At what cost can poor customer service and misleading advertising have on your business? Yesterday afternoon I was too lazy to make lunch, so I decided to order pizza. I had some coupons that came from my Sunday paper last week. I am really not know as penny pincher, but I do look for deals from time to time. Don't we all? In any case, I wanted to see if I got a side of cheesy bread, how much would I save.
So I add up the Cheesy bread of $4.99 to the pizza price of $15.99. Guess what the total came out to. Still thinking? $20.98! I had to add this up twice, because I thought I added incorrectly. Nope, it was right.
I make the phone call with my questions ready. A young gentleman answers the phone.
Me : I would like to place a delivery order, but before I do so, I have a question.
Pizza guy : Go ahead dude. (yes, he said this)
Me : I have 2 different coupons, but I am confused. It would actually be cheaper for me to order the cheesy bread separate. Right?
Pizza guy : Let me take a look. No, you will save like a $1.30 if you use the coupon for both the pizzas and the side.
Me : Excuse me? How is this? Can you explain this to me? And sir, I am not here trying to make you day difficult, but I was just curious.
Pizza guy : Well, if you break up the pizza and buy the cheesy bread separately, you pay more tax.
Me : Say what? (Did I miss something in Math101?)
SILENCE..... then the phone clicks over....
Manager : Hi, can I help you?
Me : I am not sure, I was just talking to someone else that was helping me. Did he pass the phone to you?
Manager : Yes and can I help you. (Okay, that's rude and bad customer service. At least tell me that you are putting someone else on.)
Me : I explain the whole thing again to her.
Manager : You would actually save more with the 2 pizzas and the side coupon. I even rang this up on the register.
Me : (Now I am wondering what they are smoking over there. Or what they actually put on your pizza. Could it be the mushrooms, aka shrooms) I then tell her that you actually save a penny by buying the cheesy bread separate.
Manager : Yes, I can see that now. (okay? What were you looking at before? )
Me : Again, sorry for making your day so challenging and painful per se. Please just give me the two pizza's with pepperoni and the cheesy bread on the side.
Conclusion : I actually talked with a guy last evening that actually owns his own catering business. I learned some of the food industry's inside secrets when it comes to advertising specials. But what can be learned from this example? Not only how to treat your client, but to know your advertisements and to have answers. And if you don't know the answer, tell your client that you will find out and call them back.
On another note, would you want to advertise something as this, knowing that some people will look into this? How could this affect your business? How could it make you look in your community? Just some things to ponder. Learn from these examples. And don't assume that your clients loyalty is a strong as you think it is. Treat them as a new client and don't take them for granted as an easy sale because they are a repeat client.
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Copyright © 2007 by Jeff Belonger
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Aw, poor pizza guy! You know the kid just rolled his eyes when he gave the phone to his manager.
Very true though we shouldn't take our clients, old or new, for granted.