Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

It’s Only Common Sense: Great Customer Service Stories

I can’t help myself when it comes to great customer service. I love to hear examples of when a company went the extra mile to help a customer. There are so many examples of poor and terrible customer service that it is aways so much more meaningful to hear about some great customer service stories.

Delivering great customer service indicates many things are right with a company. Here’s what I think it means:

• The company is secure enough to give a little something away.
• Employees are proud of their own company and happy to work there because they are allowed to make their customers happy.
• They are empowered to deliver great customer service.
• The owners love and respect their customers enough to both talk and walk the customer service experience philosophy and pass it on to the rest of the team.

When you consider what it means to the customers experiencing this kind of service, the benefits are endless. People love telling great customer service stories to anyone who will listen, and that is better than any advertising. Sometimes your customers will even be willing to participate in your advertising by giving testimonials on your behalf. One of your customers saying good things about you is much more effective than you saying good things about yourselves.

Now, for your reading enjoyment (and inspiration), here are some of my favorite customer service stories.

Zappos: Delivering Happiness
Zappos, an online shoe and clothing retailer, is often cited as a prime example of exceptional customer service. Their commitment to delivering happiness is well-known. They have a policy of offering free shipping both ways, allowing customers to easily return products. One legendary story involves a customer service call that lasted over 10 hours, setting a Guinness World Record. The representative stayed on the line until the customer was satisfied. This level of dedication to customer satisfaction has made Zappos a renowned brand for its exceptional service.

Ritz-Carlton: The $2,000 Problem
The Ritz-Carlton is famous for its luxury service, and one story exemplifies its commitment to customer satisfaction. A guest at the Ritz-Carlton hotel lost a valuable piece of jewelry during their stay. The staff went above and beyond by launching a thorough search and eventually found the missing item. Not only did they return the jewelry promptly, but as a gesture of good will, they sent it back with a note, a bouquet of flowers, and a $2,000 credit toward the guest's next stay. This extraordinary effort illustrates the Ritz-Carlton's dedication to exceeding customer expectations.

Nordstrom: The Tire Return
Nordstrom, a department store chain, is known for its lenient return policy. An often-cited story is that a customer returned a set of tires to a Nordstrom store, despite the fact that the store does not sell tires. The store processed the return without hesitation, even though it was clearly not their product. This commitment to customer satisfaction and their willingness to go the extra mile to accommodate their customers' needs has made Nordstrom a customer service legend.

Amazon: The 8-Second Refund
Amazon is known for its efficient customer service. There's a famous story where a customer accidentally purchased a book and contacted Amazon for a refund. The impressive part is that the customer received a refund within eight seconds of sending the request, highlighting Amazon's dedication to a seamless customer experience.

Southwest Airlines: The Birthday Surprise
A Southwest Airlines passenger tweeted that they were sad to be flying on their birthday. The airline staff noticed this and surprised the passenger with a birthday cake onboard, along with a personalized birthday card. This small gesture went viral and highlighted Southwest's commitment to customer happiness.

LEGO: Replacing Lost Pieces
This is my favorite story and my favorite company, so I have to tell this story. The LEGO Group has a reputation for its excellent customer service, especially when it comes to replacing lost or damaged pieces. They have been known to send replacement pieces to customers free of charge, ensuring that 'kids' of all ages can continue to enjoy their LEGO sets without hassle.

Rackspace: Fanatical Support
Rackspace, a managed cloud computing company, is famous for its "fanatical support." They once sent a server to a customer's home so that he could back up his data during a hurricane. This level of dedication to customer support is legendary in the tech industry.

JetBlue: Valentine's Day Flight
JetBlue made headlines when they offered a promotion where passengers on a particular flight could win a free return ticket if they could unanimously agree on a destination during the flight. This spontaneous and fun customer experience garnered significant attention and goodwill.

L.L. Bean: No Questions Asked Returns
L.L. Bean has a renowned return policy where they accept returns on any product, regardless of how old it is, and they do it with no questions asked. This policy has created a loyal customer base and a reputation for excellent service. (Note: So many people were finding old LL. Bean products at thrift stores and returning them for credit that Bean’s had to curb this policy. You now need a receipt.)

I love these stories and I’d love to hear more. Do you have a great customers story? Something you experienced or better yet something that your company did? Please send it to me, and I’ll highlight it in a future column.

It’s only common sense.

Dan Beaulieu is president of D.B. Management Group.