I got my car detailed a year ago before selling it. I just found a place on the internet with good reviews and went there.
It was a little expensive, but they did an amazing job. So good that I’ve recommended them to multiple people.
Amanda is selling her car before we leave Canada, so naturally she got it detailed, and went to the same place I went a year ago.
Since we live out of town, and a full detail takes 6 hours they gave her an awesome loaner SUV to drive around for the day. It’s awesome get a car to use all day, but the best part of our service came when from a mistake.
We went back to pick the car up. As we walked up to it, the car looked as good as new. The rims were shining, the engine brilliantly cleaned, and the interior was as well.
Amanda went to pop the trunk and noticed that during the cleaning the button to open the trunk had been knocked off. So she pointed it out. The response was incredible.
The guy helping us immediately apologized. He looked at the issue and acted decisively. He told us that he would get it fixed, but that it was late in the day, so it would have to wait for the morning. He knew we lived over an hour away, so he told us to take the loner car, drive it home, and once they had the button fixed he would drive Amanda’s car out to us. Over an hour away.
He could have squabbled. He could have been suspicious about the button, but he clearly understands something that most people don’t. The long-term value of a loyal customer is much more important than profiting from a single transaction.
His number one priority was that we had an exceptional experience and protect and invest in the reputation of his business.
Often a mistake would make you less likely to recommend a business. But in this case, the response to the error makes me even more impressed with the integrity and quality of service. It makes me more likely to recommend them. That is the power of good service.
The next time you’re presented with a problem in a service role, remember that it is a crucial moment and that it is the long-term value of the customer you should be worried about, not any short-term expense. If you can respond well, you can gain reputation from an error, instead of losing it.
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