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March 16, 2010
I recently had an issue with a vendor. They’d sent me a defective product. When I contacted them to let them know about it, they asked me to send them pictures of the defects. As a customer here’s what I thought:
a. If I got a defective shipment I am probably not the only one, you’ve probably had this complaint before yet you’re treating me with suspicion.
b. You’re treating me with suspicion. Like I don’t have better things to do than email you about some imaginary problem?
c. You screwed up and now you want me to go to the trouble of taking pictures and emailing them to you?
Yikes!
This should get you thinking about how you respond when your customers complain. If a customer emails and says their bracelet clasp broke after one wear do you immediately send her a replacement or do you demand she send you the broken product first? If a customer calls to say that the lining in the new handbag she ordered from you is falling apart after just a few weeks do you try to blow her off?
Every company has different policies with regard to customer complaints. Some are more generous, or maybe trusting, when it comes to their customers. Others are more likely to make things a more difficult for customers. While placing the burden of proof on customers when a problem arises might sound like a good way to protect yourself from being conned, it’s also a good way to further alienate an unhappy customer with a legitimate complaint.
When a customer has a complaint, they’re at a crossroads. They’ve had a bad experience and it can be made a whole lot worse by a retailer who makes them jump through hoops. On the flip side, this is an opportunity to really delight a customer with top notch customer service and turn them into a loyal brand advocate.
Customer service done the right way: A few years ago I bought a sofa from Pottery Barn. About a year into owning the sofa, I found the material inside the sofa cushions was coming out through the upholstery like crazy! Even though it had been a year since my purchase, I called Pottery Barn to complain. They didn’t demand proof of my complaint, they didn’t ask me to mail them back the defective cushions. They immediately express shipped replacement cushions free of charge, along with a coupon for a future purchase. Their fast and satisfying response to my complaint reinforced my positive image of Pottery Barn. As a result, I will shop with them again in the future and recommend them to others.
So what do you when a customer complains? Take them at their word? Make things right only after they’ve shown proof of a defect? Hold your ground and tell them to suck it up?
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March 12, 2010
Every day I check out the 100s of subscriptions in my RSS feed about marketing, PR, advertising, branding, social media, and a host of other topics of interest to small businesses that sell online. Most of what gets posted isn’t earth shattering but I reserve Fridays for the best reads of the week. So here you have it, the most valuable things I read in the business blogosphere this week:
This content is copyrighted. See my content sharing policy here.
March 5, 2010
Every day I check out the 100s of subscriptions in my RSS feed about marketing, PR, advertising, branding, social media, and a host of other topics of interest to small businesses that sell online. Most of what gets posted isn’t earth shattering but I reserve Fridays for the best reads of the week. So here you have it, the most valuable things I read in the business blogosphere this week:
This content is copyrighted. See my content sharing policy here.
February 19, 2010
Every day I check out the 100s of subscriptions in my RSS feed about marketing, PR, advertising, branding, social media, and a host of other topics of interest to small businesses that sell online. Most of what gets posted isn’t earth shattering but I reserve Fridays for the best reads of the week. So here you have it, the most valuable things I read in the business blogosphere this week:
This content is copyrighted. See my content sharing policy here.
February 18, 2010
When you ship merchandise from your e-tail website, there are certain things your package should contain, in addition to the actual merchandise of course.
1. Branded Invoice
Don’t simply print a receipt from Etsy or Paypal. Instead, design a professional, branded invoice with your logo and fonts. Include details such as date, billing address, contents of the package sent and their price.
Bonus Points: When customers place an order on my retail site, they can check a box to indicate that the order is a gift. When they do this, we mail a gift invoice instead of a regular invoice. Our gift invoice does not include any pricing information and includes a note from the sender. Implement a similar feature on your website so gift recipients get a special invoice with their order.
2. Return Information
On your invoice, or someplace else in the package, you should reiterate your return policy and return instructions.
3. Contact Information
Provide customers a way to get in touch in case there is something wrong with the order. Include your website URL, your contact email address and, if possible, a customer service phone number.
4. Swag
Provide a little something extra that will surprise your customer, preferably something they will keep, like a pen or magnet, although samples may make sense too if you sell edibles, cosmetics or bath/body goods. More on that topic here.
Bonus Points: Enclose a coupon for the customer’s next purchase.
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January 7, 2010
Everyone loves getting a little something extra for free. Why not add some wow factor to your packages by sending customers a little something extra with every order. Many brands just send flyers, business cards or an invoice with their orders. Customers tend to throw such things away and you know what they say “out of sight, out of mind.”
Why Give Swag?
It engenders good will for your brand. People will remember that ordering from you is fun because their purchase comes with a free surprise. The freebie should also serve as a promotional tool. Give them something they won’t throw out so they won’t forget about your brand. If you sell pet products, a free dog or cat toy with your logo and URL on it is a good choice. If you sell cosmetics, a free make up brush with your logo and URL might make more sense.
What To Send
Make sure whatever you decide to send fits with your brand and products. If you sell art, a postcard with a print of your work might be most suitable for you. If you sell candles, a free votive holder might be a better fit. Be sure to pick something that, cost-wise, makes sense for your company. If your average order is $50 you can afford to offer a more expensive freebie than a company with an average order value of $10.00
Some Examples of Great Swag
- 1″ buttons
- Stickers
- Bottle Openers
- Pens and Pencils
- Mini Samples (great for bath and body, cosmetics or edibles)
- Postcards
- Chip Clips
- Keychains
- Magnets
- Post it Notes
Where To Get It:
A quick Google search for promotional items will probably bring up loads of websites where you can have promotional items custom made. A few places I’ve used in the past are:
All of those companies, in my experience, do good quality work for a great price.
Got a resource for great promotional items? Got a cool promo you use for your business? Ever received something especially neat in a package from an online order? Feel free to share your expertise below in the comments 
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