My wife was a big fan of Rooms To Go — until Saturday.
Due to just one phone call with Rooms To Go’s customer service, she has been moved from a supporter to a detractor.
Reasonably priced furniture, and a promise that they are “committed to YOUR satisfaction,” is what Rooms To Go pledges to customers.
However, after hearing about her phone call with customer service at Rooms To Go, it sounds as if they are just living up to half of their pledge.
Not long ago, we purchased a new couch at a budget price. However, after trying to live with the new couch for a little while, it just doesn’t feel like the one in the showroom. So, my wife called to see what if anything they could do to help us purchase a new couch and take care of our gently used couch.
During the phone call, though, it became apparent to her the customer service representative wasn’t empowered to help her.
I can only imagine how Nordstorm — often considered the gold standard for customer service, and which holds customer service as its No. 1 priority — would have handled the situation. Its strategy is that each employee is empowered to do whatever it takes to make certain the customer is happy.
Nordstrom, though, makes no promise to be a discount or lower cost retailer.
A Web search of Rooms To Go also shows many other stories of dissatisfied customers.
By trying to be all things to everyone, Rooms To Go is hurting itself. My advice would be to choose between being a budget furniture store, or a furniture store committed to customer service.
By pledging to be a customer service-focused company, but failing to deliver, it opens itself to criticism for making false promises. But by fulfilling a goal of satisfying customers, it could impact its ability to offer budget furniture.
Identify what is most important to your business’ success. Then, set up all practices and systems to support that goal.
By pledging to be all things to everyone, priorities collide, making it too easy for your employees to not be able to deliver on your promise.
By failing to deliver on any promise, you become a liar, and move customers from supporters to detractors.
