Some Stellar Customer Service

Early last month I wrote about a young entrepreneur who had the customer service thing figured out. From your emails, apparently many of you got a lot from that piece.

In the past two weeks I’ve been delighted by some stellar customer service:

• Ira Lexus of Manchester, New Hampshire.  The service manager was delighted to have the opportunity to take my car and diagnose a wheel shimmy on a Friday afternoon, without my having an appointment.  I was on a weekend trip with my wife.
• Territory Ahead.  I’ve been buying the highest quality, long-lasting, and completely comfortable clothes from them for fifteen years. Recently I bought a winter jacket.  I wore it on the weekend-long trip I mentioned above without seeing two small, nasty spots on the sleeve.  They cheerfully replaced the jacket.  No problem.
• Cuisinart.  My wife bought a Cuisinart coffee maker on sale at Linens and Things (which is going out of business).  While making a pot of coffee last Saturday, I found that the grinder was not functioning.  I called the 800 number and was floored when a service rep picked up the phone on the first ring.  He diagnosed the problem on the spot and five minutes later I was drinking some fine coffee.
• Southwest Airlines. I flew from Philadelphia to Providence, RI last week.  Granted it was good weather, middle of the week and mid-afternoon, but their execution was flawless. The right word for the flight attendants was joyful.  It was a pleasure.
• AOPA.  The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.  Under the fantastic leadership of soon-to-be-retiring Phil Boyer, these folks understand customer/member service.  Here’s an example:  Every two years, private pilots have to go through a medical exam with an FAA-sanctioned physician.  The paperwork can be intimidating.  AOPA has advisors available by phone to answer questions.  I couldn’t imagine any better service in this regard than AOPA provides.
• InfoTollgate. InfoTollgate provides ESR with our SaaS content management and e-commerce application.  They’re a small company, and the service is superb.  (Disclosure: My firm, ES Research, has other business relationships with ITG’s two principals.)
• Verizon Wireless.  That’s right, a phone company.  I’ve had the occasion to call my cell phone service provider during the course of the past two months.  Verizon did a terrific job.  Quick and competent service.
• Minnesota Life. Minnesota Life (A Securian Company) is an ESR client. I’ve personally made phone calls to numbers of their goup life insurance clients and have determined that they provide the best service of any company I have ever worked with.

Photo:  © Dima – Fotolia.com