. The queue was not moving because most of the tellers were busy chatting with one another. The quality of service delivery at this center was questionable. Every customer was unhappy with the situation.

Most of the customers expected the company to provide better and timely services. I was dissatisfied with this situation. The supervisor at the Customer Care Center was unable to coordinate his or her employees. The malpractice affected the quality of services delivered to the customers.

Every customer complained because the center did not offer the required services. I was unhappy with the company because it was no longer taking care of its customers. I did not get the required service because my time was limited.

The above situation was unpleasant because the tellers were unable to provide the required services to their customers. Every Customer Care Center should embrace the best practices and incentives to support the needs of every client. Employees should always respect their customers. Employees should also show respect by offering quality, effective, and timely services to their customers.

The tellers at this center did not support the needs of their customers. Every customer should be satisfied with the services and products offered by his or her company. I was unhappy because the tellers wasted my time. The tellers also failed to offer the required service to the other customers. This case study explains why every company or organization should be ready to provide quality and timely services to their customers.

The Customer Care Center needs to use several strategies to improve this situation. The Customer Care Center also lacked a good leader or supervisor. Such a leader should ensure every employee focuses on the needs of every customer. The supervisor should also be ready to monitor the practices and behaviors of every employee. This approach will ensure the tellers provide the best services and support to their customers.

The leader should have mentored these tellers to offer the best services. Employees should always understand the importance of effective customer support and care. A good workplace philosophy could have improved this situation. Such a philosophy ensures every employee fulfills the expectations of his or her customers.

Many customers appreciate every good service or product offered by an employee. It would be appropriate to hire competent employees who understand their duties and responsibilities. The above suggestions can improve this situation and make the Customer Care Center, a leading provider of quality customer services.

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Breaking Down a Bad Customer Experience and How to Overcome It

Article Highlights:

Understand the ups and downs of Steve’s experience and its impact on you.
“Over 75% of respondents didn’t trust the dealership to be honest.”

By Cory Coler | August 29, 2024 | Parts and Service

Dozens of customers enter your dealership every day to get their vehicle serviced. During this experience, they may be facing an array of emotions. Unfortunately, some of those may be negative due to a poor experience getting repairs done in the past or maybe they are stressed about the unknowns (how much it will cost; when will the work be done, etc.). Whatever the reason, these emotions may affect your bottom line and put your reputation in jeopardy. Let’s walk through a few scenarios that might cause frustrations to rise and how you can overcome them.

First Impressions

Steve needs the air conditioning fixed on his car and thinks your dealership is the one for the job. He wants to book an appointment, but he finds the process extremely cumbersome. To even get to your online scheduler he had to click through four different pages and close the test drive pop-up. He finally gets to input his details and schedules for Monday at 8:15 a.m. The online scheduler didn’t allow him to request a loaner or shuttle, so he had to call the dealership anyway to ask if that was an option.

Although a bit frustrated by the process, Steve feels good about his appointment.

Monday morning, Steve arrives ready to drop off his vehicle, grab his loaner, and head to work. But instead, he ends up waiting in line while the greeter figures out who his appointment is with. Then, it turned out Steve was double-booked with the advisor and he and the greeter made awkward small talk while waiting for the advisor to finish with the other appointment. To top it all, the loaner vehicle he arranged wasn’t ready. After what felt like eons (about 15 minutes) of waiting and repeating his online process, Steve is finally able to head to work.

I’m sure you can agree this wasn’t a great first impression for Steve. A poor check-in process and longer wait times are driving customers to look elsewhere for service. Among these customers, 35% will choose non-dealership service centers because of the ability to be helped right away. Don’t let check-in wait times be the reason your customer heads to that mom-and-pop shop down the road. Consider what it would be like to offer a self-led, check-in option that 90% of customers prefer while also making sure to bridge the gap between anything done online when they come into the store.

Distrust With Additional Recommendations

In a recent study, over 75% of respondents didn’t trust the dealership to be honest. What does this mean for Steve and the dealership doing his repair work? When the tech uncovers additional work that needs to be done, Steve is going to be skeptical and guarded. He likely won’t even consider the opportunity. He might even feel like he’s being taken advantage of, because of his lack of car knowledge, making him feel vulnerable.

Not to fear; you can overcome this obstacle! If you provide proof of additional repairs that need to be made, like actual photos or videos of the consumer’s vehicle, this can ease the customer’s fears and help them understand the true need. According to J.D. Power, dealerships who provide photos and videos build a higher level of trust with their customers. Providing detailed descriptions of a needed repair and the impact it could have if not fixed can also help the average Joe better understand the repair. All of these can help the customer feel more comfortable making a buying decision in the additional recommendation process.

