A Tale of Three Experiences: Customer Service Up Close

Last week I experienced a range of customer service related to a new sofa we bought. It's clear how much difference it can make.

I had to phone up to book the removal of our old sofa. Most customer service calls are painful, but this one was great. The guy on the other end was enthusiastic and clearly not just "doing a job". He recognised where we lived, as he had lived nearby previously, so we talked about that while he entered the required information. He also shared that it was his wife's birthday on the day we were getting delivery of our new one. He also shared he had been a headmaster and moved north to be with family, and this job enabled him to do that.

The next interaction was when our new sofa was delivered. I've never experienced such courteous and happy delivery drivers. They were smiling and laughing, and did a quick job assembling it, clearing up after themselves. I even complimented them on their manner, and they said it was because they love their job.

The last interaction was the removal of the old sofa. These two guys didn't seem to care there was a customer present, complaining about how they had been "in London all day", being hungry, etc. When it came time to move the sofa and chair, they were complaining about how heavy it was. Bear in mind these two guys move sofas for a living, and my wife and I had moved both of them the previous evening! They clearly didn't love their job.

It's amazing how much difference the type of interaction can make.