Recently, when I needed a new set of tires for my Toyota Avalon, I got just what I wanted: no-nonsense customer service.
For Chris, a recent trip to the tire shop turned into a lesson in great customer service. Photo: American Ratings Corporation (2015)
I called a tire shop and scheduled an appointment for the next day. When I arrived, the salesman waited on me right away and gave me a straightforward explanation of my options with no upselling. When I asked him to find out where the tires were manufactured (Consumer Reports had recommended against some brands made in China), he had the answer for me in a few minutes. The salesman suggested staying nearby while the tires were installed because it would only take about 30 minutes. He even directed me to an excellent place for coffee.
When I returned, my car was ready as promised. But I had one more question: Could he check my spare tire and let me know if it was in good condition and safe to drive on? After a quick inspection, he assured me that it was fine.
Over the past few weeks, my husband and I have experienced the same kind of no-nonsense customer service from an estate planning attorney. We had a free 30-minute consultation where our trust, will and medical directives were reviewed. In that session, the attorney noted how laws have changed in recent years. He found several errors in our existing documents and offered good remedies. Next, he explained his fees and what was included in that price. He made it simple for us to understand, and once again, there was no upselling. Instead of trying to close the arrangement and get us to write a check, he advised us to go home and think about whether we wanted to hire him, and he would wait to hear back from us. That gave us confidence that we had found the right firm.
Why don’t more service providers adopt this philosophy? If the potential customer thinks the business is hiding something or isn’t clear, they logically become suspicious and adversarial. However, consumers and businesses both have everything to gain from a straightforward, transparent, honest statement of what to expect and what it’s going to cost.