Is Sending Your Customer Somewhere Else a Good Strategy?

The front passenger and driver's power window switches on my car quit working, so I stopped by the dealer to pick up some new ones. I bought my car in another state and have never been to this dealership before.

The parts guy looked up the items and told me he'd have to order them. "No problem, how much are they?"

"$395 for the driver's switch and $199 for the passenger." I looked at him in shock. "No way. I'll drive with the windows up," I said, as I turned to leave.

He looked all around quickly and then motioned for me to lean closer. "Try eBay," he whispered in a conspiratorial voice. I thanked him and went home.

Sure enough, I got both switches on eBay for $199 total and free shipping. Still a lot more money than a couple of pieces of plastic are worth in my opinion, but at least my windows were working again.

So what about sending me to eBay? Was the parts guy disloyal to his employer? They had already lost the sale, but did they gain a customer?

My loyalty factor for that dealer soared after I left. There are three dealerships in my area for my make of car. And although I didn't spend money with that one this time, it will be my first stop the next time I need service.

Why's that? Because the man behind the parts counter showed an interest in me and my problem. He realized his company didn't have a solution that worked for me, so he sent me somewhere he knew could solve my problem. That's a world-class customer service strategy in my book.

Satisfied customers are like gold. Make someone happy, even if it's at the expense of not hearing your own cash register ring, and you've taken the first step to building a potentially valuable lifetime relationship.

Had that man simply shrugged his shoulders and said "sorry; that's the price." He still wouldn't have heard the cash register ring. But it's also very likely he'd never see me in his shop again.

So the next time it comes down to delivering what a customer really needs, which is a solution to their problem, remember that business relationships are built on delivering world-class customer service.

If you and your staff aren't focused on winning customers for life, there's no better time to change your focus than right now.

Lisa Dozois is a freelance article and copywriter specializing in helping her clients raise their visibility and sell more products and service. To put Lisa to work for you, Click here.