Customer Service Cage Match!

[Bounder]

First, I've read here and at ACAC for quite a long time. I've never felt the need to post before now, however.

As I have no problem complaining when things go wrong, it would seem only fair to speak up when things go right. So far, especially in my dealings with on-line merchants, this has never really been an issue.

Now, however, I feel ethically compelled to give credit where credit is due. I know that most SFers are divided between Pediwear and PLAL when they are in the market for Crockett & Jones. Well, Bodileys rox.

I ordered a pair of C&J from them a few weeks ago. I had not used them before but the price was the same as Pediwear's. The order arrived promptly (free shipping and no duty assessed). But I noticed that the right shoe had a fairly deep cut in the leather next to the welt. I e-mailed Sarah, at Bodileys, about the problem and she responded within an hour asking me for the numbers printed on the inside lining which, apparently indicate such things as date of production, production line, etc. The next day she reported that she had spoken with C&J, that C&J had traced the problem and determined that a specific pair of shoes that had been damaged in production had been inadvertently shipped out. They asked Sarah to convey their deepest apologies to me. To make up for the error, Sarah sent me another pair of shoes and a free pair of shoe trees. Sarah also insisted that I keep the damaged pair of shoes that I had already received.

Everybody makes mistakes. What counts is what you do about them. When I originally received the damaged shoes, I was quite righteously pissed off. Needless to say, I've gotten over it. Both C&J and Bodileys provided exquisitely correct customer service and demonstrated real pride both in their products and their reputations. That is vanishingly rare in anyone these days, much less in an internet merchant.

Shyam and PLAL get a lot of love here for their customer service. But I will back Sarah against Shyam in a customer-service cage match any day. And Pediwear -- don't make me laugh. Pediwear is good enough, I suppose. But Sarah could body slam any three of the people who answer their phones while doing her nails.

Bodileys doesn't have the range of stock that Pediwear does. They carry C&J and and Alfred Sargent -- assuming you can get Alfred Sargent these days. But what they do handle, they handle extremely well. They are well worth considering for your next C&J purchase. From our perspective as consumers, it's also good business to reward those who go so far beyond the normal we-lost-your-e-mail-and-it's-somehow-your-fault-anyway customer service standard that is becoming so prevalent on-line. Bodileys' efforts cost them a medium-sized fortune just in shipping. I genuinely hope that their good deed will be rewarded many times over in the form of additional business from those impressed by their high standards.

They'll certainly have my next order.