My friends, I hope you will allow me to voice my opinion. I worry that customer service is dying. There are too many places of business that I visit where it seems my purchases are not appreciated, or in the worst of cases, that my presence is a nuisance. What happened to “The customer is always right.”? (Even when they are not!)  

I’m not sure if it’s the staffing shortage that much of this country seems to be experiencing; I honestly don’t think it’s a generational difference as some people will claim; and I wonder if it’s simply a lack of paying attention to the importance of a healthy, happy customer experience… 

Whatever the reason, I believe that keeping a customer happy is #1) the right thing to do from a human perspective, and #2) the key to an ongoing customer relationship that ultimately affects a business’s bottom line.  

This was recently brought to my attention when some glassware we shipped to the west coast was lost in transit. It wasn’t our fault, we had the proper tracking information. It certainly wasn’t the customer’s fault, her address was correct. It was just nowhere to be found. I contacted her and assured her that we would send her another set of the Chalk Black and White Martini Glasses she had ordered. We expedited the shipping and soon she had exactly what she was looking for. This could have been the end of the story, but she was so happy not only with the product, but with the customer service she received, that she asked if she could purchase a matching vase. I had a blank vase, which Sarah quickly painted to match, and we got that out to her several days later. Below, is the photo she sent me of her glassware on display. 

Although this wasn't anything we wanted to happen, I’m fairly certain this customer will purchase more product and I know for sure she has told her friends about a little art studio in the hills of New York State that she had a wonderful experience with. Customer Service is alive at Golden Hill Studio!