Pinkberry Apologizes For Website Error By Offering To Shower Your Office With Freebies
To thank Kelly for pointing out an error on their website, Pinkberry offered to come to her office bearing "a few yogurts and toppings for some of the hard working people that you work with." What error could prompt such an over-the-top apology? Kelly tried to visit two separate Pinkberry locations at 11:30 a.m., which Pinkberry's website lists as the store's opening time. But! The store's don't open until *gasp* noon!
Kelly writes:
Since so many recent stories relay tales of consumers being seemingly duped or scammed by companies, I thought it might be nice to share an amazing customer service experience I had this week with Pinkberry. After having gone to Pinkberry during my lunch break on two different occasions (also, two different locations), I found that their opening times did not correspond to those listed on their website, so I emailed Pinkberry. The following is a chronological unfolding of communications: (Also, despite being a long-time follower of Consumerist, I finally broke free from lazing around such that I'm currently "auditioning" to be a commenter...not sure if sending in tips helps at all, but what the hell.)Original Message From Me
Subject: Please Correct Hours
"Good afternoon, I'd like to preface this email by proclaiming my love for Pinkberry and its variety of offerings. I've been a loyalist for over three years but have been very disappointed on my last two trips. This past week, on two of my lunch breaks from work, I visited two different Pinkberry locations. On your website, the opening time is listed as 11:30 for both stores (St. Marks and Spring Street in New York), but when I went, the first didn't open until noon, and the Spring Street location was open, but upon entering, I was told that they were not open until noon. I know it's only a thirty minute difference, but when I structure my lunch break around it and other errands, it ends up being a huge inconvenience and waste of time. I am just writing in hopes that you will correct the hours on your website to prevent others from making the same mistake. Thanks so much for your time,"
The first response I received was from someone in their LA offices expressing their apologies and telling me that they would forward it to a NY district manager. (There was some sort of legal message prohibiting dissemination of it...)
The next was from the NY district manager:
"Good Evening Kelly,
My name is —-- and I am a District Manager with Pinkberry here in New York City. First, I am very sorry to hear about the confusion between the posted website hours and the actual store hours. We were not aware of this and I can assure you that we will be making adjustments right away so that this does not happen again. I know that you have limited time on your lunch break and we are so grateful that you choose you spend this time with us at Pinkberry!
I would love to send you some "Pinkberry on us" cards to thank you for being such a loyal fan of Pinkberry. If you would send me your address, I will have these cards sent out to you right away! Thank you for taking the time to write to us. Your feedback can only help us improve!!!
I look forward to hearing from you!"
But the next was even better:
"Thank you, Kelly!
Please feel free to contact me at —-— if you have any questions!! Do you work near the Spring Street store? We would love to come to your office and give some of the staff what we call a Goodness Business Break. Basically, we bring some of our staff to your office at a time that you choose and we bring a few yogurts and toppings for some of the hard working people that you work with!!! Let me know if this is something that you would be interested in doing and we can set this up right away!!!
I will have your cards sent out to you right away!!!"
I didn't take her up on the offer, but I was just amazed at their desire to please one minorly-disgruntled customer, when all I really wanted was an amendment to the hours on their website (which has since been made). This may not even be that worthy of note, but I think it adds a little optimism to these Swine Flu, Miss California, party-swapping, recession-ridden times.
(Photo: samantha celera)
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Comments:
Curses, they sounded like such a wonderful company that I thought I'd see if they have a local store. Sadly just California and New York for now.
The Consumerist influence is all present! I'm sure many companies/corporations know now not to fun afoul of the Consumerist!
Come to Madison WI Pinkberry. You're product and customer service would do wonders here!
Even better, she declined the lunch visit. She obviously just wanted to clear it up, and simply by offering, Pinkberry made her have an even better story to tell.
What? You said "no" to a free, delivered office Yogurt party? Think about your coworkers! For shame...
The amusing thing is that this sort of small, cheap gesture is worth thousands or millions in advertising dollars.
You just simply can't fake good PR like actually being good.
Most companies are too myopic to see this.
It's so refreshing to read about a company that believes in customer service. There are many retail outlets who should take this page out of the Pinkberry book and apply it to their own poorly managed retail business models (at least two sandwich chains, a chicken joint and at least one consumer electronics retailer come to mind on this one).
"Miss California"? What the hell does this have to do with Pinkberry?
oh cool... my office is right around there... going to check it out next week.
@cjones27: I realize it's more about the US than anything, but I fail to see how that is in any way relevant or comparable to the swine flu and recession.
Cool story, too bad pinkberry is exorbitantly expensive.
@John Harrison: Yup. Rather than having someone else do it, I paint my berries pink, swaddle them in creamy goodness, lick them from one side, then the other, then bury my face in and gobble them up whole until not a drop is left!
Oh. Wait.
@hypocaffeinemia: I totally agree.
Good customer service - and the accompanying word-of-mouth, is something no amount of money can buy. So simple yet so hard for some to figure out.
st. marks, that's the one i go to. too bad it's always been the middle of the afternoon.
@hypocaffeinemia: Totally true. When people feel good about your business, they'll tell their friends, drag em there, brag about the good stuff they can get there. Pinkberry just won big by making good on a small whoops.
