Workplace Calisthentics: Surprise customers with service to make cents

The last words I ever expected to slip through his lips were, "Sure, we will be happy to exchange all that furniture."

I just moved my offices into a new building and needed matching office furniture (the days of the old card table, rusted file cabinet and plastic chairs were over I was moving uptown!) My search for the "right ergonomic look" ended in a nationally known office supply mega-store. Yes, there was "some assembly required," but I am reasonably intelligent and gifted with a battery-powered screwdriver.

When I cut open the first box to begin my adult Erector Set project, I did not notice, until constructing the entire piece, that I had pulled the wrong order slips and everything, yes, all seven items, were in golden oak and not cherry finish. I thought, "what difference does it make, just slap these puppies together and get your staff humming."

Well, it made it big difference. I put all seven pieces together and then proudly marched the staff in to see my handiwork.

The new furniture brought thoughts of airsick bags on a quasi-airplane flight between here and Dallas. There were smiles all around (I just wish people would be honest with me!), but I knew it would not take Martha Stewart to know my office decoration skills had slipped into the "below standard" category.

I said to one of my employees, "Do you think they would take this stuff back and exchange it for cherry?" The silence, rolling of the eyes and pawing the ground gave me my answer.

Three days later, I threw self-esteem to the four winds and called the store manager. I related that I had chosen the wrong color wood trim and asked would there be any chance they would take what I had constructed (I was not going to de-construct for appearance!). And he said, "Sure."

I thought I had a bad connection because of solar spots, so I asked again and he said, "It was an honest mistake on your part, and we want to make sure you are happy with the furniture in your office just bring it back and we will give you the cherry finish in exchange."

Guess where I am buying all of my pencils, paper, hand towels, laser printers and furniture in the future?

In an age of mind-numbing competition, this store manager has found the secret. Just surprise that's right, provide service the customer would never expect and watch the cash register ring.

I'll bet your organization or business has "policies." Policies are good; rigidity is not. Whenever policies and procedures mature into insensitive customer service "Sorry, that is our policy ... no exceptions ..." your company will lose the competitive edge in this economy.

If you think this fanatical approach to meeting customers' needs is so much handholding and misguided do-gooding, try this.

This same office complex which called for matching furniture was also in dire need of matching cherry wooden blinds (see how everything is visually "cascading" eat your heart out Martha). After an extensive search I decided to bite the bullet and go with an internationally known supplier (which will go un-named for legal considerations).

The blinds were measured, made and installed end of story and contract. Think again. Within six weeks of installation I noticed some of the blinds were heading south and others north. The longer these window treatments were hanging around, the more they were warping.

The company that installed them was called, and after some debate on just how many of the slats were becoming double-jointed, the international company agreed to replace all the blinds. Wow! Another illustration of extraordinary customer care.

Until ... I asked to have the new blinds replaced in white (because the darker blinds were heating up some offices) instead of the cherry.

My request would not have increased the price, measurements or anything else about this order. The response I got back was, "We will replace the original order nothing more or less that is our policy."

After additional appeals from the local distributor, the answer was the same.

Guess what company I will never do business with again?

Come on, it is a no-brainer in this economy surprise me with service and make cents.

(Dr. Cal LeMon solves organizational problems with customized training and consulting. His company, The Executive Edge, can be contacted via the Business Journal at sbj@sbj.net.)