Farm Boots & the Power of Customer Service
Let's talk about customer service...
Arguably, with the rise of e-commerce and all things online shopping, the importance of excellent customer service has been lost - or perhaps just diminished? But now, more than ever, excellent customer service, or CX, drives loyalty and sales.
I experienced first-hand the power of great CX recently…. A few weeks ago, I made the tough decision that it was time for my farm/riding boots to be upgraded. My long-loved and faithful Ariat Ropers have seen me through three years, a pregnancy, countless rides, hours in the round yard, the wash bay, through cloudy mornings, flooded nights, and everything in between. They're so comfortable and perfectly moulded to my feet, thus choosing to replace them is one of life’s tough decisions. Still, as the cracks in the leather became more prominent, so did my realisation that the time had come.
A timely Ringers Western sale appeared in my Instagram feed, a two-for-one boot sale. Like anyone online shopping with these ultra-specific, targeted ads, I can't resist a deal. Having found their apparel quality excellent, I decided to take the plunge and give their boots a crack.
Fast forward a week or so, and four pairs of boots arrive at my door (three for me, one for my long-suffering horse husband). Two pairs fit like a dream, but the pair destined for farm life were far too big. So, I booked in the exchange and sent back the giant boots.
Some time passes, and I hear nothing... I follow up with my tracking number, and after some back and forthing, the boots are in the Ringers warehouse. Now, this is where the customer service gets serious. Not only did the customer service person offer me multiple alternative options as to which boot might be right for me, once said the choice was made, they helped me decide on a size… The story could very well have ended here, and I'd be sufficiently happy. But no, the service keeps coming…
When I expressed some concerns about sizing based on the pairs I had kept, the person on the other end of the email tested out a pair of the boots I had kept in their size as well as the new boots I had chosen to ensure my fit concerns were abated and ensure my 'fit' needs were met. A few days later, my new, perfectly fitting boots arrived.
Now, what did we see…we saw 'ok' customer service in the form of a slow returns process, salvaged by quite possibly to best customer service I have ever had. What this has meant is my choice to jump ship on a brand I know and loved had been cemented as a good one; I am now an advocate for the brand (case in point – this blog), more than happy to buy again from them and readily telling my peers of how glad I was with the product and experience…
If I had to report on the ROI of that person's customer service… I'd confidently say it well and truly paid for itself and will do so many times over. What did it cost the brand, the wages they were already committed to, perhaps some extra training they invested in that person? None of this would exceed the amount I will spend with this brand over the coming years and the positive community sentiment I am spreading for them due to my satisfaction.
So, when you're looking at where to spend your money as a brand, whilst investing in your product, positioning, strategy, and tactics is incredibly important and valuable, let's not forget the value in ensuring you can consistently deliver excellent customer service. There is no point driving people to your business if they're disappointed by the experience and never come back.
The returns on the effort and time you put into ensuring you can deliver great CX will always pay dividends in ways few other tactics ever will. One last thing to remember, the level of positivity I'm exuding from a great experience, is often seen amplified even louder and further if a person has a terrible experience…can your brand afford that kind of loss??
