Why Good Customer Service Matters

If you’re like a lot of cigar smokers who buy their cigars online, you’ve probably spoken with Customer Service at some point. It could have been about a return, an offer, new cigars or accessories, shipping, out of stock items, or to place an order because you’d rather talk to a human being than a video monitor. Sometimes the call is to make CS aware that the website copy about an item is erroneous. (Ouch!)

Whatever the reason for calling, even though the Famous Smoke Shop website has helpful answers to commonly asked questions, the Customer Service Department is the frontline, and in many cases, the “face” of the company. How the agent “appears” to the customer can often be the difference between losing or keeping a customer for life.

One of the things Famous Smoke Shop is best known for, maybe even more so in some ways than our competitive prices on cigars, is customer service. The primary reason for this is that Famous Smoke Shop customer service sets the bar higher than any other industry competitor. That’s why consumer shop & compare sites like BizRate.com have awarded Famous “Gold” status for customer service excellence.

“Our most important goal is to make sure the customer is 100% satisfied with their experience from beginning to end,” says Famous Call Center Manager, Cory Reinhard. “If a customer has any issues anywhere in the chain of an order, I insist on being notified so I can make it right.”

Bad experiences from website issues, order or product problems, general complaints, or shipping issues happen. Therefore, the faster the customer’s problem is handled and rectified the more satisfied the customer will be. Most important is patience and politeness. Nothing turns a frown upside down faster than an agent who’s courteous. Of course, there are some customers who just want to pick a fight no matter what the agent says.

“In a business where we are at the mercy of our vendors’ products and timelines, we need to make sure we stand out,” says Reinhard. “If a customer wants us to check the items they’ve ordered, I personally inspect them and place a signed business card with inspection date in the package to give the customer the proof that it is something I would personally smoke or use without question.”

Returns are common with any online business and can often be overwhelming. The advantage to Famous’s return policy is quick turnaround and offering replacement products or credits to customers “hassle free.” Within minutes a return shipping label is generated and e-mailed (or mailed) to the customer to expedite the process. In certain situations replacement products are sent to customers to avoid “down time.” If a customer feels they have to go to another site to purchase their items just to tide them over, it can be a death knell.

Famous also provides a variety of shipping options; from free shipping promotions to overnight service, everything in-between, and even international orders are fulfilled with ease.

As for me, when I have to speak with a customer service person from a company for something I’ve purchased, it’s because of Famous’s excellence in customer service that I hold the agent to a higher standard. Sure, low prices on cigars are great, but if you can’t get good customer service when you need it, you’re wasting your time and your money.

Want more proof? See this press release.