Will Your Customers Give You A Second Chance?
Debbie Hart
Expert Customer Experience Management Training ? Mystery Shopping & Business Assessments ? Event Services
Recently we ordered a carryout pizza from Lou Malnati's. We have always loved their pizza and have used the carryout at this location numerous times. We ordered our usual pizza and caesar salad on Valentine's Day. When I arrived, other customers were waiting; it was expected since it was Valentine's Day. I waited about 5 minutes for my order. I saw an employee bring the pizza out of the kitchen so I knew it had just come out of the oven. The employee in the front counter wasn't overly friendly but did get the order together promptly.
After getting home and removing the pizza from the box we could tell it didn't look as good as usual. The pizza crust was overcooked, the toppings were hard, and it was warm, not hot. It was not the same great pizza we usually get there. The caesar salad was good and fresh.
I appreciate that they always ask for feedback so I completed the form and submitted it. I did get a nice letter from the management thanking me for the feedback. They asked if the letter would be enough to compensate me for the problem, and I agreed. I had been hoping they would offer me another pizza to get me to return however they did not. Would we return? I am not sure.
Do you as a customer give second chances? As a business owner, I know it's sometimes how we handle the mistakes that define our business. It's always great to see managers and/or owners follow up with customers good or bad. Do you follow up with your customers?
When should a business owner and/or manager follow up:
Sometimes a Thank You is okay for good feedback however bad feedback requires an email or a call. You want your customers to know you appreciate their feedback and want to improve.
We at The Hart Experience understand that mistakes happen however we know that if you don't know what the mistakes are you can't fix them. If you want return customers you must learn from your and your team's mistakes. Let us educate you and your team on areas that need improvement. We offer complimentary business evaluations and customized mystery shop reports. Contact Debbie at 602.717.3271 or [email protected]