Making Things Right: A Case Study
Sometimes things go wrong with an order, even at the best companies. Here's how we handled a recent issue with one of our customers.
At Patches4Less.com, we believe in offering the highest quality products our customers can buy. We’ve gotten good at it over the past 20 years.
Our guiding philosophy is that you, our customers, are the reason our business exists. We’re going to do everything possible to give you outstanding customer service along with top quality products and competitive prices.
But like any other company, we do occasionally make mistakes. Sometimes a faulty product slips past our rigorous inspection process and makes its way to the customer.
When that happens, our commitment to customer service kicks in. We’re dedicated to making things right. Here’s how we handled one such case recently.
About Custom Patches
Our customers usually order either sew-on patches or patches with iron-on backing. The iron-on patches are the easiest to apply to garments, hats and other items, especially with a heat press.
The process is a simple one. Just place the patch on whatever you want to apply it to, cover with a thin cloth to protect the patch, and apply heat. The heat from an iron or press melts the adhesive enough for it to form a solid bond with the material to hold the patch in place.
The adhesive on the back of the patches is applied at the factory, and is perfectly reliable 99 percent of the time. But there’s always that one percent.
From the Customer’s Perspective
“My name is Brendan Rien, the owner and founder of a hunting apparel company called FILL-YER-TAG®. I’ve been a hunting guide since 2006 (3 years in Texas and 16 seasons chasing elk in Wyoming). “FILL-YER-TAG” is a phrase that the hunting community uses, as a question or comment, when referring to the success of legally harvesting game. I created FILL-YER-TAG® because I want folks to Encourage a Hunter.”
Brendan created an embroidered patch design for his brand.
“The image in my design is a bugling elk along with the encouraging words ‘FILL-YER-TAG’. It’s meant as a reminder to have a successful hunt.”
When he did an internet search for a patch supplier, he found us.
“I discovered Patches4Less.com through Google search. I looked at many other options, and even ordered from another company as a test.”
The Patch Order
“I purchased embroidered patches with an iron-on backing, so that I could easily produce quality hats for FILL-YER-TAG®. The patches are specifically for the branded hats I sell at festivals, shops and online.”
Once we received Brendan’s order, we digitized his design and sent it to our production department, which produced the first batch of patches and shipped them to him. So far, so good. Brendan was pleased with the product, the service and the price.
“The first patches were perfect,” Brendan said. “So I ordered more.”
And that’s where the problem occurred.
“The second round of patches didn’t seem to have enough glue coverage on the back. This caused the patches to not adhere properly to the hats.”
Communication is the Key
We recognize that communication is the most important part of our interactions with our customers, especially when there’s an issue with a product. We do our best to respond in a timely fashion. We want to know if a product doesn’t meet your standards, and we want to fix it.
Upon seeing the problem with the new batch of patches, Brendan called us.
“I called Customer Care at Patches4Less.com and a polite human answered the phone and immediately addressed my concerns.”
Our team followed our standard procedure for such cases, said sales representative Evan Poland.
“We typically respond A.S.A.P. with an email back, asking for pictures of the issue, if they haven't already sent anything. Once we gather that and more information, we submit a remake request to production to have the patches remade if it's a manufacturing defect like this case.”
In a follow-up email, Brendan provided us with pictures of the defective patches. This enabled us to confirm the problem.
While our production team was readying the new order, we also recommended that Brendan try heat pressing the original patches a second time. He did so, and reported no improvement in their adhesion.
Resolution
Other companies might have said “Sorry, nothing else we can do,” at that point. Some are willing to accept a one-time order from a customer and not care about after-sale service. That’s just not the way we do business.
Ultimately, we replaced the defective patches with a new order. It’s part of our commitment to stand behind every product we sell.
“The images clearly showed an issue on the glue,” Evan said. “So it was easy for production to acknowledge the issue and accept and start the remake promptly.”
The remade patches met the standards Brendan and his customers expect.
“The replacement patches arrived fast and perfect! The very best customer service!” Brendan noted. “The best part of this whole experience was the product itself. I can deal with other problems as long as the patches are perfect. However, I got lucky that Patches4Less.com was the whole package. Perfect patches, fast production, and great customer service.”
The patches have received a great response from Brendan’s customers too.
“All my customers love the hats, and clearly the patches are a big reason.”
The Bottom Line
Let’s face it, no business of any kind is going to hit a home run every single time with every customer. It’s just not possible. How you deal with the inevitable errors or defects is what sets companies apart. Working with the customer to solve the problem encourages customer loyalty and word-of-mouth recommendations.
We train our Customer Care staff and sales representatives to listen carefully to customers’ concerns and to respond promptly. Handling complaints is a skill in and of itself, and needs to be treated that way.
No business can be too proud to say “we made a mistake,” and not work to correct that mistake. In today’s competitive marketplace, customers have plenty of options if they don’t get satisfaction from your business. All it takes is an internet search.
Responsiveness and customer service, on the other hand, will earn comments like this from your customers.
“Patches4Less.com was far superior to all similar companies,” Brendan said. “Great website, fast production times, and a customer service representative I could talk to.”
Thank you, Brendan for your vote of confidence in us! We appreciate your business and look forward to serving FILL-YER-TAG® for years to come.
There’s more to customer service than just making the sale. At Patches4Less.com, we’re committed to your complete satisfaction with your patch order. If you’re ready to find out how great custom patches AND customer service can be, call or fill out our Free Quote form today. Let us show you how custom patches can benefit your business.
For more information about Fill-Yer-Tag:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fillyertag
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fillyertag
X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/FILLYERTAG
