I was just reading the thread outlining some of the local businesses that had terrible customer service, and so I thought maybe it might be a good time to mention some of the local businesses that give great customer service. So, if it’s permitter, here’s what we might do:
Name of Business
Location (city if applicable, but not street address)
Describe service received.
For example:
Storck Candies
Via Internet
Told them of how much I enjoy Riessen chocolates, and I received a nice letter from local president, including a coupon for any Storch product up to $10.00 in value. They are an excellent business, and deserve our business IMHO.
Matter of fact… I just sent off a letter of commendation about this experience.
LaQuinta Inn
2138 W.Mercury Blvd
Hampton VA 23666
757-827-8680
The accomodated me on the nights of June 12 and 13, (I had stupidly booked my reservation for the night prior and was a no-show) after I saw them turn away a few others with the remark that they were sold out, at a rate that was what I had confirmed for my reservation on the previous night (half of the going rate if they DID have rooms!)
I think they took pity on me because it was hot and I had my wife and VERY CUTE 20-month-old son in tow.
E-Scent-ials via Internet, essential oils and bath products. From my first order I received a personal e-mail from the owner, Jeralynn. I wrote to ask if I could link to her site from my web site, and it had been some time since my last order, and she not only remembered me but wrote me a really nice note, commented on the web site and my cute doggies, and is just generally the most pleasant person I have ever dealt with in online purchasing.
USAA Insurance and Federal Savings Bank has the most helpful, knowledgeable, friendly customer service I’ve encountered in a huge corporation.
There’s a mail order stationery /office supplies firm called Neat Ideas. They could write the book on good customer service. I’ve used them for years for everything I need to run my office, and they’ve only ever impressed me by how excellent their service is.
There’s just nothing to fault. I ring to place an order, and I instantly get through to a human being who is friendly, helpful and knows their stuff. They have a zillion product lines, but manage (more or less) to keep everything in stock all the time. Their products are good, and delivered free next day. One time I ordered some office furniture, and (alas!) a part of one chair broke after a few months. I told them, and they got the manufacturer to send a free replacement, even though strictly speaking I wasn’t entitled to one.
Get this… they run a pretty good marketing operation too, and often send out mailers about genuine special offers. But if you ring and ask them not to send these, they actually do stop!
Basically, they must have a big ‘The Customer Is King’ sign in their head office and everyone who works there seems to believe it.
When I first saw this thread, I immediately thought of USAA. I have filed 2 property theft claims, and one auto accident claim, and have been very pleased each time.
Auto accident. I gave permission for my college roommate to use my pickup truck while I was out of town for a few days. Well, he totalled it. Not only did USAA give me a fair settlement, they didn’t even raise my rates, because I wasn’t driving.
First proerty theft. I had a lot of stuff stolen out of one of those U-Store-It places. Claims wanted to see receipts and such to the extent possible, but there were several things I could not independently verify (CDs, VHS, coin and stamp collections, etc). So, they told me to make a list and they paid. Simple and easy.
Second property theft. Someone broke into my aprtment and stole several items, including a diamond solitaire engagement ring. The replacement ring from USAA was slightly larger and of higher clarity and color.
Now, I realize that USAA is a freakin’ huge company and can get diamonds and replacement CDs and such for next to nothing. So, you might think they would have no reason to balk at such claims. Also, the cash settlement I got for the first property theft was far more than I could have gotten if I tried to sell the stuff through classifieds or something. But to hear others talk about their insurance companies, they make you feel guilty for even making a claim, and then they try to do the least possible with the worst attitude.
Well, my most recent example is AVIS in Omaha, NE.
I reserved a car with carseat from one of their competitors. When I showed up, the car they gave us didn’t have automatic lacking retractible seatbelts, which means, as all you parents know, that you must have a locking clip to make the carseat work. Which they didn’t give us. I explained the problem, but they didn’t get it. We waited for an hour beside the car in 93-degree heat, trying to entertain my hot, overtired toddler, while they attempted to get their heads out of rumps. Finally, I gave up, yanked our luggage out of the car, and went to the AVIS booth there in the garage.
They wrote me out a contract on the spot, honoring the rate given by the competitor, and informed me that they use the new LATCH system–the new safest standard for child seats. Which means they gave me a new carseat, used a new tethering system that completely bypasses the seatbelts, AND did an professional installation by the rental agent. At that point I was so hot and irritated (and my husband and I were barely speaking–general travel crankiness) that I know I wasn’t coherent and I would also have been an easy mark for surcharges. I pretty much just threw my credit card and driver’s license at them. They could have rented me a car for $1200 and I would’ve taken it just to get out of there. But they were kind and patient and the rental agent was herself a parent. I already wrote AVIS a letter and told them I’d be telling everyone I knew that they were a good company for adopting the system.
