Valentine’s Day
Special Delivery
Here’s a story about customer service to Da Max:
While on Maui Wednesday afternoon I received an order for a Retail Selling Made Easy Audio Book from Erin Ushijima along with this note:
Hello!
I purchased your audio book CD’s this morning (”Retail Selling Made Easy”). I wanted to ask when the item would be shipped out, and by what shipping method. Please email me as soon as possible (it’s actually a Valentine’s Day gift). Any shipping info would be appreciated (tracking info, etc.). Thank you!
I replied with this e-mail:
Aloha Erin,
I saw your order today. I am on Maui, and my office may have already sent it. If not; depending upon where you are, maybe we could even deliver it to you since Valentine’s Day is tomorrow.
Please give me a number to call you at, and tell me where you are.
Ron
Erin then e-mailed back saying:
Hello! Thank you for responding so quickly! I really appreciate it! If the audio book has been mailed out, that’s great! If you or someone from your office will be in the Mo`ili`ili area tomorrow (between 11 A.M.-5 P.M.), I can meet them somewhere. I’ll either be at the shipping address, which is *********.
If not, it’ll be OK if it’s shipped out tomorrow and arrives on the 15th (since my boyfriend told me part of my gift will be arriving late too–haha). If you guys will be around tomorrow to drop off the audio book, my phone number is: ***-***. I can let them know which address I’m at. Thanks so much for being so accomodating!
Have a good day,
Erin
Obviously this got me off of the hook. I already had the money, so I didn’t have to go any further. I checked with my office and determined that the book had not been sent yet.
I then sent this e-mail to Erin:
Aloha Erin,
The book has not been mailed, and mailing it tomorrow will not get to you by the 15th. My limo is picking me up at the airport tomorrow at 12:45 PM and taking me to Ala Moana. I will get the audio book to the driver, and have him bring it along. I will then call you when I get into the car and we can designate a spot to meet, somewhere between the airport and Ala Moana. Does that sound doable?
Again, I am curious as to what led you to getting him this book, and what his business is.
I’ll probably see you tomorrow… somewhere. This will give you the edge on the “present thing”. I may even want to get a picture of me delivering it to you to put on my Blog. After all, I do teach good customer service. Would this be good example of it, or what!
Ron Martin
Erin Replied:
Hello! Sounds great! I am trying to have my boyfriend come with me, as it would be a lot more meaningful if he gets his gift from you, in person. The parking lot in front of Office Depot/Nordstrom Rack may be a good place for us to meet up with you, and it’s on the way to Ala Moana. Sorry this reply is so late! Anyway, awaiting your call! Thanks!
Erin
Upon my arrival in Honolulu I called Erin, arranged the drop off, and sent her this e-mail from the limo:
Aloha Erin,
We are on the way. We should be about 15 minutes.
Ron
Erin and her boyfriend, Kent Izuka met us in that parking lot.
Kent is the owner of Security & Sound Systems. I signed and delivered the book, had my driver take the photo above, and off we all went. I think they were impressed with this level of customer service and had a great Valentine’s Day.
Now I better go take care of my Valentine!
February 14th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
HI Ron,This is exactly how to do business and have fun with it at the same time….. I am sure you will gain these people’s business for more than the book as they soon will learn about the very valuable Morning Report! Good Going!
February 16th, 2008 at 9:01 am
I received e-mail from Kent Untermann at Pictures Plus saying, “Only you could deliver a tape in a limo!!” My reply to Kent was:
Aloha Kent,
I’m not the “only” one. Many years ago, in “MINDING THE STORE” I read about Stanley Marcus (Nieman Marcus founder) answering the phone in a closed store on a Sunday, and talking with a distraught customer 100 miles away that did not get the dinnerware she had ordered in time for the party she was having that evening. Stanley got in his car and drove it to her.
I remember thinking at the time, “many people in his position wouldn’t even have answered that phone (on Sunday), and next to none of them would have made that drive to save that woman’s evening.
I never forgot that story, and it was on my mind during this little experience (opportunity) to make this woman’s Valentine’s Day. The look on their faces made it all worth while. It surely wasn’t about the money, I tipped the limo driver much more than I made on the sale.
February 20th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
What a great example of stellar customer service.
February 26th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Ron Martin surely does practice what he preaches. Way to go Ron. We’ll see you in April.
March 29th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
[…] Delivery Some of you may recall this Blog story on Valentine’s Day when I delivered a Retail Selling Made Easy audio book to Kent via limo. When I saw the Star […]