What makes a good retailer.

[Kornkob]

When I read about a retailer and why someone prefers them I often hear things about how fast they are, how good their products are or how cheap they are. To my mind, none of those are a true mark of a great retailer. Great customer service is what defines a great retailer over someone who is merely competent and doing their job.

And it's not just about solid communication and precise, accurate order filling either. A significant portion of the time I can't tell you if someone is a great retailer because I haven't experienced the thing that makes a great retailer stand out from the run of the mill: failure.

The thing that makes a store stand out, in my opinion, is how they react when there is a failure. How complaints and problems are managed is the most important thing when an organization wants to go beyond mere competence and be truly excellent.

Rocky at USA Kilts, thus far, has proven himself to have taken that extra step.

It was a simple mistake. By all appearances, a supplier mislabeled some clan kilt pins and send them to USA Kilts, who passed them on to me. (I got Graham not Gunn) I fired off an email with a blurry pic of the mistake and asked how we go about fixing it.

Rocky's reply was textbook for how to provide excellent customer service.

1) he took total ownership, without reservation, for the mistake and stated clearly what felt he should have done to avoid the problem. All too often people who are in customer service give an excuse for the problem without stating that there were, in fact, actions they (or the organization) could have taken to avoid the problem.

2) he stated clearly what he had already done to solve the problem and what the end result he expected to see would be. Another mistake that is often made is not explaining what the expected outcome will be to the customer.

I'll stop back after the replacements arrive (which are already on the way) to confirm but so far all indications are USA Kilts gives excellent customer service in the face of adversity and thus, in my opinion, is a great retailer.

I can give no higher praise than this.

[RockyR]

Thank you for the kind words after our oversight, KK. I just try to treat customers the same way I expect to be treated by any company I deal with.

BTW, I DID double check the pins this time and confirm that they are in fact Gunn:

[MacMillans son]

I must agree. Although I appreciate good first time efforts, it is how a company, like individuals, handles their mistakes that impresses me most.

I recently had a great customer service experience with a company called "Country Naturals" in the UK (www.countrynaturals.co.uk.) I attempted to purchase two pairs of shooting socks from them on line. The day after I placed the order (8 hour time difference between continents) I received an email from Amanda apologizing for the fact that one of the styles of socks I ordered were not available in the color I wanted. She offered to send a higher priced sock, in the color I wanted, at the same lower cost of the one I originally ordered. I of course accepted! When I received the socks, the replacement socks were in a different shade of green than I had ordered (Sage instead of Loden).

A quick email received a prompt, highly apologetic reply. Amanda stated she was sending the correct (upgraded) colored socks, a self addressed shipping envelope, and would credit my account immediately for the return shipping!!

She didn't say "Send back the wrong ones and we will investigate the matter and if we are in the wrong send you a replacement in 4 weeks at your expense" All of the corrective measures occurred prior to her ever receiving the returned socks from me, including crediting my account in advance of me shipping the originals back to her!!

Now that is customer service!! And as a result, I will check with Country Naturals for any of my future purchases that the company may carry. I recommend them highly!

Regards,

Brooke

[Kaw-Liga]

The thing that makes a store stand out, in my opinion, is how they react when there is a failure. How complaints and problems are managed is the most important thing when an organization wants to go beyond mere competence and be truly excellent.

Kaw-Liga's theory of marketing and customer relations.


There will ALWAYS be somebody with a lower price.
He is not your competition.

There will ALWAYS be somebody offering quicker expedited shipping.
He is not your competition.

Every business will EVENTUALLY have some problems with a customers order.

It is NOT the PROBLEM which losses the customer.
It is how the problem is handled or mis-handled afterward.

YOU are your own COMPETITION.

Kaw-Liga

[English Bloke]

Ohhhhh I'm liking what I'm seeing on the country whatsit website. Thanks for that...

[Downunder Kilt]

Kaw-Liga's theory of marketing and customer relations.


There will ALWAYS be somebody with a lower price.
He is not your competition.

There will ALWAYS be somebody offering quicker expedited shipping.
He is not your competition.

Every business will EVENTUALLY have some problems with a customers order.

It is NOT the PROBLEM which losses the customer.
It is how the problem is handled or mis-handled afterward.

YOU are your own COMPETITION.

Kaw-Liga

How right you are, that's what seperates the wheat from the chaff and who will be recomended to others in glowing terms.

[Kiltman]

What makes a great retailer? Service when things go wrong or when orders are forgotten or misplaced. Never used Rocky but I have had first rate service from Matt at the Scottish Tartans Museum. Wish I could say the same for some other retailers I've used.

[Riverkilt]

When I joined the rabble I heard so many good things about USA Kilts I figured it just HAD to be some sort of hype. After a year or so I risked ordering my first USA Kilt. Turned out the "hype" was the truth. That's the reason I've purchased 26 Kilts from USA Kilts to date.

You can have any two of quality, service, and price.

I choose quality and service every time.

[Kornkob]

Incidentally, the replacement pins arrived as promised.

All is well.

I have nothing but good things to say about Rocky @ USA Kilts.