What companies provide the best customer service

gac1979 · Post by **gac1979** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 6:43 pm

I know there is a long thread about favorite consumer products. However, I can’t find one on companies that routinely provide quality customer service. I try to steer myself towards such companies for obvious reasons - for my own benefit and to reward the “better” company. For me, Amazon and Apple are two that come to mind. Others?

HueyLD · Post by **HueyLD** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 6:53 pm

Costco.

Small local stores.

fortfun · Post by **fortfun** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 6:55 pm

gac1979 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2019 6:43 pm I know there is a long thread about favorite consumer products. However, I can’t find one on companies that routinely provide quality customer service. I try to steer myself towards such companies for obvious reasons - for my own benefit and to reward the “better” company. For me, Amazon and Apple are two that come to mind. Others?

I've had good luck with booking.com (resolving issues).
American Airlines customer service has been pleasant (gave my wife free miles when she was short a few hundred on our last flight).
REI lets you return anything for any reason within a year.

snackdog · Post by **snackdog** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 6:55 pm

Emirates and Singapore Airlines.

chevca · Post by **chevca** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 6:59 pm

For what... cable/internet, travel, credit cards, vehicles, cell phones, insurance, etc.? Pretty open ended question.

megabad · Post by **megabad** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 7:06 pm

Google--I called them twice with a problem and I was speechless for a few minutes when I got a real life American person in California. The next time I had them call me back because I got the automated message. They called me back in 45 seconds.

Ritz Carlton--I occasionally have to stay here on business and they have never let me down. Unfortunately my wallet won't let me use them in my personal life most times.

Chick FIl A--I go to Chick Fil A every week in multiple cities. I have for about 10 years. They have messed up once. A fast food restaurant...messed up once in thousands of orders.... Oh and I average about 5 minute wait time. With about 50 people in line. They are the undisputed champs of fast food. No one even comes close.

Amazon--I hesitate a little, but Amazon itself is pretty good. I order almost every week and they mess up occasionally, but they have routinely responded by just sending me another shipment of the product on the spot without question. I am a frequent shopper and Prime (at least this year) so not sure if that matters. The shippers and sellers sometimes aren't perfect though. Ironically the Amazon acquisitions had better customer service than Amazon before acquisition but I guess I can't list them anymore (RIP Zappos and Woot).

Nicolas · Post by **Nicolas** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 7:13 pm

Chewy.com (Pet food retailer)
Ace Hardware — someone always steps forward to give me personal service.

Trader Joe · Post by **Trader Joe** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 7:15 pm

gac1979 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2019 6:43 pm I know there is a long thread about favorite consumer products. However, I can’t find one on companies that routinely provide quality customer service. I try to steer myself towards such companies for obvious reasons - for my own benefit and to reward the “better” company. For me, Amazon and Apple are two that come to mind. Others?

Amazon.com
Walmart
Costco
Sam's Club
Best Buy

zoralsurgeon · Post by **zoralsurgeon** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 7:20 pm

A couple off the top of my head...

American Express - I can't tell you how nice it is when something doesn't work out or I am unhappy with a purchase, etc (whatever) and I know that Amex will take care of it. Example - Delta cancelled a very important flight for me less than 24hrs before with no reason why and couldn't offer another flight that same day for me... Delta said "sorry" and I said ok I'll call Amex. They cancelled payment to Delta and THEN reimbursed me the money anways!

Chik-Fil-A - if you have ever been to one then I don't have to explain it.

Carhartt and Southern Marsh Clothing - solid clothing that is well made and if you have any issues they will take care of it becuase they stand behind their products

State Farm - lots of people would probably disagree with this but they have treated me and my family very well over the years.

tooluser · Post by **tooluser** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 7:28 pm

Good customer service is utterly and completely random. I enjoy it when I get it.

HomeStretch · Post by **HomeStretch** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 7:43 pm

Wolf/SubZero

smitty1515 · Post by **smitty1515** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 7:45 pm

Disney

Chick Fil A

Doom&Gloom · Post by **Doom&Gloom** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 7:49 pm

tooluser wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2019 7:28 pm Good customer service is utterly and completely random. I enjoy it when I get it.

