Good old customer service

There's an age-old marketing mantra which says that a customer service problem (a fuck-up, to you and me) dealt with swiftly and satisfactorily can instantly morph into a customer service solution, leaving said customer happier than if he had never perceived a problem in the first place.

Well, it might be old, but that mantra still rings true. Especially in the digital age, where some e-businesses - but no customers - think that offering discounted prices and minor convenience entitles them to do away with customer service altogether.

Predictably, it was an old-school business - but one which has adapted very well to digital life - that today offered-up a great case study in customer service.

There's a postal strike in England and Wales this Friday. Which means my copy of The Economist won't be delivered as usual. But I don't mind, because someone called Yvonne Ossman sent me a signed email (lovely mix of the old and the digi) to pre-emptively explain the service interruption, and apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Oh, and she managed to get a bit of cross-promotion for the website and the new audio service in there, too. (Neither of which I will have to pay for, as a subscriber.)

I think that's all rather brilliant. And yes, I do feel just that little bit more loyal and warm-fuzzy towards the Economist brand as a result.

Here's Yvonne's note (click to expand):


I know what you're thinking: Diginatives aren't allowed to read The Economist. Well, any company that can get a printed magazine, a web presence and a customer service policy as right as they do deserves everyone's patronage, regardless of technographic profile.

Three cheers (diggs?) for The Economist!