For years, Amazon.com has been there for me and has consistently made buying things easier and easier.

With just a few clicks, I could find just about anything I wanted to buy often at lower than retail pricing with no shipping fees, and these things would magically appear on my doorstep within a few days.

Amazon.com was very good at enabling my addiction as it’s artificial intelligence learned more about me and made suggestions for future purchases on it’s own website and also through email and Facebook ads.

The “Storecard” was the icing on the cake . . . with one click, I was able to charge my often unnecessary charges on a credit card that would give me 5% back.

I bought a house 6 months ago (No, I didn’t buy it on Amazon.com), and this house was a MESS. A heavy smoker had lived in this house for 50+ years, Every square inch of wall space was wall-papered, and the 21 acre property had been a repository for garbage and debris and had not been maintained (mowed, trimmed etc) for YEARS. I needed lots of stuff (tools, fixtures, etc) and clicked often on Amazon.com’s site.

I spent so much money at Amazon.com this year, they should invite me to their Christmas party.

One day, I got a text that said my package had been delivered and signed for by Jerome. Not knowing anyone named Jerome, I checked with the neighbors on the chance one of them had received it – NOPE! So I connected with Amazon.com who directed me to contact UPS. UPS immediately launched an investigation and discovered the package had been delivered to a Cell Phone company 22 miles from my home and that it would not be recoverable . . . I would need to cancel the order and reorder. I did, and 2 days later I received TWO identical packages – The original and the replacement . . . Meanwhile, I had been without my trusty laptop because the thing I had ordered was a charger (Dog ate it).

This experience left a bad taste in my mouth, but because I am an addict to Amazon.com I continued to order stuff. When I logged in to place the orders, I noticed a twinge in my stomach . . . as if my gut was trying to tell me something. I had been inconvenienced (burned) without apology once, so I had valid concern things might not go well with future orders.

Indeed, a few orders later, Jerome signed for 2 books I had ordered as an assignment for a program I am taking . . . Same scenario . . . Amazon.com tossed me to UPS who never responded to my query . . . but the package turned up in the Bookstore across the parking lot.

Burned twice!

As addicts do even knowing it’s bad for me, I continued to order things from Amazon.com.

Guess what?

I was burned twice more in the matter of 2 weeks – 1 item damaged in shipping and another item showing “shipped” never arrived at all. I inquired through Amazon.com and was told that I had purchased items from 3rd party vendors and that I would have to resolve it directly with them thereby creating about 1/2 day investment of time resulting me having to live with the damaged item and cancelling the item (with refund) that never came . . . a thing that was a critical first piece for a large project.

Burned once – Shame on them . . .

Burned twice – Shame on me . . .

Burned thrice – Stupid me . . .

Burned 4 times? – Addictive masochism!

I QUIT!

Yep!

COLD TURKEY!

Life is much better on this other side because I am finding enjoyment in shopping with LOCAL merchants. After all, they are always appreciative of my business, they offer great advice, and they stand behind their service and products.

So . . . In your business, do you know when one of your customers has a less than exceptional experience?

If your answer is “No!”, I suggest that it’s happening or has happened, and those customers may simply be quitting and silently disappearing from your revenue stream.

If yes, what are doing about it? Are you ‘OWNING” the issue and taking appropriate measures to win that customer back AND adjusting your process flows to avoid it happening again?

THIS is worth tackling NOW, because disgruntled current or former customers TALK to EVERYONE about their bad experiences because it’s WAY more fun to swim in that drama pool than it is to swoon about the great experiences.

I am tickled pink to report that I’ve Amazon.com free 2 weeks now – This has not been easy, but I’m holding strong. 

About Barry Owen

Residential Real Estate Principal Broker and Founder of Pareto Realty, LLC. Creating the quintessential real estate firm with emphasis on "Live, Work, & Play" balance . . . and a true Performance Oriented environment for Real Estate Professionals. Serving the Real estate needs of Home Buyers and Sellers in Middle Tennessee.