Last week, I was prepared to title this post, “Barnes & Noble is Stealing My Money.”
To put it briefly:
Two years ago, I purchased a first edition nook®, Barnes & Noble’s e-reader. It’s a splendid product; but, I needed enhanced graphics for my electronic versions of business and academic periodicals and journals.
So, I picked up an iPad – a magnificent product, as well. Now, there’s no sense in keeping two subscriptions of the same publication on two tablet-style devices, right? So, I cancelled all periodicals delivered to the nook®. Or, so I thought.
For the next eight months, I continued to witness my bank account being charged for a Wall Street Journal subscription that I no longer took via the nook®. I attempted to cancel the subscription online – monthly. I called Customer Support – monthly. I spoke with supervisors – monthly. I was assured my incident was “taken care of” – monthly. And Barnes & Noble charged me – monthly.
Heck, I even tried blockade maneuvers: eliminating the authorized credit card, deregistering the nook®, and issuing stop payment orders with the bank. And, I began to write this post with a different title.
One last time – for good measure and since the monthly rate was due to increase 22 percent – I gave Customer Support a ring. As expected, I needed to make my way past the first level to “Escalation” status. And that’s when Fallon took the call.
Long story short? Fallon understood the matter, was concerned about the lack of resolution, and promised me that she – personally – would see that this was put right. More often than not, I’m a sucker for a pleasing voice with a side helping of eloquence, appreciation, and kindness. And I wasn’t buying it one bit. Once bitten, twice shy.
So, Fallon said she would send me a personal email in order for me to, individually, correspond with her regarding this matter. I’d been left at the altar before and figured a “no-reply” email was headed straight my way. I asked for Fallon’s direct email address. She gave it to me. I sent her an email. It didn’t bounce. She actually replied.
At the end of our 15 minutes of nook® Digital Support fame, Fallon assured me that: she would personally tend to this matter; my subscription would be cancelled; and, my months of payments would make their way back to my account. Yeah, right.
Well, I’ll be damned. Two days later, Fallon emailed me. She discovered the predicament, cancelled the subscription, and authorized my refund. And, the money’s back. Turns out, Barnes & Noble didn’t steal my money. Most important, what Fallon said she would do – she did. Isn’t that the very core of One Percent™ Service?
Each day, we have opportunities to prove our integrity (to do what we say we will do) to our customer – with products, services, experiences, and – sometimes – righting wrongs. At the end of each of these opportunities is a conclusion reached by our customer – to buy again, to buy more, to recommend, and the opposite of each mentioned, as well.
One Percent™ Service is, without doubt, a level that rises above the rest. It’s an echelon of service that few reach. Even more, One Percent™ Service is choosing to succeed when 99 others will settle.
Fallon chose to do what she said she would do. Fallon chose to lead. Fallon chose to succeed, and not settle. Fallon chose One Percent™ Service.
The nook® gets re-registered tonight.
