This is a case of FREE gone wrong, made right!
I usually don't blog about customer satisfaction but I had to today because it involves my nine year old son. This is an incident of FREE gone wrong, made right...
Last week, my son received a Pizza Hut BOOK IT! coupon for reading over 20 books in month of October. He was so happy that he insisted that we redeem it that evening for a FREE personal pan pizza. When he and I went to pick up the order, the employees at the Pizza Hut refused to redeem it. They claimed that management did not allow them to take BOOK IT! coupons after 4pm. Now, I am thinking "Aren't most kids in school until 4pm?".
Now my son is standing there looking sad and my "mommy powers" came out and I started "explaining" that this "policy" made no sense, i.e. "Bring me the manager!". After another round with the manager I don't seem to be getting anywhere. But, now the other customers in the Pizza Hut have joined in (amazing how strangers want to look out for kids too!) and then the employees give in and they take the coupon and give my son the pizza.
I was still mad over the experience so I contacted the Book IT! customer service via their BOOK IT! web page.
Within 24 hours, they accomplished the "holy grail" of good customer service:
1. They apologized for the incident.
2. They contacted the management of the Pizza Hut that caused the drama. The manager admitted that the employees were wrong and said that the employees will be retrained on accepting BOOK IT! coupons.
3. They voluntarily offered to send my son some BOOK IT! goodies. (Happy Kid, Happy Mother!)
4. And they asked me to relate to my son that Pizza Hut and BOOK IT! are very proud of his reading accomplishments. (Proud Kid, Proud Mother!)
Now that folks is good customer service. Everyone makes mistakes, but few take responsiblity, fix the problem, and make amends.
Thank you Pizza Hut and BOOK IT! You made my day...
I think you really hit the nail on the head when you cited how so few places own up to their mistake and work adequately to reconcile it. Too often I see exactly this in the response (or passive-aggressive LACK of response) from corporate entities. No one is ever "man" enough to admit a wrongdoing and from that it prompts me to maintain great contempt for such actions on behalf of these companies. I'm glad to hear that more everyday people are stepping in, helping out, and putting their foot down against mindless, counterproductive and irrational red-tape/bureaucratic attitudes and policies.
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