The reason is that they resolved my business within a few minutes, without asking me to come back another time or speak to someone else. This could only be done thanks to the correct use of technology and the proper empowerment of employees who customers are dealing with. In both cases, I only had to deal with one person, who had both the tools at their disposal and the ability to resolve my issues, and this is really what a customer wants from a company that’s providing a service to them. The same applies whether you’re selling costumes, servicing a complaint in a Westgate property, or listening to your constituents. People come to you with an expectation that you will assist them in some shape or form, and if you can meet or even exceed those expectation, then you can turn them into your fans and supporters. So give clients the service they expect .. and give it to them right away!

I’m having a horrible customer experience at the moment with HSBC Malta. I currently have life insurance policy with them with a premium that needs to be paid at the end of January. I didn’t get a notice for them that I needed to pay my premium so I contacted them at the end of January. It’s taken them 2 months so far and I still don’t know what my payment should be. Only now they contacted me to tell me that as I haven’t paid my premium they are suspending the policy. I’ve contact them no less than 8 times in this period and they still haven’t managed to get the message that all I’m trying to do is pay for my insurance. I’m not ready to look for a new term insurance quote yet, but I’m getting pretty close to it.

It’s interesting to note that my original communication on the 28th of January actually has a case number on the reply, so it’s not like they don’t have the systems to cater for their client’s needs. It’s just that they don’t seem to be using them; or don’t care about using them. It’s a crying shame; because an experience like this can really turn a customer sour and they could end up blogging about their bad experiences. Anyway I’ve written them a letter explaining the circumstances and when I’ve tried to contact them. I’ll keep you all posted about whether I manage to get to the bottom of it.

So I gave them a call and they agreed to match the price which I thought was an excellent example of customer service. We got the apartment we wanted at the price we were ready to pay, and as a result EdAparments.com (who specialise exclusively in Edinburgh Apartments) filled a vacancy which may have otherwise stayed empty. They also have a pretty mature offering, both the website and the reminder emails I received contained links to ancillary services that would have interested someone visiting Edinburgh.

I’ll be quite honest, we were blown away by the apartment. It was directly on the Royal Mile, 2 minutes walk away from the castle and packed with all the amenities you could need. There was a large TV with DVD, a fully equipped kitchen and a massive bath in the bathroom. There were even a couple of books to keep you busy in case you have nothing to read. The only downside (in my opinion) was the absence of an Internet connection; but then, I’m perfectly aware that my needs are slightly different to the norm, not many people feel the need to have high speed satellite internet when they’re on holiday.

I’ve bookmarked EdAparments.com for the future. Next time I’m off to Edinburgh (and we’ve already decided we have to visit again); they’re the first company I’ll call on to sort out my accommodation.

Here’s what happened: The girl in front of me asked for a “Veggie Patty” Sub. The person behind the counter inquired if she was vegetarian and when the girl confirmed she was, he help up his hands and asked her if should would like him to change his gloves. When she said “yes” and he proceeded to throw away the gloves he was wearing and put on a fresh pair. He also made it a point to ensure that anyone else who handled the sandwich did the same.

Now, you might argue that it wouldn’t really make much of a difference whether the same gloves were used or not. After all, it’s not really like a nut allergy, where a slight trace can have huge consequences. However, the policy Subway have implemented is more about ensuring a customer is happy with the way they are treated, than whether there really were any traces of meat on the gloves. It’s all about providing extra intangible value through optimising the customer’s experience.

The sad thing about today’s story: Even though I was impressed, the girl who got the special treatment didn’t even bother to thank the staff for the extra effort. So I thought I’d post about it and publicly thank Subway for caring about their customer. Great work guys!

The value of a perk is inversely related to the expectation of that perk.

It makes sense when you think about it. Your relationship with a third party, whether it’s a supplier, customer or partner, is governed by your expectation of the end result. If you expect “more” and get “less”, you’re bound to be disappointed, even if the extra you were expecting isn’t part of your standard relationship. If, on the other hand, you get “more” than you expected, you’re bound to be delighted and this can definetly help make an experience memorable.

We used to use this technique when running The Joke Shop. Every package we sent out was accompanied by a free gift with our compliments. We knew customers weren’t expecting this, and we also knew that this would give rise to goodwill and encourage customers to shop again. Surprising a customer is a massive step in delighting them.