It isn't entirely random, but certainly varies enough that I also enjoy when I see it. The decline in customer service across the board over the years has made me focus much more on the quality of the product than I used to.

DesertDiva · Post by **DesertDiva** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 7:52 pm

Bed Bath & Beyond
Chic-Fil-A
Costco
Delta
Lands End
Nordstrom
Williams-Sonoma

jabberwockOG · Post by **jabberwockOG** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 7:54 pm

Costco

Amazon.com

TerryDMillerMBA · Post by **TerryDMillerMBA** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 8:06 pm

Zappos.com

Sweetwater.com

Nate79 · Post by **Nate79** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 8:31 pm

Costco. Everyone else is hit or miss.

onourway · Post by **onourway** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 8:36 pm

I can't agree with the Amazon suggestions. Yeah, it's great they will refund or replace almost anything with few questions asked, however their entire retail business model has gotten purposefully so sloppy that something like 20% of things we buy from them are counterfeit, damaged or otherwise not as described. Often they literally cannot deliver you the genuine product they are advertising, only fakes. They have wasted so much of my time that I now look for alternative sources whenever possible.

Sconie · Post by **Sconie** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 8:50 pm

Some of the "usual suspects" already mentioned, plus, a few "additionals:"

Chick-fil-A
Costco
Fedex
LG
Lexus & Toyota
Trader Joe's
Apple
Google
Amica
Nordstom
Amazon

canderson · Post by **canderson** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 8:57 pm

Some goodies already mentioned (Chick fil A, Chewy, AmEx). I’ll add:

- Wegmans

Bogle7 · Post by **Bogle7** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 9:47 pm

https://solgirl.com/
Amazing service.
It is a girls’ store.

SOL Store of Lingerie
3010 East 6th Avenue
Denver, CO 80206 USA

Grt2bOutdoors · Post by **Grt2bOutdoors** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 10:00 pm

L.L. Bean
Disney
Another nod to Wegmans (it’s not just 1 state, it’s pervasive in every state I’ve visited where there has been a Wegmans).
IN and Out - best fast food service I’ve experienced.

michaeljc70 · Post by **michaeljc70** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 10:51 pm

Not many. What I find is if you have a run of the mill (very common) problem most places are able to resolve it. If it is more unusual, most places falter.

Amazon is pretty good. But the package I received today was supposed to be here 2 days ago. Yes, I can complain and they will apologize, but that is beside the point.

Costco has good prices and will take just about anything back, but sometimes there are 50 people in line to get out the door to check your receipt.

Target, which I generally think is good, I had an issue with. I ordered a large mortar/pestle. I was in the store and the online price was cheaper than the in-store price

. So, I order online from my phone and continue shopping. Pick up my online order at front of the store. I go home and open it and it is in 10 pieces. Go back and try to return/exchange it. I am told it is not in the system yet until tomorrow and I have to come back.

I've pretty much accepted average or below average service. Except at local restaurants, which are not always great service, but a lot of times are. A lot of places you don't expect good service you get it. It is mostly random.

limeyx · Post by **limeyx** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 12:27 am

gac1979 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2019 6:43 pm I know there is a long thread about favorite consumer products. However, I can’t find one on companies that routinely provide quality customer service. I try to steer myself towards such companies for obvious reasons - for my own benefit and to reward the “better” company. For me, Amazon and Apple are two that come to mind. Others?

Schwab
American Express
Costco in my experience

remomnyc · Post by **remomnyc** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:18 am

Chase Sapphire
Schwab
Merrill Edge/Bank of America

Tom_T · Post by **Tom_T** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:26 am

+1 on Chewy.com (pet food)

This has happened more than once to me:

1. I order canned cat food from Chewy.
2. There's an issue with the order (e.g. the wrong flavor was accidentally sent).
3. Chewy sends me a replacement within two days.
4. Chewy tells me to donate the original order to a local shelter.

