Amazon claims to be the Earth’s most customer-centric company. If Amazon were like just about every other company this claim would be just a marketing slogan – deceitful, empty at best. However, Amazon isn’t like just about every other company. It’s exceptional in that the folks at Amazon get what it takes to cultivate, keep, even grow that particular emotional bond, which I say lies at the heart of loyalty, with customers. Of what do I speak? Allow me to share my story with you.
During December 17 I bought presents, some of them from Amazon. One of the presents was electric tooth
brush for my oldest son. Whilst my son can do with a new toothbrush he doesn’t want this one. He didn’t even open the packaging. He Googled it and found that it’s not the most expensive one. So the task of returning it fell to me. And as I have returned stuff to Amazon before I was expecting it to be straight forward: click on order, select item to return, print out return labels, and drop-off at local post office.
To my surprise it didn’t turn out that way. I found myself annoyed and angry: why isn’t Amazon allowing me to return an item which is within the return period, and which hasn’t even been taken out of its packaging? What kind of sh**t is this! That was my emotional state especially as Amazon didn’t tell me why I wasn’t allowed to return it. I was asked to click a link which took me to a return (home) page which I found unusable – as it wasn’t evident which item on that long menu (of items) I should click.
When I know I’m in the right I tend to be dogged in pursuit of my goal. Luckily, Amazon, offered me the ability/opportunity to speak to an agent. So when option 1 (looking at the Returns page) didn’t work out, I selected option 2 (live chat with an agent).
“Why are you not allowing me to return this given it is well within the return period, never used, not even taken out of its packaging?” That was the starting point of the chat. Once, I provided order details and specified the item, the agent told me to give her a minute or two to look into the matter.
Have you had the experience of jaw dropping moments? The first one occurred when Amazon (website) told me that I couldn’t return this item. The second one occurred when the agent came back with “We’ll refund you for the item and you can keep the item – no need to return it. Is that OK?” My experience? “Shocked. Delighted. Grateful. Puzzled. What the fork is happening here?”
My response to that agent was along this line: “I’ve been an Amazon customer for a long time. I buy regularly. And Amazon has always been fair to me. I wish to be fair with Amazon. Honest, the toothbrush has NOT been used. It’s not even been taken out of its packaging. I am happy to return it so that you can resell it.”
The agent’s response? “We’re happy for you to keep the toothbrush and to give you the refund you have asked for……” I had another go at returning the toothbrush. She wasn’t having any of it. I relented. And something was present that I needed to express. What was present? Gratitude! How did I express this gratitude? I asked the agent to give me the refund as an Amazon gift card rather than a refund on my credit card. She asked “Are you sure?” and I replied something to the effect: “Yes, I’m sure: I was brought up to reciprocate – to repay helpfulness/kindness with helpfulness/kindness.”
Please get that I am fortunate. The monetary value of this toothbrush is pennies. I will go and spend double-treble this amount taking out an acquaintance (dying of liver cancer) for lunch in an hour or so. And I am so grateful – so grateful! Grateful for what? Grateful for the way I was treated. Think about how I was treated. How often are you/me treated in this way? It’s rare isn’t it? To be able, easily, to get through to someone helpful. For that person to, swiftly, get you/me to our desired outcome. And then on top of that be given a gift. Wow!
So here I am on my Sunday doing that which occurs to me as the final act of paying Amazon back for its helpfulness / generosity. That’s the power of cultivating gratitude by treating customers (employees, suppliers, distribution partners…) right.
I leave you with this question: Is the way that Amazon shows up and behaves towards its customers (decency, fair treatment) rocket science? No? Then why is it that other organisations don’t show up in this manner? Is it because those who lead/direct/manage these organisations lack heart? Or is it that these folks are self-centred and only focussed on the short-term – this quarter/year’s results? How the fork is technology (CRM, CX, digital commerce…) going to do the job of the heart – having/putting into play a big heart?
Thanks for your listening to my speaking. I wish you the very best for this year – may it be the best year, yet, of your existence. Until the next time….
