Collaborating with Like-Minded Vendors to Elevate Customer Care

In the modern business landscape, providing exceptional customer service has become a fundamental aspect of success. However, it is equally important to collaborate with vendors who share your same beliefs and values, as this can significantly improve the quality of care and service you offer to your customers. Let’s explore the benefits of working with like-minded vendors and the negative impact of working with vendors who do not share your same beliefs.

In the past, partnering with optical labs that provided subpar customer service proved to be a significant challenge not only for our professional relationship but for the relationship between ourselves and our customers. These labs lacked the willingness to assist, problem solve and simply take accountability often leaving us frustrated and unable to meet our customers’ needs effectively. Their inability to provide us with a good level of customer service was disheartening and confusing, being a large optical lab that handles thousands of orders a day, is this how we are supposed to do business?n You simply get what you get and that is the end of the interaction? It was almost as if the issues our customers were experiencing, of longer wait times, and lenses that did not meet the expectations for what they paid, were issues that were out of our control.

Their lack of accountability for mistakes and refusal to offer timely resolutions not only affected our business but also compromised the trust our customers had placed in us. This vendor was well known and was able to provide us with very competitive pricing but were the consequences worth the extra dollar saved?

The answer to that question is, NO. Once we started collaborating with vendors who share our beliefs and values it has been a game-changer in our quest to provide exceptional customer care. Moving our work to a new lab has been a transformative experience. Ournew lab understands that exceptional service goes beyond simply supplying products – it involves a partnership built on trust, communication, and shared goals.

One of the key advantages of partnering with like-minded vendors is the open lines of communication and collaboration they foster. Our new lab takes the time to explain and provide answers to our queries, ensuring that we are informed and knowledgeable about their processes and if they are uncertain the answer is never “I don’t know” but rather “Let us figure this out together”. This enables us to better serve our customers by addressing their concerns and offering accurate information. Our new lab values our input and actively seeks our thoughts and ideas so they can constantly improve how they are able to better serve us.

Unlike previous vendors, our new lab takes full accountability for any mistakes made without getting defensive. They understand that mistakes are inevitable but aim to rectify them promptly. This commitment to accountability ensures that we can quickly offer solutions to our customers, demonstrating our dedication to their satisfaction. For example, the previous lab we had been using had continuous breakages for the same customer and their order was approaching a 1 month mark since initially placed. Not once was there any suggestion on what could be causing the issue or how to prevent, what could be done to help satisfy our now very upset customer, nothing. With Walman they encourage brainstorming sessions and if changing the material, size/shape, anti-reflective anything that could be holding us back from providing our customers with the lenses that they deserve. They always look for ways that they can make the customer happy, additional lenses or a free upgrade because the customer satisfaction takes priority over cost in their eyes.

The ability of like-minded vendors to provide immediate resolutions is invaluable just as the optical shop who can provide immediate resolutions to our customers. By swiftly addressing any issues that arise, both we and our customers can maintain trust and confidence in the services we provide. This level of responsiveness and commitment to problem-solving enhances the overall customer experience, setting us apart from competitors who may neglect such details.