Profiting from above-and-beyond customer service
Brent Renneke, Associate Editor
July 27, 2012
Filed under Brent Renneke
I recently read an Inc. interview with Road ID co-owner Edward Wimmer that focused on the excellent customer service strategy at his company, which produces bands that identify key information about a person who is unresponsive due to an injury.
The idea has taken off, but what has been a major driver of the company’s success is its approach to customer service. For example, if a customer receives their Road ID and finds out they provided wrong information, the company replaces the bracelet for only a nominal charge.
Author Jeff Haden asked why the company takes losses on customers when the issue was not its fault, and Wimmer said the following:
“If a customer has an issue, we’ll take a loss if we need to. We’ll solve their problems so they will want to shout from the proverbial rooftops about how they were treated at Road ID.”
The approach has worked, as the company has averaged 50 percent year-over-year growth, according to the Inc. interview.
That approach is one we have seen with many of our Top 100 Dealers, who know that going out of your way to please one customer often has two results: First, that customer will come to you for their next boat or service need. Second, the customer will tell his or her friends about the great experience.
Road ID also openly lists the emails of both Wimmer and his dad, Mike, who is a co-owner of the company, providing direct contact information beyond the common Sales@ or Info@ email address.
Through Road ID’s no-hassle customer service techniques and its accessibility, the company has created a huge group of followers who often advocate for it in various places, like an online forum for bikers, who are popular customers of Road ID, according to the article.
For a dealership going the extra mile, a similar following in the local boating community could be priceless.
