"Exceptional" Customer Service?

[chuckerants]

After reading a recent thread, I got to thinking about customer service. What does it mean to have different levels of CS?

For example, when is CS, just what is expected and when is CS "above and beyond"?

[Serpico]

Hmmmm?

Here's a list of things that Tom has done for me and I'd say they were all pretty "above and beyond". Bear in mind that I did not even purchase my supercharger kit from Tom. I got it from,,,well......nevermind..... ;)

1. Sent me a PC to try (my Elf was misbehaving...imagine that) and said I could buy it if it fixed my fueling problems. cost = $0

2. Sent me a new fuel injector to replace the one I had in the fifth injector even though the one I had seemed to be working. Tom said he didn't want to take any chances. cost = $0

3. When I bought the BTB kit , unfortunately during the install I noticed that one tiny part was missing. Tom overnighted the piece to me so I could be up and running the next day. I imagine that the shipping cost were higher than that of the piece. cost = $0

4. Sent me a New PC-Pro and a Plug/Play harness (which corrected all fueling issues ) Bye Bye Elf......cost = $0.00

Always answers the phone
Always reponds to posts
Always replys to emails with lightning speed

Sounds like Exceptional Customer Service to me!!!!

Thanks Tom!

[BlownMX5]

When evaluating a level of customer service, you also have to look at it from the company's point of view; that is, it may not make sense to go too far "above and beyond" if it costs too much to do so. There is always a cost of doing business and the cost of providing customer service has to factor in as well. Naturally as a customer, we'd all like to be taken care of to an extent that makes us feel like we're special. But, you have to ask the question "how much am I willing to pay for that?". A company has to strike a balance between providing good CS and the cost of doing business.

My company sells pickup and SUV accessories (step bars, etc.). Our CS rep's responsibilities are to take customer orders and handle order inquiries. That would be their basic level of CS. Occasionally, they might help a customer with installation advice which I would consider a bit beyond their scope because installation instructions are included in our kits and the CS reps are not tech support people. We have a tech support department, but sometimes customers will call CS by mistake and if the CS rep happens to know the answer to the customer's question, they will answer it rather than transferring them to TS. Transferring the call is what they are supposed to do. Examples of what might be considered way "above and beyond" might be emailing pictures of our products on a vehicle that is similar to the customer's so the customer can see what it'll look like. We do have a pretty good library of application photography, but it takes a fair amount of time and effort to accomplish this task, which is taking time away from what they're supposed to be doing. This decreases the CS department's efficiency which costs the company money. Sure, the customer appreciates it, but is it going to result in more sales? Probably not, so it may not be worth doing.

Or, you can go completely insane like Tom and practically give stuff away. However, I think his plan is just to pump up his market share then he'll clamp down and we'll never be able to talk to him again. We'll just get transfered to tech support :biggrin:.

Pat.

[chuckerants]

I think everyone that has had dealings with Tom would agree that he provides exceptional CS, However, the thread that I read that prompted this query just makes me think that people in general really overuse terms like "Exceptional CS" and "Above and Beyond".

After all, isn't the essence of customer service all about "going the extra mile" (which I recently found out is a biblical term) for your customer? Hell, Tom goes the extra mile for people who haven't even bought anything from him (yet)!

For example, When Tom and BRP were in business together Tom shipped the original coldsides while BRP accepted the initial orders. So now that Tom is FFS, he is providing support for those original Coldsides. While Tom could have said to those original CS owners, "Tough, you didn't actually buy them from me, so you'll have to pay for support", we all know he did no such thing. Now that we would expect from Tom.

However, what WOULD be "above and beyond", and "exceptional" would be if Tom were to drive from Arizona to OHIO, or Kentucky or any other galaxy to help a customer install and troubleshoot a SC kit - FREE!!! Not that he'd ever toot his own horn about think like that. :)

[99mx5]

I think I was the first one to be surprised by Tom's service when he drove from the next state to hand-deliver my coldside when FedEx delivered what looked like a package that was dragged behind the truck instead of in it.

Tom's regular run-of-the-mill service == Exceptional and above and beyond service of others.

[chuckerants]

I think I was the first one to be surprised by Tom's service when he drove from the next state to hand-deliver my coldside when FedEx delivered what looked like a package that was dragged behind the truck instead of in it.

Tom's regular run-of-the-mill service == Exceptional and above and beyond service of others.

Exactly. Now THAT'S exceptional service!

[bambam]

I ordered a VDII kit from FM and had to lay out about $1600.00 down for a deposit. I was told 2 to 4 weeks shipping. 2 months had gone by with no kit and end in sight so I canceled my order. They charged 5% of my deposit to my CC even thou they did not make their delivery time!

Tom was disgusted:nono: as I, and even after I told him I was buying his kit, and it was a done deal Tom adamantly offered to deduct 5% from the total sale price of his kit to compensate on FM's unwarranted deduction. I declined his generous offer. I am not trying to slam FM, as they are not worth it but that tells me something about Tom, really

I up to this point have not really had a real good encounter with a vendor for my Miata. Tom w/FFS has changed that. I personally know he had paid hundred of dollars for dyno time and had nothing to do with his kit and was not his car. Tom paid for the dyno in Coolidge this Memorial Weekend and worked his ass off accomodating everyone.

I like Tom and his wife Kathleen, they are nice folks. They are welcome in my home anytime.

Buck

[magnamx-5]

Tom seems bad ass but we all wonder when the mp62 1.6 will debut. Still the 1.8 community is getting a great product in the mean time.

[GO MAN GO]

I think we are all so used to being taken advantage of in this "make a buck" world, that we are kind of taken aback by the service Tom provides.
My first reaction was that this is unbelievable, and, what is this guys angle? After continuous help from Tom, and reading all the customers trials, I get it. His angle is to do the right thing.
WOW, what a concept. Nothing spreads and grows business like customer service. Setting a high moral standard for oneself is good for the soul.
Well being, gratitude, and Prosperity will follow.

Thankyou Tom for your continued support.

[bogey]

What more can be said other than Tom bends over backwards to ensure customer satisfaction. My supercharger shipped within 2 days of ordering and was exactly what I expected.

Tom reimbursed me for a replacement belt - no questions asked (the original was a little too short.)

Tom contacted me a couple months after I installed it to offer sending the first PCPro for the NA (to upgrade the original powercard). I expected that this would be an upgrade, but Tom insisted that is was included in the purchase.

Tom also replaced my 5th injector because he suspected that there was a bad batch.

And he always answers the phone!

I wish all experiences with vendors were half this good.

[bambam]

My last post on this thread I tried to go back in and edit but took to long. I dont think I post one comment without some sort of edit :1eye:

Anyway what I wanted to write also is that Tom is a welcomed change and a breath of fresh air vs the dog eat dog enviroment of M-net.

You can get everything you want in life if you just help enough people get what they want. I think Tom understands that, talks the talk, and walks the walk that direction.

Ok enough from me about Tom.... its all about me NOW ! :biggrin: I think I will call him in the morning at 6-am

later

Buck