We Can't Always Be Right

Everyone makes mistakes, it is how you handle them that is important.  One company I dealt with today did a really stellar job.  You can be the best marketer in the world, but how your company handles a problem or mistake delivers more marketing clout than anything you and the world’s best agency could put together.

The company is ProFlowers.  I started dealing with them after I received some flowers sent to me by my friend and business colleague Zane Safrit at Conference Calls Unlimited.  The flowers were so nice and well delivered that I asked him about them.  He sang the praises of their support and quality.  So I gave them a try, and have been pleased with their work. 

Last week I sent some flowers to a colleague as a thank you for something.  They were scheduled to arrive on the 19th.  Today I received an email from the company that stated:

We're writing to let you know that, due to quality control issues, the Star Struck Beauty you ordered will not be arriving on the date you requested and will instead arrive on 2/20/2008.
         
We are terribly sorry for this change. This shouldn't have happened, but it did and we take full responsibility.
               
Please let us make this right for you. Call us today at 1-800-ProFlowers (800-776-3569) or email us at wecare@proflowers.com and let us know what we can do. We will do everything in our power to make sure you're happy with your entire ProFlowers experience.
         
I want to personally assure you on behalf of the entire team here at ProFlowers that we're working to get to the root cause of these problems you experienced—and any problem that stops us from meeting your expectations.
            
When mistakes happen, it's disheartening for all of us, because it means we've let you down. And our whole goal, our entire purpose, is to serve you and help you make the special people in your life feel all the more special.
         
If you have already spoken with a customer service representative about this, disregard this email and—more importantly—rest assured that progress is already being made.
         
If there’s anything else we can do for you, please call us at 1-800-ProFlowers (800-776-3569) or email us at wecare@proflowersc.om and let us know.

Wow.  What a way to handle a problem.  Step forward, admit it and see how you can make it right.  They are only off by a day, and in this case it doesn’t matter, but if this was a birthday or something, it would be a big deal, and they let me know in time to make a change.  Great customer service…great marketing.

Comments

[Jordan Ayan]

Please check out today's (2/20/08) for what "make it right" means. - Jordan

[Tara]

yeah, what happened? Did they add in another dozen flowers, gave you a discount for a future purchase or comp you?

I actually use ProFlowers too. Ordered "100 blooms of love" for my mom on Valentine's Day and my fiance sent me tulips through them. I've used them several times now and have always been pleased and am now happy to know if they do make a mistake they will address it without me contacting them about it.

[Jay Ehret]

Jordan, I'm curious. Did you call them? If so, what did you work out with them? I think that's the real test.