Date:         Wed, 25 Jan 2006 09:57:27 -0800
Reply-To:     John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Bus Depot Report
In-Reply-To:  <BFFCFFD2.617A%jeffg@mikoexoticwear.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

>
>
> Do companies make mistakes, yes, do companies give bad service, yes, do
> companies have bad days just like you and me yes, but the bottom line is
> how
> great is it that you can go online, compare products, compare prices, see
> the product, ask questions, order something at 2am or whenever and have it
> delivered to your door.


Actually, as much as such businesses might wish it were so, the bottom line
is NOT that customers should be grateful that the business exists to serve
them. It is businesses that should be grateful that they have such a
critical niche that customers are willing to put up with their errors. I
fill a fairly esoteric niche in my own business, but I would never want my
customers to feel like my existence was "doing them a favor". I am pleased
when they are grateful for the service I render, but I'm always very clear
that this is BUSINESS.

As for finger pointing, it really kinda seems to go both ways. I once
ordered a dozen critical parts from a vendor to be sent UPS Next Day Air.
They called to verify I wanted the expensive shipping. Next day, package
shows up-- with half the parts on BACK ORDER! I figured they'd have
mentioned when they called. Apparently I should have asked. Another time I
ordered a tune-up kit. Order form says "fill in VIN (here) because there was
a mid-year variation in parts". They called on my cell two days later while
I was 50 miles away from my van on a job. Took 'em five minutes of me
insisting it was there to find the VIN in the box where the ASKED ME to fill
it in. Sometimes you gotta think if maybe the problem isn't the customer,
but the vendor's system. Maybe there should be separate part numbers for
each color of poptop decal, so people don't get caught in a "you should have
read all the instructions twice" game. Maybe that tune-up kit should be two
part numbers, with the customer shoosing based on his VIN. Maybe you should
have an auto message on your email that says "thanks for the email-- hours
are M-F, etc." It's a constant struggle, but part of the eternal "fun" of
running a business is minimizing or eliminating ways customers can shoot
themselves in the foot. Instead of complaining that they don't read the
warnings when we hand them loaded pistols, we really oughtta' be looking for
ways to eliminate the loaded pistol situations altogether.

--
John Bange
'90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"