Yes I am (cheap) frugal, but I broke down and got a LLBean Visa card. With this card, I get free shipping both ways, plus I earn points for LL Bean stuff. Who needs free airline miles when you can get free LL Bean stuff?
Recently LLBean offered 15% off all purchases, plus I had four $10 coupons (becaue I’ve bought so much stuff over the past year.) Time for a little shopping spree! Mom and I set out bright and early for the Dedham LLBean store. We were the first ones in the store. Mom found some stuff, as did I.
Check out time. The cashier greeted us with a smile and mentioned it was her first day, so she might be a little slow. No problem. I’ve worked in retail and know how stressful it can be. I handed her the 4 coupons. She said one was a duplicate so only three would go through. Okay.
I get the receipt and before I left the store, I checked it. I didn’t see the 15% discount, so I went back in line. I got a different cashier this time and I asked him about the discount. He quickly looked at the receipt and called over another cashier. They both agreed that the 15% discount was calculated as part of the special promo discount that was the $30 coupons spread out over all the purchases. Okay, makes sense to me.
As I was driving home, I started doing the math in my head. Something is not right. There was no 15% discount taken, promo discount or not. I got home and got out my trusty calculator and saw I was right. Oh darn, another trip back to LLBean to get this straightened out. I don’t have time for this.
So, I tried a phone call to the store first. I explained the missing 15% discount to the phone person; she immediately transferred me to the store manager. A cheerful, “hello, how can I help you?” followed. As I explained the problem, the store manager quickly said, “This is certainly something we can take care of over the phone. If I can trouble you for some additional information, I will take care of it. First, please give me your phone number so I can call you when it’s done.” Wow – not,” I’ll look into this and get back to you,” but “I will take care of this.” Wow, just wow.
I got to thinking some more about the $10 coupons. As I looked back through my records, I see that I did indeed have four coupons, not three. There was no way that one of the was a duplicate. The initial numbers may be the same, but they were all different. Oh darn, I just lost $10.00.
At the bottom of the LLBean receipt there is a link to a customer satisfaction survey. For kicks, I decided to fill out the survey. I must admit, I was less than complimentary about my experience at the store and the loss of a $10 coupon.
Well do you know that within 15 minutes of completing the survey, my phone rings and it is the LLBean Customer Service Manager. The first thing she does is apologize for my bad experience. She said the cashier was new and that she should have called over a manager when doing the coupons and the discount. She then goes on to say that for my trouble, she is giving me 20% off my purchases, not 15%. She also located my missing $10 coupon and applied that to my purchases as well. She has emailed the new receipt. She then asks me if I have any questions or if there is anything else that I wanted to discuss. Wow again, no double wow.
I have always loved LLBean products. Now, I love the company too. They have a customer for life.
This story is a perfect example of why LLBean is so successful. Other businesses, both large and small, can learn a lot from them. To be a successful company:
1. Treat customers like you want to be treated.
Be attentive, polite and solve their problems.
2. Develop trust with your customers.
People are human and I may have more problems with LLBean. But, I don’t care because I know they will take care of things.
3. Listen to the customer.
Every employee at LLBean puts the customer first.
4. Hire employees with a positive, can-do attitude.
Everyone I spoke with at LLBean was eager and happy to help. Not only that, but they DID solve my problem.
5. Delight the customer.
The outcome I was expecting was the 15% discount off my purchase. The 20% discount was a nice surprise. I really thought the $10 coupon was a lost cause.
6. Train your employees.
Based on the response to my phone call and feedback survey, I am sure that LLBean will make sure new cashiers are better trained.
On the flip side, customers have a responsibility too. When I called the store, I didn’t yell, scream or become abusive. I gave as many details as I could. The same was true when I filled out the Customer Feedback form. I even listed the coupon numbers. So, if you want good service:
1. Be polite.
Being firm is okay, but yelling and screaming won’t get you anywhere.
2. Give as many details as you can.
Give dates, times and anything else you think may help the company solve your problem.
Do you have any great customer experiences to share? It seems we always hear about the bad ones.
Smiley face photo is courtesy of HD Wallpapers.
Our Life In 3D
October 23, 2013
Its funny, LLBean gave you 5 star Customer Service it seems. And in today’s competitive environment that’s what you need to stand out and retain customers. I have worked in restaurants and hotels and you need this type of service to keep postive guest counts The funny thing is how many organizations, usually smaller do not get this. They can put off blame or shirk their responsibilites so easily…even after they have taken your money. I wish therer wre more LLBeans out there! ~ I’m gonna check on getting my card now….Christmas is coming after all!
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Nancy Loderick
October 23, 2013
Hello,
Yes, this is such a simple concept on one level, yet most companies don’t get it. What they really don’t get is that if they embodied these ideas, they would have happier customers, be more profitable and beat their competition.
