5 Ways Flaunt Magazine Failed at Customer Service: And How You Can Learn from Them
Recently, Seth Godin made this observation from the point of a new customer:
Hey, I know that your last customer was a jerk. I know that you get asked the same stupid questions over and over. I know that people don't appreciate you, they're boors, they're selfish, they're in a hurry.But, here's the thing: I'm not those people. I've never been here before. I didn't do anything wrong! Don't blame me for them.
Seth's observation brings to mind my current—and prolonged experience with Flaunt magazine. The backstory here is that I received a subscription to Flaunt for Christmas. I didn't get my first issue until February. And I haven't received an issue since.
My communications with the Flaunt service staff has left me beside myself, wondering who on earth still finds it acceptable to treat paying customers with such indifference. But nonetheless, I'm a fan of picking the lesson out of every unsavory situation, so let us begin!
5 Ways Flaunt Failed at Customer Service
1. They ignored the customer.
I sent the Flaunt customer service folks an email on February 22nd, nicely stating the problem and listing my subscriber information. I didn't hear back from anyone until April 4th. And nothing says lovin' like a six-week delay of response.
2. They didn't apologize.
When I finally got a response, the rep didn't apologize for the missing issues, for the tardy reply, or anything else. When it comes to retaining business, manners, my friends, matter.
3. They didn't fix the problem.
I still haven't received the three issues they owe me. It's maddening. (Especially when you consider that a subscription to Flaunt is $60 for 11 issues.) If you can't solve your customer's pain, at least get in touch with them to explain why.
4. They didn't follow up with the customer.
After a bad experience, you should do what you can to massage the shoulders of your hurt customer. Instead, I had to contact them again to verify that they'd sent the back issues. Which brings me to...
5. They didn't do their homework about the customer.
When I contacted Flaunt again regarding my absent issues (leaving the full thread of our past email communications in tact), the customer service rep responded as if she'd never heard from me in her life. It's impossible to remember every customer—but do a little research about your customer before issuing a generic response.
Whether you're a one agent operation, or employ a handful of customer service people, remember that customer service is the face of your agency. If you don't care about your customers, why are they going to care—or show any loyalty— to you?
The honeymoon isn't over after you make an insurance sale. Your current clients still need to be wooed. They still need to be nurtured. They are, in essence, the low hanging fruit that shouldn't be ignored.
Your turn:
How do you deal with poor customer service interactions within your agency?
Comments
Wow. What a nightmare!
This is really surprising. In this online age most newish print magazines have a hard enough time staying afloat even with the best customer service.
These kind of shenanigans bode ill for the future of this magazine...which is really too bad. It looks like a pretty good rag. Too bad they're shooting themselves in the foot.
Posted by: Jeb | April 27, 2007 12:47 PM
Thanks for your sympathy, Jeb!
Aside from feeling like my gift-giver has been all-out robbed of his cash, it's the indifference that's really bugging me. The, "Yeah, we're really cool and don't care about the little people" attitude is really a turn-off.
The lesson in this, I think, is that even if you're not trying to convey that you don't care about the customer, actions definitely speak louder than words in these instances.
Posted by: Megan Mahan | April 27, 2007 04:07 PM
Hi,
I, too have same problem, and wondering whether there's any customer service number I could call. I subscribed in Oct 2006, and got only one copy of the magazine ever since..
They owe me more than 6 issues. If there's a phone# I could reach them, it would help coz I don't want them to contact me weeks later..
Please help.
Posted by: kaori | May 25, 2007 01:39 PM
Kaori,
Somehow I'm comforted by the fact that I'm not alone in this. :)
I also feel your pain in that the Flaunt web site lists pretty limited contact info. The only phone number I have is that of the abovementioned circulation associate, whom I'll be contacting to get a full refund if my issues don't arrive by June 1.
Feel free to give her a call. Her name is Kim Anguiano and her work number is 326.856.7053. Let me know how it turns out!
Posted by: Megan Mahan | May 29, 2007 09:32 AM
I also ordered a flaunt magazine subscription in december and had the same problem. I did however finally recieve my refund check. I really enjoyed the issue I recieved in Feb. but its the one that is still on the web site. What happened? did Flaunt just give up and hope no one would notice?
Posted by: Whitney elle | October 5, 2007 11:20 AM
Unfortunately, I'm still going through the Flaunt pains.
About three weeks ago they had the nerve to send me a solicitous email, which sort of set me off. I demanded (again) to be refunded the money (for not one, but two subscriptions), had to resubmit my addresses (for the fourth time), and still have yet to receive any money from them.
I'm not sure what's going on with them, Whitney, but you inclination may be right: that they've given up and hoped their paying customers wouldn't notice...or what we wouldn't care.
Add to the latter that people are starting to talk poorly about them on the internet...not too sugary.
Posted by: Megan Mahan | October 5, 2007 12:37 PM
I know it's a little late, but I've been searching for contact information for Flaunt and have nothing but an address to show for it. If you have any contact number or email address, it would be forever appreciated if you could send it my way!
Thanks.
Posted by: Kendall | October 1, 2008 04:59 PM