Putting Your Reputation at Risk

While Steve was at work, his Service Advisor tried calling him multiple times to get the additional work approved but couldn’t reach him. Fast forward to 5 p.m., when Steve comes to pick up his vehicle. He receives terrible news. The part needed to fix his car isn’t in stock and won’t be available until the next day. Steve was looking forward to driving home in the summer heat with his A/C blasting. Now he’s upset, car-less, and has to make other arrangements.

Emotions are high at this point and Steve feels the need to warn others about his experience at your store. Now that he has no car to drive home, he had to have his brother pick him up from your store. During the 35-minute drive home, he rants about how awful his experience was with your dealership. Word of mouth is impactful, and if Steve shares his poor experience with others, it may turn them away from doing business with you in the future. Keeping your customers in the loop is essential for customer retention. Being able to text updates throughout the process and have an ongoing dialog is an easy way to keep your customer informed and provide transparency.

Perfecting the Customer Service Experience

Though there were some bumps in the road throughout Steve’s journey, (and there are probably similar bumps in your service process too) there are ways to prevent them from happening in the future:

Ensure a seamless transition from online experience to in-store experience.
Reduce wait times by ensuring accuracy with appointments and maybe even implementing self-service options.
Utilize photos, videos, and detailed (non-jargon) descriptions to help educate during the recommendation process.
Text your customers frequently throughout the process to keep them up to date and remain transparent.

Nothing beats a happy customer. In fact, satisfied customers are more likely to boost customer referrals and increase your CSI score with their glowing reviews. Deloitte states, “customers referred by other customers have a 37% higher retention rate.” That means your happy customers are more likely to return to you next time, and so are the people they introduced to your dealership!

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Product Planning, Reynolds and Reynolds

Cory Coler is a member of the fixed operations product planning team at Reynolds and Reynolds. He began his career in the automotive industry in 2001 at a Toyota retailer, becoming an ASE Certified Advisor and Toyota Certified Assistant Service Manager. In 2005, he joined Reynolds’ Service Price Guides (SPG) department in Tampa, Florida and quickly became a subject matter expert for the product. In 2014, he transitioned to his current role in Product Planning where he is responsible for the enhancement and design of several fixed operations applications.

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What was your best customer service experience? 7 sample answers
Customer service is one of the biggest fields of employment all over the world. And while it isn't necessarily hard to get a job in retail or in customer service (considering that many companies are always hiring, and people are always leaving, and basically the employee fluctuation is higher than in any other field of business), you still want to make a good impression on the hiring managers.
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Explain the role during your interview, and highlight your specific responsibilities. 4. Share a specific example. After introducing your previous role, provide a specific example of a time you provided customer service in that role. Aim to select an example that best aligns with the requirements of the role you're seeking.
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7 sample answers to "Describe your most recent customer service experience" interview question. Yesterday I dined in a restaurant with my boyfriend. It was out first visit to the place. What caught my eye immediately was that as soon as we sat down, someone approached us and brought us the menu. We didn't have to wait for more than ten ...
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Customer Service Experience, Essay Example. HIRE A WRITER! You are free to use it as an inspiration or a source for your own work. About two years ago, I and some of my friends made a trip to New York City (NYC). One of my friends Ada was a Nigerian girl with an upper class background whose father was a senior executive in a major Nigerian oil ...
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How to answer "What is your experience with customer service?" (with
Sample answers: Bad answer: "I've never worked in customer service before, but I'm really good with people. I think I could figure it out pretty quickly." This answer is bad because it doesn't address the question directly. The interviewer wants to know if you have experience in customer service and how it relates to the job you're applying for.
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During the 35-minute drive home, he rants about how awful his experience was with your dealership. Word of mouth is impactful, and if Steve shares his poor experience with others, it may turn them away from doing business with you in the future. Keeping your customers in the loop is essential for customer retention.

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Describe your most recent customer service experience – 7 sample answers (briefly + in detail)

7 sample answers to “Describe your most recent customer service experience” interview question

Your attitude matters for the hiring managers, not the particular situation you narrate

Describe briefly, or describe in detail

Good vs Great Customer Service Experience—What's the Difference?

What is customer service experience?

Why is customer service experience important?

The difference between good and great customer service experience

Great customer service experience: an example

How you can ensure a great customer service process

1. Use a customer feedback management system

2. Offer multiple customer service channels

3. Be proactive in your customer service

4. Provide consistency in your customer service

5. Manage customer expectations

Common signs of poor customer service

1. Providing only one specific channel for customer service

2. Displaying poor communication skills and little empathy

3. Fear of ownership

4. Not educating customers

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Customer Service Experience, Essay Example

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Excellence in Customer Service

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Good vs. Bad Customer Service: What's the Difference?

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Why Bad Customer Service Occurs

How to Maintain Good Customer Service

1. Balance personalization with efficiency.

2. Value every customer's experience.

3. Hire motivated staff.

4. Use customer service to complement sales.

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