On a recent trip to Spain, I reserved a rental car so my family and I could drive to the small town where we had an Airbnb reservation. I also thought it’d be an opportunity to explore the surrounding area. Little did I know that what unfolded would leave me with a list of lessons to pass on to you and highlight how customer service affects a company’s reputation.
Inside the Barcelona airport, we waited 30-minutes at the car rental counter of what we’ll call Company A. From there, my customer experience went downhill faster than your boss expects you to find a qualified software development team. “Monica,” Company A’s customer service representative, informed me that because I didn’t have an International Driver License (IDL), she couldn’t rent me the car. Period. My heart sank while my mind raced. I told her I’ve rented cars in several other European countries and never needed an IDL. She said it was the law in Spain. I asked if she would accept an electronic IDL, which I could get online in just a few minutes. She said no, it had to be on paper. I started to see our vacation falling apart.
I asked if all the car rental companies had this policy. She shrugged her shoulders saying she didn’t know. While this upset me, the worst part was that I checked in online the day before and not once during the check-in process did Company A ask me if I had an IDL. It would have been a lot different if they took the time to just tell me I needed one.
Lesson one: clear and timely communication is key, especially when it impacts the customer’s experience.
We considered buses and trains, but both were terrible options. I walked over 30 feet and talked to the agent at another rental car company – Company B.
Lesson two: find resolutions to accommodate customers’ needs before they’re forced to take matters into their own hands.
Not only did Company B’s agent have a car to rent me, but he also didn’t need an IDL. He mentioned if I got stopped by police, I might get fined for not having one and that would be my personal responsibility. He also apologized that because of high demand, he couldn’t give me a discount – which was the least of my worries at that point! So, the day was saved.
Lesson three: honesty and empathy go a long way. Honesty creates trust with customers. Empathy enhances loyalty – both build respect.
I had two very different experiences, 30 feet apart. Before this experience, I thought all major car rental companies were about the same. I didn’t pay much attention to brands. But now, after this one incident, I will avoid Company A and seek out Company B.
Lesson four: reputation is built on customer experience. One negative occurrence with Company A shifted my perspective about the brand entirely, while a positive experience with Company B secured my loyalty to them. Consistent, positive customer experiences are essential to building and maintaining a strong reputation. This brings me to my final lesson, which this article is proof of.
Lesson five: word of mouth is powerful, if not the most powerful motivator to influence customers. People love to share their experiences with others. You want your brand to be shared in a positive light.
At J Street, we embody these lessons when working with our clients. Speaking of word of mouth, we have a number of testimonials which you can read for yourself. Now, I’m curious—can you guess which real-life car rental companies I’ve described as Company A and Company B? Reply to this email and let me know!
Do you want to know what to expect with software development? Schedule a free initial consult and we’ll talk about it.
