A surprising thing happened today: I was sent a loyalty card. Its arrival made me think how utterly fantastic Monzo have made their customer service.
Let me explain. Sometime ago I bought a couple of things in Liberty, and at the same time ordered a replacement loyalty card. The guy at the till sorted it out, seemingly at the touch of a couple of screens. All pretty efficient, or so I thought.
EIGHTY NINE days later the card arrived.
How is this even possible? My original transaction (Feb 2) is logged on my credit card three statements back. The letter enclosing my replacement card is dated March 28! Even with second class postage, 89 days is pushing it!! I’d completely forgotten I’d even ordered a replacement.
Compared to Monzo, where I’ve consistently had a new card with me less than 24 hours after ordering, it highlights how some systems and processes simply aren’t built with the customer in mind AT ALL, let alone at the forefront of the experience.
Has anyone else ever experienced customer service so mind–numbingly poor, that you think to yourself, they can’t possibly think that’s OK?
Following that logic, my customer experience is basically dependent on other, unpredictable factors (other customers ordering replacements).
I’d argue money saving to that extent actually harms Liberty’s brand as it makes them appear completely disorganised. This is a shop which trades on its image of ultra–exclusivity.
Tbh I don’t think this is poor customer service. Poor customer service for me would be promising it in x amount of time, failing to deliver, and then failing to deliver again. Perhaps I have a high pain threshold.
Sure the card took a while but I know Liberty and I am pretty sure that any purchases you made in the meantime would still be added to your account. So it’s not really a situation where you could say: this is poor you’ve left me in a disadvantaged situation.
Example: My replacement Tesco card took three weeks to get to me because for unknown reasons it kept getting lost. I didn’t see this as poor service, there are far too many moving parts for me to be able to reliably point the finger of blame. Eventually it was couriered by special delivery, which I was happy with. At no point did I ever complain or view the service as poor.
Even the fiasco with TSB wouldn’t trigger me (though I know a lot of people are very angry). Unfortunate yes, poor service, not really. Things do go wrong sometimes and often out of anyone’s direct control. I don’t expect perfection.
I have experienced truly delightful CS a few times, generally always in high end designer shops.
