Friday, December 26, 2008

THE JOY OF PROVIDING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

My cell phone rang with insistence EARLY this morning, the day after Christmas 2008, with a quite FRANTIC client, Marta, on the line.  I almost sat up even, but in reality, rolled over, got the phone and continued being supine.

Our print manufacturing plant wasn't open today, partly because the pressman and the "feeder" (who loads the paper) had not had a day off in 21 days!

Marta, my client, found some of her shipment of 48 page fashion catalogs deficient, to say the least.

Somehow, page 15 was followed by page 24 or some such, it was too early to actually write down or listen much! 

She did admit that not all of them were like that, but she was going to have to check her entire shipment of 4000 and there was another batch of 6000 at the mailing house (not open today).

Part of the aftermath follows!

This first note is in response to Marta's lovely missive, enjoy!

From: Frish
Date: Fri, Dec 26, 2008 at 11:13 AM
Subject: Re: Fixing the situation...
To: Marta

Marta:
I didn't say what we couldn't do, what I tried to make clear is that I (THAT IS ME PERSONALLY)
can't make a commitment as to when you will receive your catalogs as of today right now.

We will do what we have to do to get them in your hands as expeditiously as we possibly can.

We are responsible and take our jobs just as seriously as you do.

Sorry to upset you further.  That was not in any way my intention.

I am of the impression that you have 5000 usable catalogs as of today between your office and the mailing house. 

So, as someone famous once said, things could be worse.

My abject apologies and my continuing commitment to make things right as soon as possible.

Frish


On Fri, Dec 26, 2008 at 10:59 AM, Marta wrote:
Frish,
This email, you have sent to me, is very upsetting!!!!!

Your company made a huge mistake which has affected my business, my staff and my family.
I pulled 2 people off vacation and have taken the one day away from my daughter, who flew in to be with me over the weekend.
Everyone worked overtime to get you the job so that we could have these in our customers hands by January 1st.
You know how business is awful, and that we specifically timed this introduction to capture sale for the first week of January when all the retailers will be replacing inventory.  

I don't know what stress you have in your job, but I have the financial well being of 12 of my employees on my back .  And when you write me a note, casually telling me what you are
not going to do for me... I am thinking of my company and the people in it and the safety of whether they are going to have jobs when they come back in the new year.
I would think that you would be sending me a note telling me how you are going to get your employees back to work,
fix the problem and get our catalogs to kesmail on Tuesday.

Does your company stand by your promises or not!!!
Are you accepting that this is your fault and that you have greatly inconvenienced me and my company or not!!!!
Are you going  get this back on press Monday morning or not!!!!!

This email that you have sent me has only made my day worse.

I want to hear what you are going to do for me and my staff.
This is all very upsetting~!!!!!!!!!!

On 12/26/08 10:32 AM, "Frish" wrote:

Marta:
I wish I could wave a wand...
 
I cannot and did not make any commitments on when we can replace the catalogs.
 
We will do what we can do.
 
In the meanwhile, use what you can.
 
Frish
THE BOTTOM LINE:  BY MID-AFTERNOON SHE HAD FOUND  8 (EIGHT) BAD CATALOGS OUT OF THE 4000 (FOUR THOUSAND) AT HER LOCATION. 

THAT'S 8 OUT OF 10,000 TOTAL.  IN MY DISCUSSION WITH MY PRODUCTION MANAGER, WHO WAS UPSET ENOUGH BY THE NEWS TO ACTUALLY DRIVE TO WORK, IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT THE MAILING HOUSE HAS ANY MISPRINTS.

IN HIS VIEW, SOME 'MAKE-READY' PIECES OF PAPER WERE MIXED INTO THE WORKFLOW SO IT WAS VERY FEW SHEETS ALTOGETHER.

CONSIDERING THAT DELIVERY OF OVER OR UNDER 10% OF THE ORDER IS INDUSTRY STANDARD, WE'RE WELL WITHIN THE RANGE OF ACCEPTABILITY.

To anyone reading this far, Happy New Year 2009

P.S. The other work related item today, as a nice bookend, an order for $5000 worth of printing.