Get What You Want...& More - 3 Great Customer Service Tips

You are not the only shopper in the world of customer service so don’t feel hesitant if you want to confront the customer service department a little and get what you feel you deserve. Just be genteel in the process and don’t skip too fast Little Red.

-Make your first approach welcoming: Always make a good introduction with a ‘Hi’ or ‘Hello’ and introduce yourself as a customer who favors the company-try to sound genuine and don’t just say, “I am a customer who favors your company.” Avoid spending too much time favoring, and get to the point about your faulted or missing item from them. This is not the time to ask (or demand) for a refund but simply state your concern for their assistance with helping you and close by expressing how you will greatly appreciate every effort.

-Follow up: Keep an eye out for emails with addresses that have ‘Order@’ or ‘Care@’ - this is usually the Customer Care department.

As soon as you receive an email or voice message, reply ASAP. Nothing proves better concern than a customer who immediately responds with a [hint] ‘thanks to the quick response’ reply message. Also, if the message ends with a representative’s signature, title, or first name then use it whenever you respond-acknowledge anyone you come in contact with.

-Ask and you shall receive: Now is the time to really kill ‘em with kindness! Whether the problem or confusion is due to your error or theirs, ‘you will remain a loyal customer who enjoys their innovative style and variety of products’. Great retailers online with excellent customer service like urbanoutfitters and asos are superior at satisfying their customers. These companies want to refund your money or help you find something else because they know you’ll leave with confidence in their service and return again, and again.

These are some basic tips but I was compelled to share since a recent incident where a package of mine was wrongly shipped to an old address of mine. I’d been waiting for the tracking info to show up for days and when it finally did, my package was delivered…in California while I was in New Jersey. These basic tips earned me a new package sent with a refund. I did not expect to get both but looking back at the emails, I played nicely, and batted my eyes like Kim Kardashian (not really) to get what I wanted. I’m sure they assumed I’d just spend the refund on their website. And I did!

Invest...In YOU

This post has been on hold and is now fortified, gladly with more insight and meaning to anyone who is easily influenced and has ever shopped before. That’s you right? Throughout this blog, I haven’t made it obvious that I’m a fan of Pop Culture and men’s fashion, which add$ up just thinking about them. Most purchases like boots, watches, or blazers that I’ve made, I can honestly admit fulfilled an innate want to becoming a better Me. A Me that looked better and felt better. Typically the honeymoon with a few new things is fleeting and then it’s on to the next!

“Move away from the external identifiers…and start investing in you”, I read in the section 'Power-of You' by Marilyn Logan. I’m learning the look-good-to-feel-good attitude can consume your identity and a feeling of emptiness eventually follows. Make an effort to invest in a class or conference, but first figure out your interests and discover your niche. I am registering in a local adult school for creative writing and investing starting next month. It’s okay to look nice while you expand your knowledge, let’s just put more of the dollars where the return of investment rewards us in the long run.


I credit Monarch magazine’s winter 2011 issue for my inspiration-my first time reading the [about] 10x13 size magazine.