What Policies Does Your Company Enforce that Create Bad Touchpoints and Ticked Off Customers?
We have a Happy Cup frozen yogurt in our town. It is a nice place to go for dessert and is a place that I often take guests that are staying with us.
I took a guest to Happy Cup on Monday. After we filled our cups with yummy yogurt and goodies, I paid. It was then that I noticed a sign that said something to the effect of, “Monday: Mention Happy Hour and Get ½ Off.” Of course I asked, did I get half off? “No” was the reply from the somewhat embarrassed yogurt artist. She explained, “My manager says that it is a promotion to bring people in and if a customer doesn’t mention it prior to paying, they were probably coming in anyway and don’t get the discount.”
How about that for a customer-centric policy? What if I came in for the promotion but forgot to mention it?
For me it wasn’t about the money, it was about the horrible policy, the experience, and the bad taste it left in my mouth (pun intended).
Contrast Happy Cup’s policy with that of Bed, Bath & Beyond (BB&B). BB&B sends out coupons for 20% off a single item purchase and other coupons for $5 off. Their coupons do have an expiration date. Yet their answers to customer questions are quite different than those from Happy Cup.
Can I use my coupon after they expire? Yes. Can I use more than one 20%-off-an-item coupon per purchase? Yes. Can I combine 20%-off coupons with $5-off coupons? Yes. I forgot my coupons, can I return with my receipt and get the coupons applied retroactively to my purchase? Yes.
Now that’s a customer-centric policy well executed. They make it easy for their employees to say “yes” to customers. As a result, there is a feeling of being appreciated.
To what common customer questions are your employees having to say “no” and providing a lame excuse grounded in poor policy? Happy Cup, are you listening?
Remember, to your customers, you are your touchpoints.
Find more experiental customer service tips in my book, TOUCHPOiNT POWER! Get & Keep More Customers, Touchpoint by Touchpoint (William Henry Publishing, 2013). Now available! For information and to order, visit TouchpointPower.com or view the TOUCHPOiNT POWER! listing on Amazon.
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