@cjones27: People are just tired of the daily diet of suck. So good stories about someone getting something nice are enjoyable and not the usual mass media garbage of "We're all gonna die!"
I've been that disgruntled consumer that checks the hours on a website to make sure the business is open before taking a long drive... and have been disappointed more than once when the website was wrong. I usually just call ahead of time now.
It's nice to see a company acknowledge their mistake and make good for the customer.
Good job, Pinkberry.
Now I'm just bummed that there's no Pinkberry in my area. The frozen treat in the picture looks delicious!
Nice response from the company and a well written letter from the consumer. It's great when a company actually cares enough about the consumer to personally reply.
I had an experience with Barnes and Noble in upstate New York. I needed a book right away and they were the only bookstore within 50 miles to have it. I went to the website and printed the directions they provided - ended up in the parking lot of a high school, nowhere near the store. I called the store phone number and they gave me correct directions and told me "several people have done the same thing you have". Thanks. I went back to the website and sent them a customer support letter telling them about their incorrect (not even close) directions. Never even got an automated reply. Nice.
I don't think we're reading it right.
I wish I could experience Pinkberry I hear only good things.
However, this reads to me that they are actually upselling, it seems that they are giving the free cards, but are just advertising that they cater to offices. It doesn't, to me, scream that it is being offered free, but rather saying, instead of coming to us, perhaps your office would enjoy a catered yogurt break.
Good Lord, another random ban. God forbid I actually disapprove of something the Consumerist did.
Site's been declining lately anyhow since the CR takeover. As evinced by the salmon story.
You just lost one reader, folks. Peace.
Too bad there isn't one near where I am. I'd go just to support them for this. Also, am I the only one who read the headline the first time as "Pinkberry Apologizes For Website Error By Offering To Shower Your Office With Frisbees?"
The excessive use of exclamation points kind of scares me. Either they're somehow trying a new 419 scam or there's way way too much sugar in that yogurt...
@verucalise: Did you ever try to rectify the website or just whined to people how much company_x sucked?
everytime I see the name "Pinkberry" I think its a slang term for an anus.
That is...actually....quite amusing.
Hate the name, love the service.
None near me though, so no delicious yogurty treats for me
@chris101d:
I'm glad at least one other person noticed.
What happened to the Consumerist of early 2008?
@hypocaffeinemia: When I see these stories, it actually makes me want to go out and buy from the company, just to reinforce the behavior. No ads ever do that.
If you can get to one, go buy from them. We need to support businesses that offer to help people.
@seamer: I've never whined about the business, I don't know what would give you that idea. It's not that particular stores fault the website is wrong.
As for trying to rectify the site- after finding out the site was wrong, I usually had to drive out of my way to another store. By the time I got home, I'd forget about it or put it off until "tomorrow". So sadly, no, I haven't written the webmaster to fix the error.
That's what makes this story nice, is how Pinkberry appreciated their customer's letter to point out a mistake.
By the way, you're a tool.
@chris101d: I took it that way at first, but I re-read it a couple of times and the way they say "We would love to come to your office and give some of the staff what we call a Goodness Business Break."
It implies they are "giving" it for free. I guess we will never know whether it was a for real free gift or just a marketing ploy. But still, their prompt replies and offering coupons is still A+.
@verucalise: Definitely not saying it wasn't. Just questioning the wording. Comes off more as marketing to me. But I also receive similar emails from subway quiznos and dominos daily/weekly after ordering from them a few times.
@Stephanie Greer: Unless you're in California or New York, you're out of luck. It makes me sad because I live in Arizona and I truly, truly miss Pinkberry.
The only thing that even comes close is Red Mango, and they aren't in Arizona yet either. *sigh*
@MadameX: Try Yogurberry, there are a few in AZ. Red Mango has locations in Scottsdale and Phoenix coming soon.
With good PR like this, maybe someday they'll be everywhere.
That would rock - and it DOES look really good.
Great service sure, but totally overpriced yogurt (especially in Manhattan!) Plus, in 2007 several locations (including the upper west side location on 2nd) had to close for some time due to rat infestation. That's eeked me out enough not to visit since then.
To those who dismiss this as a PR move...I'd agree that this simple gesture offered great publicity, but they probably only counted on word-of-mouth dissemination rather than the world-wide publicity of making it on to Consumerist. So I guess that makes their offer a bit more genuine...
Oh and FYI, Pinkberry used to offer a student discount. Not sure if they still do but it's worth asking.
I read the headline thinking this was some sort of Blackberry type shop. I guess it really is crackberry
@ivanthemute: That would be awesome! I'm just picturing the chaos as frisbees rain down from all sides, breaking windows and setting off car alarms.
That would be so ridiculous, I would love it if some company offered to do that to my workplace.
yay for a company taking responsibility and going above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction! that is awesome.and if i ever make it to NY City, I will most def. stop at this establishment!
@cjones27: It was what we Americans call a "joke." I know the internet usually doesn't stand for such things, but try to let it slide just this once.
Wow, amazing service! Why can't we have one of those stores where I live... why oh why...
I once wrote to CVS and asked what "CVS" stood for. I never got a reply for that.
Further research indicated that it stands for Consumer Value Store.
@changed my name:
Stories like this make me smile. Now I'm going to have to see if a Pinkberry is local--that's such good service that I'd be remiss NOT to add them to my list of yogurt shops to frequent.