Online Customer Service

I have talked about my feelings of customer service before.  There are some places where it does not exists.  And unfortunately that seems to be the case in your big box retailers.  When dealing with online vendors it seems as if the customer service is key, and most online retailers are really coming around.  I have had some great experiences lately with Maui Jim, Cotton Babies (cloth diapers), and most recently with Title Nine.  I opened a live chat with a Title Nine rep a few weeks back, and was asking about a tank top that I really wanted, but they seemed to be out of stock, everywhere.  She checked all the stores, and said they were just not available, and were not going to be available.  I was sad to say the least.  Then just two days ago I received another email from Title Nine, it was the same rep that I was talking to, and she said they just found a small stash of the tank I wanted, in the size and color I wanted.  She further wrote in the email, that she had put an order on hold for me in case I was still interested in purchasing the shirt!  I was so excited, that would never happen at your brick and mortar stores, I say never, but I am sure there are a few exceptions to the rule...
Anyway, Title Nine, thank you for taking the time to remember me, and put the shirt on hold.  I did buy it and it is on it's way.  Way to go with fantastic customer service you have a customer for life!

Buy online with In store pick up....

In hopes of speeding up the process we did just that. I picked out the Fridgeaire dehumidifier 50 pint for our basement on the Lowes website, and opted for the in store pick up. We wanted to grab a bite to eat out there and thought it would be quicker if we bought the dehumidifier online and it would be ready and waiting for us to pick it up, right? I ordered it online at 6pm, at half past 7 (a full hour and a half later) we pulled in the parking lot where it was pouring, and hubby ran inside to pick it up. After a few minutes I began to wonder what was taking so long. Where they giving him a hard time about the computer printed receipt? Was it really busy at customer service? What could possibly take that long. Well, after a half hour, I see him trudging through the parking lot with a cart and the dehumidifier on the cart. Needless to say, he was not happy with what had happened inside. Apparently, they did not have the product ready, nobody could find it and as he stood waiting at the counter the employees that were supposedly "looking" for the item, he noticed that the description and invoice were still sitting on the counter. Finally he went to find the dehumidifier himself in the aisle. They were way up on top of the shelves, so he had to go find yet another person to help him. The two guys that were getting it down, decided since they were up there to spend a few more minutes taking not just the one we had purchased, but a few more down. As if he had not waited long enough. He kept is cool though, and headed back up to customer service to let the gals behind the counter know that he had found the item and would be on his merry way. I don't think we will be using that express in store pick up again. So after that fiasco he got an extra beer at dinner!

Sunny Side of the Street

A few years back my husband and I splurged on a purchase of sunglasses. Mine are my prize possession, and I don't go anywhere without them. My husband has a pair of Kaanapali Maui Jim's that are the best sunglasses in the world. They are so lightweight that you often forget that you are wearing them. They provide a wonderful polarization that is a must have for a sunny day. No more squinting. Aside from being the best sunglasses ever, Maui Jim has the best customer service around. One sad day DH's glasses started to crack near the bridge. Over time, it continued to crack until it was unsafe to wear them without damaging them beyond repair. I looked at the Maui Jim webpage and their repair request. In short it said for $60 you can get the lenses replaced. Since DH loves his Kaanapali's, I packed them up ever so carefully, and took them to the post office. I shipped them down to Peoria, IL to the Maui Jim repair center, with a note about how they were broken, and we were sad. After a long sunny week driving to and from work, DH asked if his glasses had returned. So I shot off a quick email to the Maui Jim repair line at 5pm no less, and within a few moments, I had a reply! Can you believe it? Casey said, here is the tracking number we sent them on the 29th! I can not believe how fast and efficiently their system works! Thank you Maui Jim for the great customer service and the fast turn around on the repairs! We will be forever loyal to you!


The sunglasses were in the mailbox!