Always Remember Your Customer Service.

7 replies
I just got an affiliate promotion from a reasonably well-known marketer.

When I was excited about it, and clicked the "buy now" button because I honestly did want the product and had been wishing someone would offer one like it, I was told:

"This offer does not exist"

So I typed the URL of the offer page directly, and was told:

"Invalid link"

And with this, I emailed the affiliate. He had said "I have a product for you." So I responded "No you don't! I got this error. WTF, do you know how rare it is for me to click and buy that fast?"

Half an hour later, he responded with a screenshot and said "Then what do you suppose these are sitting on my server?"

Bad Idea.

Look, I know we're all human. And I know we all make mistakes.

But in the eight minutes between receiving that email and responding "They're certainly not product number XXX, but never mind" - I found another affiliate selling the same product and bought it.

So well-known marketer doesn't get his commission, and marketer I've never heard of gets me on his customer list.

And yes, it really is THAT FAST.

All I needed to hear back was "Oh no! I'll check into it and see what I can do." I would have waited for that.

But instead, I got attitude.

With a screenshot, no less.

Studies consistently show that you earn customer loyalty not when you never have problems, but when you have problems that you fix quickly.

I can fix my own problem quickly. I just throw your headline into Bing, and I get a handy list of all the other affiliates just like you that didn't even bother to modify the sales page.

I saw some names I recognised. I saw a couple I didn't. And I just went down one result at a time until I found someone who actually bothered to change a couple of the graphics... and even use a video.

And that guy got my business.

Then I went and unsubscribed from the well-known marketer's list.

Every customer complaint is an opportunity.

Don't waste it.
#customer #remember #service
  • Profile picture of the author Jacqueline Smith
    I am still amazed at how many people don't have a clue about customer service. Not just on the internet but everywhere. As you pointed out....one little statement would have changed everything. The fact that the seller was not only rude but actually took more time to send you a screenshot.......unreal!

    Every customer is important. Those that think they have so many it won't matter if they piss the odd one off.....it will catch up with you somewhere.

    I would have done the same thing as you....not make a fuss and waste my time....just move on and never go back.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bellusccio89
    Customer is key,
    that well known marketer should get a cyber slap for giving attitude to a willing customer.

    What amazes me in all of this is the fact that he is referred as "Well-known"

    Hope that doesn't last any longer

    thanks for the anecdote(lesson)
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    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by Bellusccio89 View Post

      Customer is key,
      that well known marketer should get a cyber slap for giving attitude to a willing customer.

      What amazes me in all of this is the fact that he is referred as "Well-known"
      The saga continues, somewhat.

      He had no clue what I was trying to tell him in the original email.

      We're on some of the same forums, and he thought I was just poking fun at him - not actually raising a customer service issue. It hadn't occurred to him that I was emailing him as a customer, not just as someone who knows him and hangs out with him.

      But since his company name doesn't make me think of him personally, I didn't connect the dots. So there were two miscommunications here.

      Instead of emailing an anonymous company, I was actually emailing one of my friends. And instead of getting email from one of his friends, he was getting email from a customer.

      And until I posted this thread, he couldn't wave a hand and go "oh, crap, dude - it's me!"

      So I've sort of got egg on my face and a foot in my mouth over here, as well.

      And, um, what's that I said? We're all human and we all make mistakes?

      This actually brings up a whole different point.

      How many of us know one another on a personal level and on a business level here? I mean, I look at Jill Carpenter - she's bought my products, I've bought her products, and we've hung out drinking on more than a few Friday nights. Things get a little muddled.

      What happened here, in the end, turns out to be not knowing whether an email was business or personal. One of us thought this was a business conversation, and the other thought it was personal.

      And we mix business and personal so much in this business, sometimes it's hard to tell the difference.

      Now, if you'll pardon me, I have to go find my friend's squeeze page and get back on his list... :p
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      "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
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  • Profile picture of the author paulie888
    Another issue is that the big marketers tend to outsource their customer service, and some of the people they employ are clueless airheads that really suck at communicating and resolving issues with the customer! In many cases, I believe they stretch their customer service staff to the limit, and it takes ages just to get a simple issue resolved. This is just bad business, as it'll typically result in lots of complaints and refund requests! If they employ just a few more well-trained customer support staff, they could nip a lot of issues in the bud before they become really egregious problems!
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  • Profile picture of the author Jacqueline Smith
    LOL....thanks for the update....it's just too funny!
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  • Profile picture of the author michael_dans
    I believe that customer service is the most important thing one should remember. If the customer is not provided the service mentioned or the product does not exist then it leaves a bad impact for the site also.
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  • Profile picture of the author sixplus
    It's Amazingly SIMPLE!

    Take time to Listen! Before you Speak!

    9 times out of 10 a solution can be reached that is Profitable for both parties!

    Thanks for the reminder!
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