7 Epic Customer Service Stories

We all love reading stories about epic customer service saves. It is the business version of a happy ending: the company listens to the customer, the problem is fixed, and everybody wins.

Why do we love these so much? Perhaps it is because it reminds us that there are companies (and customer service reps) that care about their customers. Businesses like to claim that their customers are the number one priority, but these stories prove that there are companies out there who will go the extra mile to take care of their users.

Think of the following stories as inspiration to take your customer service to the next level!

1. TRADER JOE’S

A couple of years ago, one Redditor’s grandfather got snowed into his apartment complex in Wayne, PA. Concerned about his food supply level, his daughter called several grocery stores in the nearby area, checking if any offered grocery delivery service. No store offered it – not even Trader Joe’s – but they were the only ones to step up and volunteer to help out the World War II veteran. They even suggested options for his low-sodium diet!

Not only did they deliver the groceries for free – they did not charge a dime for the food!

2. SAINSBURY’S

A letter from three-year-old Lily concerning a bakery item entertained the employees of Sainsbury’s back in 2011. “Why is tiger bread named tiger bread?” her letter asked the grocery chain. “It should be called giraffe bread.” To everyone’s surprise, a customer service manager at the company responded encouragingly, telling her that her idea was brilliant. He sent her a gift card, and the bread was renamed.

3. ZAPPO’S

Zappo’s customer service is well-known for their excellence – I could write an entire post on them alone! – but I want to focus in on one specific instance. A customer’s mother went through medical treatments that made her feet extremely sensitive to pressure. In search of a shoe that would help, her daughter purchased six pairs from Zappo’s, hoping one would work. After receiving them, she contacted customer service for information on how to return the shoes that did not work, and explained the reason why she needed to return so many.

Two days later, her mother received a large bouquet from Zappo’s, wishing her a quick recovery – and two days after that, the customer, her sister, and her mother were all upgraded to VIP memberships, giving them free expedited shipping on every order!

4. NORDSTROM

Nordstrom’s customer service representatives are the gold standard, and here is why: in 2011, after noticing a woman crawling around on the floor, anxiously checking the carpet, a security guard stopped her to see what happened. It turned out that she had lost a diamond from her wedding ring. When he heard that, not only did he get down on his hands and knees to help, he enlisted a small team to help them and, when they could not locate it in the area, painstakingly sifted through the vacuum bag detritus until they found her diamond!

5. APPLE

You do not often hear positive stories about tech giant Apple, but this one, published just after the iPad 2 launched, is a nice change. Apparently a man bought an iPad online, only to return it immediately with a sticky note affixed reading, “Wife said no.”  The returns processors must have had a field day, because the story made it to a couple of VPs who not only refunded the purchase, but sent back the iPad with an attached note saying, “Apple said yes.”

6. MORTON’S STEAKHOUSE

Author and business consultant Peter Shankman was getting ready to board his last flight after a long day traveling. He knew it would be dinnertime when he arrived at home, and decided to go out on a limb, tweeting at steakhouse chain Morton’s, “Can you meet me at Newark airport with a porterhouse when I land in two hours?” He got the surprise of his life when he landed and was greeted by a gentleman in a tuxedo holding his order as well as bread, side dishes, and silverware!

7. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES

Last but not least, Southwest warmed the hearts of many when they helped a man flying from Los Angeles to Denver. He was on a business trip when he received word that his grandson was beaten into a coma, and being taken off life support at 9 PM that evening. His wife called Southwest to rebook and explain the reason, but traffic and TSA lines prevented him from arriving on time. When he reached the gate, however, he found the pilot waiting for him. He thanked the pilot profusely, who replied, “They are not going anywhere without me, and I was not going anywhere without you. And again, I am so sorry.”