Week One: Great Customer Service

Great customer service is important when running an effective business so customers will keep coming back.  If I go somewhere and receive bad customer service, I won't go back again.  I think the qualities one needs to provide good customer service are being courteous, having good listening skills, and being knowledgeable about the product being sold.  I had an experience with great customer service at Chase bank here in Henderson, Nevada.  I went into the bank to open a new account because I was having a lot of issues with USAA bank (identity theft twice in the last year).  When I went in I asked to open just a regular checking account. I wasn't familiar with all the different types of checking accounts the bank offered.  I also didn't realize all the perks the bank offered for military members, so I didn't share that information with Julie, the bank representative.  When the Julie saw my military I.D. card, she automatically opened my Husband and I up for a premier account which is only offered to select individuals.  Since opening the account, whenever we go into the bank, the bank tellers treat us more like family, than a customer.  It's really nice feeling that Chase Bank cares more about us than our money.  

In the text, Zappos CEO, Tony Hsiech states, “For us, we’re willing to lose that sale, that transaction in the short term. We’re focused on building the lifelong loyalty and relationship with the customer.” (Marketing, Armstrong/Kotler, pg. 4)

I think the Zappos has the right mentality.  Instead of thinking about the short term sale with the customer, companies should be thinking about the long term relationship instead, that way they keep the customer coming back for years, instead of just one or two times.