Nintendo repaired Saska’s Wii while he waited. When the unit began vibrating loudly, Saska called customer service for a RMA number.

The message telling me I had to wait for a CSR didn’t even finish playing before a rep was on the line. I explained my problem and she said she’d get me an RMA right away to get it fixed.

She asked for my phone number. I gave it to her. She did a bit of a verbal double-take and said, “Are you here in Washington?”

“I’m in Redmond, as a matter of fact [location of Nintendo of America’s campus],” I replied.

“Well then, let’s not bother with the RMA and the shipping labels and all of that. Just bring it on in to Nintendo,” she said.

Five minutes later Saska was on Nintendo’s campus. Things only got better.

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A life-size Mario and a larger-than-life Pikachu greeted us. So did a really nice, cheerful woman behind the sales counter. I related my telephone conversation to her, still certain that I’d been had.

“Oh, yeah!” she said. “We do that!”

“Awesome,” I blurted. I really did say “Awesome.” I’m embarassed about that now.

“It’s going to be about 30 minutes, though,” she went on. “I’m really sorry.”

For twenty-five minutes, Saska waited. When his Wii emerged, not only had Nintendo repaired the console, but they transferred his points and reset the warranty clock. No wonder Saska wrote in to say “I just had never been as happy with them as I was today.”

What Went Right

• No wait for a CSR: We hate listening to elevator music while waiting for a CSR.
• Helpful CSR: The CSR didn’t play by the book. Rather than issue a RMA number, the CSR identified a better, easier solution.
• They told the truth: This should go unsaid, but too often CSRs offer conflicting ‘facts.’ The repair center was where the CSR said it would be, and they did what she said they would.
• Fast service: The repair center quoted thirty minutes, which is still very fast, and finished the work in twenty-five minutes.
• Exceptional service: The unit was not just repaired. The settings were transfered and the warranty clock was reset, extending the value of the repair.
• Happy customer: At the end of the day, this is all that matter. Saska is happy. We are happy, too.

Though this exceptional service can probably only be duplicated for people in Redmond, it is clearly above and beyond. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER

Customer Service Gone Shockingly Right

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