Head Office just doesn't get it
Published by Christine Reymer on 28 May 2009.For my 40th I received a beautiful Swarovski bracelet from a very dear friend. Several weeks after my B-Day I went looking for it in my jewelry box without any luck. I knew I'd worn it several times and couldn't think where it could be. Having been in spring-cleaning mode for a few days, I wondered if it had landed back in its original gift box that I had just thrown out (yikes!) Not wanting to admit my carelessness to my friend, I went to the store to buy the same bracelet. I told my story to the store clerk and naturally they couldn't help me, but were all too happy to sell me another. That evening I wore the bracelet and while switching sweaters I found it on the floor as I was leaving the bedroom. No big deal, I put it back on. The out at dinner, my husband found the bracelet on the floor next to my seat. After checking the clasp, I realized it was very loose and with a soft flick, opened.
I started to think perhaps I didn't throw out the first one after all. I went to the store a couple of days later and the store manager remembered me. Turns out they'd had several same complaints for that very bracelet. So, I asked what they could do for me. She informed me that Head Office has not redesigned the clasp of that bracelet yet and would simply provide a replacement that had the same defunct clasp – “that was their policy”, she sheepishly said. WHAT THE...! The Manager of the store offered to pay for a safety clasp to be added by a local jeweler. I appreciated the offer, but declined wanting to contact head office myself (in other words, give them a piece of my mind). The manager said she would be in touch anyway and see if there was anything she could do for me.
Four days later, I received a call from the store manager and she informed me that the local jeweler couldn't add a safety clasp due to the design of the bracelet. She politely informed me that Head Office still wasn't willing to do anything. She acknowledged that the bracelet held sentimental value, but offered to replace it with a significantly more expensive bracelet at no extra cost to me.
I was impressed with her customer service. I can't remember the last time someone went above and beyond like that. What a sad state that Head Office had no idea what goes on in their stores or what customer service is all about. Further more, they even made it difficult and awkward for this Manager to provide a high standard of customer service. Don't they know that it's all about the experience – purchasing something and feeling good about it? At least someone in HR knows how to hire good people!
Kudos to the store Manager at the Swarovski store – she totally gets it!