I’ve been invited to a forum this evening on customer service.

They’ve asked as part of the pre work to think of some examples of excellent customer service.

I have a few examples of very poor customer service, but am drawing a bit of a blank on the good stuff. I think everything is adequate, so I don’t make a note of it.

Can only think of one instance where a Maitre D’ noticed that one of our diners wasn’t totally happy with her meal, just from (fairly subtle) body language. He came over, found what wasn’t quite right and came out shortly after with a replacement meal.

Anyone in the hive mind had any stand out good customer service?

Amazon, everytime I have had to return something – speak to them via chat and they very quickly sort a return number and labels, email it to me so I can return it.

Local knee surgeon who found out I wanted to Ride the Transcontinental Race this summer and rather than make me wait 14 weeks for a normal NHS slot offered to do it for free the following week so I had a chance to recover – it is going to cost me loads of chocolate for his staff though !

I have always thought every company makes cockups, its how they are sorted that matters.

Just do a search for Hope on here. I’m sure there was a thread only a few days ago about someone returning an out of warranty light and getting it fixed FOC.

Had a LED Lenser head torch fail, it was about three years old. Sent it back to LL for repair, no receipt or proof of purchase or anything. They sent me a brand spanker by return, next model up from the one I bought, no questions and no faff. Brilliant.

Just do a search for Hope on here. I’m sure there was a thread only a few days ago about someone returning an out of warranty light and getting it fixed FOC.

That’s what I’m after, memory joggers! Thanks!

mtbbatteries.com Light was about 2 years old, but stopped working. Contacted them and they said send it in.
Was a dry solder joint, so they fixed it and sent it back. Just cost me the postage there, which for just the lamp was about £3.
I was very impressed, but subsequently forgot!

Bought a second hand Acoustic Solutions DAB tuner off ebay. Turned out the aerial was knackered. Emailed Acoustic Solutions asking where I could buy a replacement; their response was ‘send us your address and we’ll post one to you for free’.

SJS Cycles/Rohloff – hub developed an issue (skipping in some gears) after a sprocket change; phoned SJS and they said it was probably due to (I’m paraphrasing, they were rather more diplomatic!) my cack-handed sprocket change contaminating the internals. Despite that, they still said to send it back and they would fix it for free! All turned round in less than a week too.

I used to run a website using moonfruit, and I let the site and domain expire due to inattention.

With no idea as to whom I needed to contact, but with a fair bit riding on the site being up and running, I was desperate for help.

In any case, I email moonfruit’s customer service, and was able to live chat with someone who took care of everything for me, including the domain which was leased from another company.

The relief I felt that day simply because the customer service guy I spoke with recognised that I didn’t know what I was doing, guided me through everything that had gone wrong, managed to set it right, and explained to me everything I needed to know in future, was amazing.

My LBS ordered me a GX groupset, the dealer sent it to the wrong shop, it was bounced back and as I had started my holiday the shop forwarded it on to my hotel. A stuff up but rescued.

My Marz fork developed a problem with an adjuster, shop spoke to windwave who said sent it back we will turn it round quick/within 2 weeks didn’t, the LBS/KMB gave them a bollocking and checked me any one of the demo bikes to take for th weekend.

For me it’s about doing whats right when others let you down.

Oh yeah, more on topic, Blazing Saddles in Hebden.

Bought two new bikes to replace ones that were stolen right before going on a cycling holiday. Cue much panic. My OH’s was ready in time but mine was delayed, late shipping from the supplier or some such. Blazing Saddles went, “never mind, here you go” and gave me a loaner for free that was probably worth three times what I’d paid for my new one. Good people.

Had excellent service from Costco on a couple of occasions:
Example 1 here
Example 2 here

Amazon are pretty good also. I bought 3 x Anker 6′ lightening cables at Xmas and two of them failed within three weeks – Amazon swapped them straight over and paid for the return. All good I think to myself.
I then get an Amazon request to do a review on the cables, which I did [3/5 saying it was a shame two had died and I hoped it was a glitch as Anker stuff is pretty good].
I then get an email from Anker apologising for the failures and saying that they’d be sending another pair of their [newly designed] cables for us to try meaning we’ll be up by 2 cables. Good CS.

ant77 – Member

I have a few examples of very poor customer service, but am drawing a bit of a blank on the good stuff. I think everything is adequate, so I don’t make a note of it.

I had a Hope hub that kept breaking, STW assures me this is great customer service and I should be delighted.

Early Rider, kids bikes.

Little one has a Sperovelo, designed for 10-24 months old, and the handlebar snapped when the wife sat on it accidentally whilst playing Ringa ringa roses.

Emailed to ask about purchasing a replacement part and they sent one out free, next day delivery.

I bought an iPhone 5 from the Apple Store in Reading. 2 weeks later I dropped it and cracked the screen. I took it back genuinely thinking I’d have to pay their standard replacement cost. I told the chap I’d dropped the phone and cracked it. He said, ‘Well we can’t guarantee the processor will be OK anymore, so you can have a new one for free’
I was utterly amazed and very pleased indeed!

Most Premier Inns – welcoming and well trained polite staff and a room that is rarely other than ‘clean and as I expected’.