I recently ordered products from two companies, resulting in two distinct “Wow!” reactions.
First, Company A: After ordering, I received a thank-you email, followed by a tracking number for the shipping carrier.
Next came only sales emails. The product arrived sooner than expected, but a major component was missing.
I contacted customer service via a form, noting the missing parts, some minor product damage, and terrible installation instructions. Days later, I got an email saying the missing part would ship in a week, hopefully, based on availability. There was no response to my other complaints.
After that, I received a follow-up email asking how they did on a scale of 1 to 5. (I gave a low score with an explanation.)
Ever since, I’ve heard nothing. No confirmation that my replacement parts had shipped, no tracking number…nothing. My replacement parts showed up unannounced. But it wasn’t just the parts I needed. It was another giant box with another entire product. That means the company paid to ship 60 pounds worth of product instead of 8 pounds of replacement parts.
I thought, “Wow, that’s terrible customer service and an unnecessary expense for the company that maybe could charge customers less if they didn’t waste money.”
But there is hope in the customer service realm!
The second company I ordered a product from sent me the standard “order received” email right away. Included in that was a tracking link to their company. That link kept me posted every step of the way, including who in the warehouse was processing, packing, and shipping my order. When they shipped the order, I was able to track its progress on the company’s website, which included a map showing its real-time location.
I also received emails notifying me when my product was out for delivery and when it was delivered. A day later, I received an email saying they saw the product had been delivered and to please let them know if I had any questions or concerns. The person signing it provided their direct email address, a photo to accompany their name, and a brief bio in the signature line explaining how long they had been with the company and how they ended up there. In other words, they humanized the interaction.
I didn’t have any issues with the order — thanks, Josh, for your great packing job — but if I had, I feel like I would have gotten help immediately from Sarah W., who seemed genuinely concerned about how I felt as a customer.
I thought, “Wow, that’s awesome customer service!”
Resources do not explain the differences. Both companies are similarly sized in the automotive aftermarket parts industry.
Both companies operate in the same market and are similar in size, making this a fair comparison. While Company A’s customer service was frustrating and inefficient, Company B delivered a seamless, personal experience. Next time, I’ll check Company B first, making sure Josh and Sarah have more sales to help their company grow.