Righting a Wrong

Almost weekly, I receive emails from readers who find themselves in situations where an individual or company’s brand has made a distinct impression—either good or bad. Their stories excite me as it further demonstrates the need for each of us to be cognizant of how our verbal and non-verbal communications and our interactions are perceived.

One recent email comes from an industry colleague, Sharon Berman, principal of Berbay Corp., a marketing and public relations agency that represents professional services firms. She relates two examples of recent situations that got off on a bad note but were quickly resolved to her satisfaction. Below is her email.

Jonathan,

I thought of BAD for the BRAND during two specific interactions with well-known companies.

In the first instance, I was contacted by Intuit to upgrade my agency’s accounting software, QuickBooks. Apparently we were using a version that they no longer support. I assumed that by upgrading, I would be provided the necessary tools and technical support to download and install the new software. For reasons unknown to me, the process didn’t go as expected, and the install failed.

In an effort to resolve the situation, I was directed to the company’s “after sales” customer service department. The representative there claimed that the problem had nothing to do with the software, leaving me to my own devices.

Frustrated and at my wits end, I fired off an email to a general customer relations address I found on the company’s website, fully convinced my inquiry would go unanswered. Much to my surprise, I received a prompt response from a department supervisor who apologized for the inconvenience, then proceeded to personally assist me with the technical issues involved in the upgrade process. He went the extra mile by crediting me a portion of the upgrade fee.

As a result of one individual taking responsibility, Intuit has redeemed itself in my eyes, and I’m back to being a happy customer.

In a second instance, FedEx failed to make a Saturday delivery. After advising me that I wouldn’t be charged for the delivery, the invoice arrived at my office without the credit. When I called customer service to have the oversight corrected, I spoke with a young woman, Tina, who was snippy and unapologetic. Realizing I would make no progress with Tina, I decided to use the website’s “live chat” customer service feature in hopes of a second chance at obtaining my credit.

During the chat, I explained the situation, which was immediately addressed. For me, the issue had been resolved.

Not 30 minutes passed before I received a follow-up call from a FedEx supervisor, Karen, who said she had reviewed my call with Tina. Karen apologized for Tina’s unprofessional demeanor and promised the situation would be formally addressed with human resources. I was very impressed with the attention and timeliness given my situation.

Despite our best efforts, each of us are sure to find ourselves, or others in our organization, in less than ideal situations. Instead of focusing on the past or defending our position, we should direct our attention toward those aspects we have control over–whatever it will take to right the situation.

At a recent conference I attended on client service, a representative from the Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center spoke about how the hospitality chain has empowered its employees to provide outstanding customer service. Employees, from the valet to the hotel manager, have the ability to spend up to two thousand dollars per hotel guest per visit in order to “right a wrong.” Although rarely used, it demonstrates the brand’s respect for and willingness to create an amazing guest experience.

In the words of a Japanese Proverb, “The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour.”

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