There is customer service and there is customer delight. And there is the yawning gap between the two. Since I toy around with all that market-speak for most of my professional work hours, I have a passable understanding of it. But it was enlightening to see them in action, in the space of a single evening.
Okay, the story starts with me hurrying around Bangalore East with a largish pair of butterfly wings …yes, you read right, butterfly wings….in my hands. Don’t ask me for the backstory; suffice it to say, it’s got something to do with a kiddies fancy dress competition and my daughter wanting to be Mariposa, that Ms-Goody-Two-Shoes fairy from Barbie Land. The wings were diaphanous, purple-colored and liberally sprinkled with glitter. Where did I get them? To my utter, incredulous wonder, there is a whole shop near Ulsoor Police Station solely devoted to fancy dress costumes for kids. And he had a rack full of wings to choose from. When I picked out a white gauzy pair, Mr Vijay Shop Owner offered, “We can provide the entire butterfly outfit, Madam.”
“Umm, no thanks,” I said. “She’s got a frilly white dress. I think I’ll be making her a little fairy queen.”
“Then those white wings you’ve picked out are all wrong,” he said. “White on white..uh..uh..no show.”
The man was no fashion designer, but I had to admit he had a point. Kids dig flash and color.
“Here,” he handed me a glitzy pair. “Purple wings. It’ll stand out.”
For once, I didn’t argue on someone else’ fashion advice.
So, I got out of Costume Country, and next on my shopping list were matching ‘fairy’ shoes! I had my eyes peeled for a shoe store. And everyone on the road had eyes popping at me. The wings were gorgeous and they obviously thought I was nuts. But, I was a mom-on-a-mission, so I waded through traffic unapologetically, butting people out of the way to prevent damage to the fragile contraption. I found what I was looking for at the Bata showroom in Indiranagar – dainty, little white shoes, complete with pink butterflies on the strap. Perfect!
While billing the shoes, I noticed that Mr Bata Store Manager had a sympathetic expression watching me struggle with purple wings and wallet and sundry shopping bags. “Need some help, Madam?”
Yeah, sure, think you can handle a Mariposa costume challenge?!
“Umm,” I said instead, “Do you think you have a box that will fit these wings?”
“Sure, Madam, he said enthusiastically. “Let me see what we can find for you.”
He gestured to Mr Shop Assistant to go look for a box. The man clambered up a step ladder and poked around on a loft. “No box, Saar,” he called down. Then he sent down a shower of flip-flop hangers.
Mr Store Manager persisted and sent him again to go check for boxes at the back of the shop. There were other customers in the shop. I almost gave up and asked Mr Store Manager to let it be.
“Don’t worry, Madam,” he reassured. “We’ll find something.”
And he did. When his assistant returned with huge cardboard box, way too large, he pulled out a pair of scissors and very creatively cut the box down to size, packed in my butterfly wings, stuffed in bubble wrap to prevent damage and finally taped up the whole package securely. I watched on with increasing gratitude.
“There, Madam,” he said placing the box in my hands. “You are set. Can you hold it? Do you have to go far?”
“I actually need to courier it some place. Can you direct me to the nearest courier office?”
“Of course, Madam. There is a DTDC just down this lane.” He called Mr Shop Assistant again and thrust the box into his hands. “Go with Madam till the DTDC office. Take the umbrella, it’s raining.”
I almost protested that it wasn’t necessary. But on a second thought, I realized this was the best’est’ example of going-the-extra-mile that I had ever encountered. And perhaps, what is called for here is to accept the service gracefully and express my heartfelt appreciation. I walked out of Bata, an avowed customer for life.
At DTDC, it was different world. The electricity had just gone off and a lone candle flickered dangerously at the center of the office. The phone rang annoyingly off the hook. The lady at the desk peered at me and then at the box.
“What’s inside?” she snapped suspiciously.
I have never quite figured out why courier services expect their customers to reveal the contents of their packages. For God’s sake, am I going to let her in on the secret if I were couriering kinky sex toys to my clandestine lover?!! If they are so concerned about explosives or contraband, they should just install x-ray machines.
Anyway, I managed to convey to her that my package contained children’s crafts. I don’t think she would have believed me had I said ‘butterfly wings’. She nodded reluctantly in the dark. By candle light, she weighed the package and decided the service cost would be Rs 250/-. I paid up grudgingly and tried to extract a promise that the package would be delivered within 2 days.
“Maximum three, Madam,” she said. She stared at the address as if I had just asked her for a delivery to Pluto. I left the office with trepidation in my heart.
Later in the evening, I got a call from the courier office. It was a man on the line.
“Actually, Madam,” he started without introduction, “you have not paid the full service charge.”
“Of course, I have,” I was adamant. “She weighed it before me and I checked the rate chart.”
“No, Madam,” he drawled. “It’s a very big box and we have to charge you on volumetric measure too.”
“Volumetric, my foot!” I was annoyed.
“No, no, Madam,” he repeated. “Volumetric MEASURE. Like length and breadth and height.”
Grrrrrr, I am aware.
“Volumetric, WHATEVER!” I almost shouted. Then I got a hold on myself and realized it was far too crucial that the package reach on time. “OK, OK, I’ll come by and pay the extra. Please don’t hold back the delivery.”
“Yes, yes, Madam,” he assured. “If you pay Rs 245/- more, the package will be delivered in three days time.”
That wasn’t an assurance; that was a threat! I had to trudge back to the courier office and pay the extra charges, which of course, I still don’t understand. Why on earth do they charge by weight as well as by volume? It reeks of CRIMINAL THEFT to me. I am now an avowed ex-customer of DTDC for life.
Two people and two ways of treating a customer. Each was probably playing by their own business rule book. But, I think it’s your innate humaneness that you bring into your interactions that makes all the difference.
Photo Credit: The Barbie Mariposa with Purple Wings pic is from here.
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