This is an expanded version of what was written in the March 2009 Muse News. If you’d like to subscribe to the free monthly Muse News or read the archives then click here.
A plastic part in our refrigerator broke so I drove over to Sears thinking I could either buy one or they would order it for me. They said, “Oh, no we don’t do that, you have to go to our Parts Store and they are closed today.” Then I said, “Hmmm, can you order it for me online?” Then she replied again, “No, you would need to do that yourself.” So, I went back home, fired up the computer and typed the part # in Google. The first couple sites I found were awfully confusing and I couldn’t even figure out how to buy the part from these sites. Then I discovered: www.partselect.com This is an amazing website and so easy to navigate. Not only did I find the part right away with a price; the bonus was reading the Do-It-Yourself stories they post on the site. I was able to print those specific to the installation of this part and also realized I needed to order one more piece to make this thing work. With just a few clicks of the mouse, my order was placed and I received the part in less than 7 days. Now, THAT is customer service!
Since this writing, I have heard from several people who found incredible savings online by searching by part numbers. One person had an outdoor fountain and the pump went out. She returned to the store where she purchased the fountain and had a similar experience to mine above with the brick and mortar store. A quick search online and she found that of all places, Amazon carried this fountain pump!
Another couple was looking for drawer handles and knobs for their kitchen cabinets. The store didn’t have enough in stock to outfit their kitchen and they thought the prices were pretty high. They bought one of each and searched online by the part number on the back of the package. Sure enough they were able to find them “in stock” and at half the price with no tax and free shipping. What a deal!
When a part went out in his older car, Bud was able to search by part number and find exactly what he needed. His mechanic couldn’t believe he found it online!
These are just a few of the stories I’ve heard. Click on the icon that says, “Leave a Comment” below and I’d love to hear what you’ve found online by searching this way!
Tags: customer service, effective web design, web site usability
