Dissatisfied Customer
Handling a Dissatisfied Customer at Newsome Furniture & Appliances
Background:
Newsome Furniture and Appliances is a small family-owned store that has been in operation for 47 years in Billings, Montana. The store employs 16 employees in two locations. Most customers are local residents, but there is a steady flow of customers from nearby smaller towns and cities. Most customers shop at Newsome’s store that is located in a large shopping mall outside of Billings. On an average weekday, Newsome’s two stores, combined, get 80 to 150 walkthrough customers. On Saturdays several hundred customers patronize the two stores.
Of the frontline employees (sales, customer service, and credit staff), most have been with the company at least five years. No formal classroom training on effective customer service techniques is offered to the staff. However, each employee is encouraged to attend one professional development workshop or community college course each year. Mr. Newsome pays 75 percent of the cost of such courses. You were hired as a customer service assistant eight months ago after you graduated from high school. You report to the customer service supervisor, Ginny Hall. In school, you took a couple of business courses and have read numerous books on sales and customer service. You hope for career advancement in this field.
On Saturday morning Mr. and Mrs. Wyland Sommers came into your store. Both are senior citizens and longtime Billings residents. They have made numerous purchases at Newsome’s over the past 18 years. The Sommers bought a sofa bed last week, and it was delivered on Friday. The sofa had been a floor model, and the price had been reduced by 50 percent. The tag on the sofa said “as is” because there was a large tear in the mattress cover.
Your Role:
When Mr. and Mrs. Sommers came into the store, they proceeded directly to the customer service department. As they approached, you smiled, said good morning, and offered to assist them. The
Background:
Newsome Furniture and Appliances is a small family-owned store that has been in operation for 47 years in Billings, Montana. The store employs 16 employees in two locations. Most customers are local residents, but there is a steady flow of customers from nearby smaller towns and cities. Most customers shop at Newsome’s store that is located in a large shopping mall outside of Billings. On an average weekday, Newsome’s two stores, combined, get 80 to 150 walkthrough customers. On Saturdays several hundred customers patronize the two stores.
Of the frontline employees (sales, customer service, and credit staff), most have been with the company at least five years. No formal classroom training on effective customer service techniques is offered to the staff. However, each employee is encouraged to attend one professional development workshop or community college course each year. Mr. Newsome pays 75 percent of the cost of such courses. You were hired as a customer service assistant eight months ago after you graduated from high school. You report to the customer service supervisor, Ginny Hall. In school, you took a couple of business courses and have read numerous books on sales and customer service. You hope for career advancement in this field.
On Saturday morning Mr. and Mrs. Wyland Sommers came into your store. Both are senior citizens and longtime Billings residents. They have made numerous purchases at Newsome’s over the past 18 years. The Sommers bought a sofa bed last week, and it was delivered on Friday. The sofa had been a floor model, and the price had been reduced by 50 percent. The tag on the sofa said “as is” because there was a large tear in the mattress cover.
Your Role:
When Mr. and Mrs. Sommers came into the store, they proceeded directly to the customer service department. As they approached, you smiled, said good morning, and offered to assist them. The