My Personal Amazing Customer Experience

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

A recent “customer experience” caused me to reflect on how I have observed that phrase over years.  

Recently, I began using a new upscale grocery store shopping app.  My personal shopper was unable to fill several items in my order.  Since the pandemic, I’ve become accustomed to expect inventory shortages due to the “global supply chain crisis” so I wasn’t particularly upset by the grocer’s foible.  

A few days later, I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email apology for the “lack of service” and shortcomings in their job performance.  They assured me that the deficiency does not represent nor comply with their company’s core values for client satisfaction. 

Included in the email was a “because you were inconvenienced” coupon that allows me to order a high end product—at not cost.  It is a product that I have purchased from their store on several occasions.  

Even though I did not submit a complaint, this level of empathy demonstrated that the store understands how to:

• Be accountable.  They stepped up and addressed the fact that they missed the mark by not meeting my expectations and that their own internal service standards had been compromised.
• Stand out from the competition.  Their acknowledgment of the situation followed by an olive branch apology in the form of a product they know I like is a display of vulnerability.  They know I will shop for that product again…regardless whether it is at their store or at their competitor’s store.

So, how were they able to provide stellar customer service to me in the face of perceived failure?  Because they know the basic tenets of the “amaze your customer” model:

1. They initiated a plan for problem resolution.  Their email explained that, even with global supply shortages, they do their best to monitor stock levels in order to set appropriate expectations for their customers. 
2. They monitored my shopping activity.  Apps are data rich and are uniquely positioned to synchronize customer information into a clear picture of the customer’s style and taste.  In my case, they noted the number of chats I had with my personal shopper via the app.
3. They were able to detect an issue and quickly respond. Chatting with a shopper is not in itself unusual, however, the number of canceled items in my order raised a red flag. The grocery store shopping app reacted to that red flag by reviewing my shopping experience and the grocery store manager reached out to me to resolve the issue.

Has your business implemented an “amaze your customer” model?  Let us know in the comments below.  Remember to always do your part to make it a great day!