TASCO Strikes again

I thought I would update you on the progress in our kitchen renovation and how the appliance company has fared since I last talked about them.

It seems that one of the appliances we ordered in May is now back-ordered for a couple weeks past our delivery date of tomorrow. We found this out late last week when they called to confirm the delivery date and let me know I needed to have a certified cheque when they delivered the appliances.

So here are the issues as I see them.

1. We placed our order in May with a significant deposit and finalized our delivery date in June. However, less than 1 week from delivery we are suddenly back-ordered. This was the first mention that there would be problem with delivery. This means we will have a kitchen partially complete until the back-ordered appliance arrives, plus we need to pay people to come back and complete the installation.
   
   It would seem that when a customer places a confirmed order tied to a specific delivery date, they should have product available for that order. If the product is back-ordered at the time of purchase the customer would have the option to make a new decision about their product selection. However, if the product is available at the time of the order, why does the supplier not ensure it has stock on hand to honour all committed orders before selling additional units?
   
   
2. I need a certified cheque with only a couple working days notice. A simple call a week in advance would have allowed me to drop-off or mail a cheque which could have been deposited and cleared prior to delivery. If I chose a certified cheque, I would have a few extra days to visit my branch and get it. Either way the customer has options.

TASCO is still thinking about their needs first. First, sell as much product as possible and hope that there is enough available to make their commitments, and second, make sure we get our money.

In both cases, a slight adjustment in process provides the customer with options. Some timely communication with the customer would have also helped this situation.

Are your processes designed to meet your needs or the customers? Consider reviewing your procedures to determine if a few simple adjustments could make them more customer friendly and still address your important business requirements.

Cheers!

Bill's passion is branded customer service that exceeds expectations. He works with clients to activate a “customer-focused” culture where engaged employees internalize the brand promise and deliver an intentional Branded Customer Experience -- internally and externally.

As well, he is a dynamic, results-oriented speaker on the importance of a customer-focused culture, either as a guest speaker or acting as a facilitator of a group discussion/workshop.

For more information please contact (905) 841-3191
Email: bill@billhogg.ca, Web: http://www.billhogg.ca/