KUDOS
Good customer service is rare and hard to find especially in this day of technology where so many people rely on the Internet. Today I would like to highlight two examples of excellent customer service that I have experienced within two days of one another...a rare gem.
MONDAY: HERTZ RENTAL @ HARTSFIELD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Okay set the scene, I'm happy my husband has returned from a week's trip out of town and we are returning my rental car to the airport. I was concerned because while going through the paperwork I noticed they had a printout stating how much I would be charged in the end, which was inaccurate. I am focused on ensuring they do not charge me this amount and that I am charged at the fabulous Priceline rate I negotiated online. The attendant I am returning the car to engages me in a conversation about my first name (the C) and then states that all my charges have been paid and provides me with an accurate receipt. Grinning because all is right in the world, I walk away and my husband and I proceed to head home. He decides to take the scenic route, and while he was not lost I decided (after driving along 10 minutes in an unknown direction) to use my phone's GPS system to aid him a little. Less than two minutes later I have frantically searched my purse and called my cell phone using his phone and did not hear it ring. I am sure I somehow left it in the car and know exactly where I left it, we head back after he remarkably finds the right direction and return all within 20 minutes of departure. Heading to the Hertz station I proceed to inform the attendants of my situation. They to try to locate the phone to no avail. After about 10 minutes my husband began walking around looking for the car we had returned and calling my cell number. He found the attendant who we had originally returned it to and she said the car had been rented out. My husband said it was impossible it could have been gone that quick. She assures him that it has and she cannot help us. As he continues to try to get her assistance she becomes very unfriendly and determined that the car is gone and it's too late. Meanwhile, I'm near tears about my new phone I had just purchased the week before.
The lady in the attendant booth left her station and began calling everyone she could and going up and down the stairs to find my phone. After another 20 minutes a gentleman that works for Hertz pulls up in an SUV and he has my phone! OH GLORIOUS DAY! I am grateful to both him and the female attendant. She then takes it a step further to try to locate my husband who has gone off in pursuit of the phone (ironically he's not answering his phone as I began calling him from mine). She is worried he has left and I have no ride. I assure her he's around here somewhere searching for my phone and she attempts to locate him and stay with me until I find him...a couple of minutes later. While her counterpart left something to be desired in the way of customer service, this young lady was a gem. I regret that I did not get her name, but I blessed and thanked her profusely.
WEDNESDAY: SNAPPING SHOALS ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION
This morning I am running behind and I began to recall all I must do today including pay the light bill. I do not have time to stop by the office as I usually do and decide I will pay it online. Once I get to my office I attempt to make an online payment and am not successful. I call into SSEMC's office to pay by phone and the attendant Rachel (this time I remember to get her name) informs me that it is better to pay online and provides me with information why. I explain to her my dilemma and she waits for me to log onto their system and patiently walks me through resolving the issue and how to make it easier in the future. She chats with me for a while and I can hear the smile in her voice. While this situation was not as harried as my phone situation I greatly appreciated her support and feedback, positive attitude and excellent customer service provided. I took a moment to send an email to her company to extol her. Kudos to Rachel.
One more point...if you experience good customer service take a moment to let them know they are greatly appreciated. They often deal with many negative attitudes and some of them have very negative attitudes; however, everyone deserves to be appreciated.
JUST A PIECE OF THIS WRITER... C. MICHELLE RAMSEY
MONDAY: HERTZ RENTAL @ HARTSFIELD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Okay set the scene, I'm happy my husband has returned from a week's trip out of town and we are returning my rental car to the airport. I was concerned because while going through the paperwork I noticed they had a printout stating how much I would be charged in the end, which was inaccurate. I am focused on ensuring they do not charge me this amount and that I am charged at the fabulous Priceline rate I negotiated online. The attendant I am returning the car to engages me in a conversation about my first name (the C) and then states that all my charges have been paid and provides me with an accurate receipt. Grinning because all is right in the world, I walk away and my husband and I proceed to head home. He decides to take the scenic route, and while he was not lost I decided (after driving along 10 minutes in an unknown direction) to use my phone's GPS system to aid him a little. Less than two minutes later I have frantically searched my purse and called my cell phone using his phone and did not hear it ring. I am sure I somehow left it in the car and know exactly where I left it, we head back after he remarkably finds the right direction and return all within 20 minutes of departure. Heading to the Hertz station I proceed to inform the attendants of my situation. They to try to locate the phone to no avail. After about 10 minutes my husband began walking around looking for the car we had returned and calling my cell number. He found the attendant who we had originally returned it to and she said the car had been rented out. My husband said it was impossible it could have been gone that quick. She assures him that it has and she cannot help us. As he continues to try to get her assistance she becomes very unfriendly and determined that the car is gone and it's too late. Meanwhile, I'm near tears about my new phone I had just purchased the week before.
The lady in the attendant booth left her station and began calling everyone she could and going up and down the stairs to find my phone. After another 20 minutes a gentleman that works for Hertz pulls up in an SUV and he has my phone! OH GLORIOUS DAY! I am grateful to both him and the female attendant. She then takes it a step further to try to locate my husband who has gone off in pursuit of the phone (ironically he's not answering his phone as I began calling him from mine). She is worried he has left and I have no ride. I assure her he's around here somewhere searching for my phone and she attempts to locate him and stay with me until I find him...a couple of minutes later. While her counterpart left something to be desired in the way of customer service, this young lady was a gem. I regret that I did not get her name, but I blessed and thanked her profusely.
WEDNESDAY: SNAPPING SHOALS ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION
This morning I am running behind and I began to recall all I must do today including pay the light bill. I do not have time to stop by the office as I usually do and decide I will pay it online. Once I get to my office I attempt to make an online payment and am not successful. I call into SSEMC's office to pay by phone and the attendant Rachel (this time I remember to get her name) informs me that it is better to pay online and provides me with information why. I explain to her my dilemma and she waits for me to log onto their system and patiently walks me through resolving the issue and how to make it easier in the future. She chats with me for a while and I can hear the smile in her voice. While this situation was not as harried as my phone situation I greatly appreciated her support and feedback, positive attitude and excellent customer service provided. I took a moment to send an email to her company to extol her. Kudos to Rachel.
One more point...if you experience good customer service take a moment to let them know they are greatly appreciated. They often deal with many negative attitudes and some of them have very negative attitudes; however, everyone deserves to be appreciated.
JUST A PIECE OF THIS WRITER... C. MICHELLE RAMSEY
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