What I Learned from Returning a €400 Ring

Welcome to the 121st edition of “In Touch”. As always, I would love to continue the conversation so please hit reply and let me know what you think.

Story of the Week: “What I Learned from Returning a €400 Ring"

Three months ago, I bought a high-tech ring that promised to track my sleep, activity and recovery. However, not long after I started using it, my hand began to ache and I was soon feeling excruciating joint pain so I decided to reach out to the company online to let them know what was happening.

First, an AI bot picked up and immediately began asking relevant questions but once I had explained that a doctor had already advised me to stop using the device, the system immediately connected me to a human customer service representative. Patrick was a breath of fresh air and, after only a couple of simple questions, he authorized a full refund, including the original €15 shipping fee. An email with a courier label arrived instantly and I was informed that the courier would collect the device from my office two days later. That happened exactly as Patrick said it would.

I was elated – not because of the refund itself but due to the ease with which the whole process had been completed. I was reminded of the famous old saying – “The customer is always right” – and I couldn’t help comparing my experience with that of buying a cup of coffee. The chances of it being too weak, too strong or not the type you had ordered are far greater than a high-tech device malfunctioning. Yet if you dare complain, let alone return that coffee, you’ll often get sighs, rolled eyes and sometimes outright denial! Something that costs a tiny fraction of the price of a wearable can end up costing you your mood for the rest of the day.

It’s always disappointing to buy something that’s not right for you. Like the side-effects of a drug, which may only occur in a few cases, some pieces of tech may reveal hidden sensitivities – I know from my online research that others have suffered from aches and pains like mine. But at least when the refund and return processes go smoothly, they can certainly help you get over any upset.

What I Learned

1. When you make a customer’s life easy, you win. Even if they’re no longer your customer, they’ll still talk about you.
2. Technology, especially AI, is powerful but it takes the human touch to close the loop.
3. Sometimes your unique product isn’t what you sell but how you treat people when things go wrong.

Words of Wisdom

“Whatever the business, the customer comes first." Kerry Stokes

"Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning." Bill Gates

"Customers don't expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong," Donald Porter

A Question to Ponder, dear friend.

What’s the one customer experience you’ll never forget – good or bad?