L.L. Bean of Freeport, Maine is a huge catalog and online operation that’s been in business for years. They work on a “no sale is final” basis. If you buy a pair of boots from Bean and they wear out 20 years later and you’re not happy, just call em’ up, and they’ll send a new pair at no charge.
They
sell chinos at fair prices, and if you want an in-between length, like 31 ½,
Bean will shorten them for five bucks extra and send them out in a few days. I
bought a pair, wore them a few times, decided they were too long (my fault),
sent them back with a note, and a few days later got a call.
The
maternal Bean representative (they all sound as though they just stepped away
from checking on the pies in the oven, drying their hands on the apron, and
picking up the phone) told me that there wasn’t enough material on the bottom
of my chinos to make the length I wanted.
While
pondering whether the length I would get was too short the representative
suggested that they simply send me a new pair. Also, she wondered, did I want
the same style? Actually, I didn’t, and she said they would send the style I
wanted, plus I would get a refund for the price difference.
The
new pants arrived in a few days and fit perfectly. And rather than deducting
from my credit card account, they included a refund check for seven dollars in
the package. Bean makes you feel like you are in the bosom of an extended
family.
“I do not consider a sale
complete until goods are worn out and the customer still satisfied.” -From an
L.L. Bean 1912 circular
Business
Insights, Quality Intent, Discussion Topics: Creating lifetime
customers goes beyond just providing good service. It involves delighting them
to a point where they wouldn’t think of going someplace else. Excellent personal
service also gives recipients something to tell their friends about, and this
free advertising creates new customers. As L. L. Bean repeatedly demonstrates,
the best branding is centered on product quality, impeccable service and quick
action. Statements regarding product and service quality are acceptable
provided they are backed up and proven. A printed card accompanies L.L. Bean
shipments. The Headline reads:
Guaranteed.
You Have Our Word.®
The body copy reads:
Our
products are guaranteed to give 100% satisfaction in every way. Return
anything
purchased from us at any time if it proves otherwise. We do not want
you to
have anything from L.L. Bean that is not completely satisfactory.
The
reverse side of the card reads:
Call
us at 1-800-341-4341 any time, day or night, 7 days a week.
“Your brand is the promise you
keep, not the one you make.” –Kristin Zhivago
Note: L.L. Bean’s toll-free
number is all over their website. It is difficult to find a toll-free number on
many company’s websites. You’re expected to solve the problem online. The
message is: We don’t want to talk to you.
Judging
Quality I’ve never visited the L.L. Bean flagship store in
Freeeport, Maine. I understand that its décor, products and services match the
company’s reputation. However, there is a Bean store near my Illinois town, and
it’s a joy to go there. I usually find what I want, and if they don’t have it,
they’ll promptly ship it to you. Bean clearly believes that quality of service
is measured not by your standards but by your customers’ opinions. Customers
are the only true judges of quality.
Customer-driven quality is a strategic concept including
value, satisfaction, preference, trust and confidence. As quality guru W.
Edwards Deming enjoined, depending on customer complaints to focus on system
problems is passive. Don’t wait for complaints—they come after an unsolved
problem.
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