They-Get-It Customer Service

Okay - forgive me for planting a song in your head...the one running through my head right now is Jimmy Cliff's "I can see clearly now"...it's a really good song in my book so it doesn't bother me to have it running through my head (and I even know a fair amount of the lyrics which makes it even better).

Anyway, the song brings to mind my fabulous Smith sunglasses. I love them. In fact, they are a replacement for a pair I bought over 7 years ago.

Little background.

In December of 1999, I bought a pair of Sliders, with interchangeable lenses, by Smith, in Montana. With plenty of choices including several other quality brands, I chose the Smiths. Partially - in large part actually - for their interchangeable lenses. The yellow and amber ones really help with depth perception (think cloudy day, snowy slopes, strong aversion to yard sales skiing - Jody you know of which "sale" I speak!), the clear lenses are good for biking, keeping bugs out of your eyes, and the dark ones - well, for really sunny days, they're the bomb.

I quickly fell in total and complete love with them. Ahhhhh! Having worn corrective lenses since 4th grade, my eyes are a point of extra care for me. Plus I don't like to squint.

At one point, about 4 years into having them, one of the cushions on one of the arms fell off when I took them off (I am assuming). I called Smith Optics, and they said they'd send me out a replacement - free of charge - soon. I received two, in less than week. Hmm. Impressive.

Off I go happy again, fully operational.

Fast forward to last December. An arm finally gave it up. One of the hinges actually came out of where it had been glued upon manufacturing. I was heartbroken. What am I to do without my Smith's??

A short search online ensued (and a phone call confirmed) revealing that they did not currently have a interchangeable lens style currently available. I had sent them in asking for repair or to replace with a similar model (which I was happy to pay for), a representative had called and told me as much. Damn.

Get this though...

The rep (RayAnne maybe?) told me they would be happy to give me full retail credit, on this pair that I had bought fully 7 years prior, towards a new pair. Are you kidding me?! No really, they assured me. She gave me a customer number to use when ordering and that was that.

Okay - fast forward again. They have a customer for life, a Raving Fan for life. Heck, if they sent me a t-shirt - I'd wear it out telling everyone I could about their outstanding service culture.

Being a Customer Experience pundit, I truly appreciate how they are doing business - in the interest of the customer. From the gut, like it should be done. They obviously know how I will react to their service.

Indeed. I love my new Smiths. Thank you Smith Optics. I CAN see clearly now...

Photos courtesy of Flickr by westbound