Customer Service Counts... Especially for Handmade

Customer service is really important to a business. Take, for example, one of our favorite restaurants, Costa Vida. The first time we went there it was only because they were giving away free ice cream bars from a company owned by one of our neighbors. We both ordered a pork burrito, and after dishing mine, they were out of pork and told Spencer he would have to wait. By the time we reached the cash register, the pork was out and the burrito made so we waited a total of 1.5 seconds, not a big deal, but they gave us his meal FOR FREE. We were hooked. Customers for life and have returned so many times that they have definitely made their money back!! Plus, I tell that story to everyone I can and have given them a lot of free advertising. Another time I went there with a friend because I had a gift card. Their machine to read the gift cards was down but there wasn't a sign about it and I didn't find out until I reached the cash register. They gave me a free meal for that too! If there is a Costa Vida near you, go visit!

Contrast that with my recent shopping experience at Maurices. I don't really love going there because the sales people are pushy, annoying, and I really hate how they ask my name, write it on a little chalk board outside the dressing room door AND spell it wrong every time without asking for the correct spelling. I bought a pair of jeans right before Christmas and the employee forgot to take the security tag off. I didn't notice until I was home. The store is about 20 minutes and a lot of traffic away, but luckily there was another franchise only 5 minutes from my house so it wasn't a big deal. I took the pants to the close store and they couldn't remove the tag because they use a different security system. The girl did offer to exchange the pants for a pair in her store, but they didn't have the right size. She also offered to reorder the pants and have them shipped my house with no shipping charge. In hindsight I should have done that, but I wanted the pants for Christmas morning. For my trouble, she offered me a coupon for 10 percent off my next purchase. Really? Are you joking? For my trouble YOU are going to be rewarded by me purchasing another item and giving you another sale? Whatever. So I drove all the way up to the other store and the sales girl asks me for my receipt rather rudely, like she though I stole the pants. I ask her if she can apply the coupon I already got towards the pants because of their mistake. This was our conversation:

Me: can you return the pants then I can re purchase them with the coupon?

Her: sorry, can't be applied to a past purchase.

Me: but it wasn't my fault the tag wasn't taken off.

Her: well, we already gave you a twenty percent off discount.

Me: uh, that is because they were on sale. That is why I bought the pants.

Her: Well, sorry.

Me: so what can you do to make it better for me? (I explained the whole situation to her)

Her: sorry.

Me: well, if you aren't going to do anything about it I will think twice before shopping here again.

And I walked out. And I meant it. Unless I get desperate and can't find long enough jeans I am not shopping there again.

It is even more important to have good customer service if you are running a small handmade shop. I had a poor experience with an Etsy shop lately (I won't name the shop. It seems different to call out a fellow Etsy seller like I did the large corporation Maurices.)

This Etsy seller was featured on a blog I read and I was really interested in her product, but took a couple of weeks to decide exactly what to buy. By the time I made the decision she has closed her shop for the holidays. I sent her a message asking if she would be willing and able to open to sell to me, and if I could get it by New Year's Eve. She promptly replied and opened. Unfortunately, the price of the items had gone up from $10 to $12.50. I explained how I had been waiting for so long and asked if she would be willing to sell me the item for the $10 price. She responded with "do you want more than one?" I said no, and then I never heard from her again. Her shop was closed again and she never responded to me.

What poor customer service. A good response from her would have been:
"Thanks so much for your interest in my shop. I have determined that in order for me to stay in business and make a profit I need to sell my items at the $12.50 price. I hope that you will still order from me. I will be sure to get it to you by New Year's Eve."

A better response would have been:
"Thanks so much for your interest in my shop. I have determined that in order for me to stay in business and make a profit I need to sell my items at the $12.50 price; however, since you followed me here from the giveaway and are so interested in my shop I would be willing to sell the item to you for $11. I hope that you will still order from me. I will be sure to get it to you by New Year's Eve."

And of course the best response would have been:
"Thanks so much for your interest in my shop. Since you followed me here from the giveaway and are so interested in my shop I would be willing to sell the item to you for $10. I will be sure to get it to you by New Year's Eve."

I definetely would have purchased with the best or better responses, and would have considered purchasing if I would have got the good response. I also would have posted about my purchase on Facebook, and linked to or mentioned her shop on my What I Wore posts everytime I wore the item. That advertising alone would have been worth the $2.50. But instead she made $0.

What do you think? Do you base your return to a store on their customer service? Do you have any good stories to share? Any businesses or shops to promote due to their great customer service? Leave a comment below!