Nancy
P.S. You probably know that LLBean has an awesome Christmas catalog. Even if I don’t ‘need’ anything, I always find something I want in this particular catalog. Oh wait, I guess I find something I want in all of their catalogs. 🙂
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Our Life In 3D
October 23, 2013
And Free shipping? I can find a lot of Christmas list items there without ever leaving the comfort of my own office. Yes, they send us a catelog every year too. Great things ….I’ll send you my list 😉
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Nancy Loderick
October 24, 2013
Well, you know, the more I buy with my LLBean Visa, the more points I accumulate. And with more points, I get more free stuff. 🙂
Hah – I must be an LLBean marketers’ dream customer.
N
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Our Life In 3D
October 25, 2013
Well, if it will you then Nancy, I will put together a list of my sizes and my Wish List for the Holidays so you can earn Maximum points! 🙂
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Nancy Loderick
October 25, 2013
:0
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Transition Marketing
October 23, 2013
Nail on head. It is shocking how many brands do not understand this and do not empower their staff to act as such.
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Nancy Loderick
October 23, 2013
Hi,
Yes, it is truly amazing that most companies don’t get this. If they only understood that it will cost them much less and make them more profitable in the long run.
Nancy
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Judi Brady
October 23, 2013
Loved your blog and I too think LLBean customer service is terrific! I returned a raincoat I had never ,ever worn after maybe 3 years as it was just a tad too big and one day,just went back there and asked if there was anything they could do for me. NO problem. After looking at the computer screen and doing a bit of research, she gave me a store credit for the full amount, despite me not even producing the receipt! I was so impressed! If more stores had customer service like that, I would shop more! (Jud doesn’t want to hear THAT!)
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Nancy Loderick
October 23, 2013
Hi Miss Judi,
Your story is a perfect embodiment of what LLBean stands for. They want the customer to be 100% satisfied and they will do what it takes to make that happen.
Nancy
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Professor VJ Duke
October 23, 2013
Great point. Now to get people to listen to them!
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Nancy Loderick
October 23, 2013
Hey Professor,
That’s why we need professors, to teach all of us how to communicate better. Listening is a big part of communication.
Nancy
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sdalton43
October 23, 2013
Nancy, back in the late 90s, I was invited to speak at a conference in Rio de Janeiro. I had to fly in and out on a rather tight timetable – arriving late on Sunday and flying home in Tuesday night. Continental Airlines had just opened a new flight to Rio, so I decided to give them a chance. I’d never flown on Cintinental before . The flight down was (thankfully) uneventful but very long. After my whirlwind visit, I found myself back at the airport for the long flight home to Boston. I was flying coach, and I can never sleep in coach seats, so I took a chance. At the gate, I approached the agent and told her that I had neither elite status on her airline nor any miles to trade in, but I explained that I desperately wanted to sleep and wondered if an upgrade would be possible. She put me in first class. From that day forward, I flew Continental as often as I could. I believe I accrued more than 300,000 miles with them before they were sold to United.
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Nancy Loderick
October 23, 2013
Hi Steve,
Thanks for sharing your experience. Sometimes, all you have to do is ask, right? If you don’t ask for something, you won’t get it. Something as simple as
giving you that upgrade didn’t cost Continental anything, yet this act created a customer for life.
If more companies thought like this, they’d get far ahead of their competition.
Nancy
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Joshua Idemudia-silva
October 29, 2013
Thanks Nancy for your highly informative post. The tutorial I got from this, especially towards the end; I guess most seminars that people pay to attend don’t give such. A great reminder that excellent customer service is the major success route that most successful businesses take. Indeed continued patronage by customers who have been treated well in the past keeps the business going.
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Nancy Loderick
October 29, 2013
Hi Joshua,
Thanks for your comment. It is much less expensive to keep an existing customer than it is to acquire a new one. I have been telling everyone I know about my great LLBean experience -even those who don’t read my blog. 🙂
Nancy
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MikeW
October 29, 2013
Nancy, LL Bean is a great example of personal, enthusiastic service that was once the hallmark of good business. So many companies today cut corners, tell half-truths on the phone, and try to gouge the customer, it is refreshing to read about a classic that is still doing it right. Kudos to you for highlighting LL Bean.
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Nancy Loderick
October 30, 2013
Hi Mike,
Thanks for your comment. As for my favorite store, LLBean, I’m a bit believer in giving credit where credit is due.
Nancy
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Aliosa
November 11, 2013
Thank you for your visit !
Aliosa.
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Nancy Loderick
November 12, 2013
Hi Aliosa,
You are quite welcome. 🙂
Nancy
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God is Good
November 23, 2013
Actually … the bad experiences in Australia I try to “let go” although I do have a high sense of “justice” … and I try to report the great experiences …!
You have some great observations on your blog …
Thank you for stopping by recently and taking the time to read a post.
Blessings, God is Good!
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Nancy Loderick
November 24, 2013
Hi,
Thanks so much for your comment. I love your practice of “letting go” and finding the positive. It’s a great way to life your life.
Blessings to you my friend,
Nancy
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