I recently had an experience with a small-chain retailer. I’d been referred to the chain by more than one fan. My shopping experience was great, and when I was handed a $40 voucher after I’d made a $400+ purchase (way more than the amount of a typical purchase of mine), I felt like I’d found the next case-study in great customer experiences. I was looking forward to spending that $40 incrementally over the 8 weeks I had to spend it. I returned to the store soon after with my eye on a $6 item; at the time I needed nothing else. And that was the problem. I had one $40 voucher: If was going to use the voucher on my $6 item, I’d lose $34 in value, since the voucher was good for one-time use only.
Okay, not great, but, from what I’d seen, it seemed like this chain did value its customers. So I wrote the store and asked for four $10 vouchers. Common sense, right? If I had originally spent just $100, the store would have given me a convenient $10 voucher, so I assumed that I should be eligible for the same convenience—times four. I sent my e-mail, confident I would be accommodated.
Unfortunately, my expectations were not met.
In the return email, I learned that the policy was the policy and there would be no change. I was advised to manage my needs and combine my smaller purchases to meet the value of the voucher. Huh? Why couldn’t my simple request be accommodated? How simple and grief-saving it would have been. Did anyone who worked for the chain ever try to use one of these vouchers? My guess is no.
Ultimately, I was able to get the change made, but the good feeling I had at the time I made my original purchase had evaporated. While I’ll still occasionally shop at the store, I am unlikely to become an advocate for it. The irony? If I had never been “rewarded” with the voucher in the first place, I would still be a fan.
This was yet another reminder of the importance of all aspects of the customer experience. This store had great products and great people, but its policy was not customer-centric. Leaders who are profoundly customer-focused understand that all aspects of the experience must be considered from the perspective of the customer. It is not sufficient for a policy only to appear to be a reward for customers, it must actually be one.
Jane,
Love the point about “when is a reward not a reward?” I had a similar sort of experience recently — I’d call it “when is an apology not an apology?” Had a bad experience with American Eagle involving a freak snowstorm, a mechanical malfunction (at 20,000 feet, mind you), a diversion to another airport, a long wait, but a happy ending. AA later e-mailed me with an apology and 10,000 bonus miles. “How nice,” thought I. Then I read the apology more closely; turns out they were apologizing for a completely different mechanical incident that I hadn’t even been aware of! So I’m left with the impression that a) their information is incomplete; b) all their planes are dodgy; c) there might be a lot more things they need to apologize for.
What this all says to me is that customers are really paying attention when you reward them or apologize to them … it’s a critical opportunity to earn or lose their trust — so don’t blow it!