And if you call them on the phone, not only does a live person answer, they are always very nice and helpful.

abner kravitz · Post by **abner kravitz** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:39 am

I was really happy with Casper Mattress. I did the 100 day trial, and when I needed to return the mattress, it was unbelievably pleasant. They answered the phone right away, didn't try to change my mind or up-sell me, arranged for a charity to pick up the mattress, and refunded my money the same day the charity picked up the mattress.

For all those that have named Chick-Fil-A, you must not go to the one I do. Their order accuracy is average at best, no better than Mickey Ds. I do still like it though, but I double-check the order before I leave.

Sconie · Post by **Sconie** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 7:07 am

Grt2bOutdoors wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2019 10:00 pm L.L. Bean
Disney
Another nod to Wegmans (it’s not just 1 state, it’s pervasive in every state I’ve visited where there has been a Wegmans).
IN and Out - best fast food service I’ve experienced.

L.L. Bean does have/provide excellent service, however, I was disappointed with them, when a year or so ago they rescinded their long-standing "forever" guarantee on items because of abuse by (supposedly) a few customers. IMHO, this was a real "slap in the face" to long-standing customers who rarely, if ever, returned anything.

"In and Out"---yes! Great suggestion in terms of superb service----not necessarily the best burger, etc.----but, as indicated, top-shelf, quick, service.

dsmclone · Post by **dsmclone** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 7:17 am

The best customer service is the company that doesn't require me to talk to a person. I've banked with Ally for over 10 years and you know how many times I've talked to them ZERO. Same with the company where I invest my money.

On the other hand, my cable company answers their phone really fast and everyone is super nice. But why do I have to call them a couple times per year? Why do I have to call to change packages? Why do I have to call to fix my internet connection? Why do i have to call to negotiate a better deal?

In 2019, phone calls should VERY rarely have to be made. It's hard for me to think of a scenario where I should actually have to talk to a live person. Provide me with the information I need on your web site or app, make it easy to find, and allow me to make changes. I guess if you're returning something physically to a store.

queso · Post by **queso** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 7:19 am

Nordstrom. Some of the others mentioned are also good (Costco, Amazon, Chewy.com), but Nordstrom has been consistently excellent every time I have interacted with them.

my2swedes · Post by **my2swedes** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 7:21 am

Nordstrom.
Amica insurance

BogleMelon · Post by **BogleMelon** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 7:22 am

Even Costco and Amazon is a hit or miss. I had bad experiences with them before!
I enjoyed Fidelity and Schwab customer services. Vanguard was nice as well, just not much knowledgeable, but treats you well.

Jags4186 · Post by **Jags4186** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 7:27 am

Define good customer service. Lots of people think good customer service means the company will do whatever you want.

bondsr4me · Post by **bondsr4me** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 7:33 am

ChickFilA (outstanding; pleasant, great manners),Target (they open up another register when needed), Apple (very helpful), Best Buy.

Agree with previous poster about Vanguard...nice but not exceptionally knowledgeable.

fru-gal · Post by **fru-gal** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 7:34 am

Always excellent customer service: AMICA, CapitalOne for credit card, Nordstrom. Peapod pickup now that they have opened many more pickup locations and one day pickup. USPS for mail and package delivery.

Wretched: Bank of America, AmEx, State Farm, HP. Vanguard, ChickFilA.

Varies but often bad: FedEx, UPS. Leave packages right at the street "invisible" behind the garage, or heavy packages against outward opening door, leave a block away.

Blueskies123 · Post by **Blueskies123** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 7:40 am

Someone said good customer service is random. I disagree. Some companies actually want to have the best customer service, I know, because I worked for one for 30 years. I personally saw Sr management allow our customer service to hire more people and pay them better than our competition and allow all kinds of free service when something goes wrong. These companies are few and far between.
Anyway, to answer your question I have one not already listed - Fidelity. I have called them at all kinds of hours and on all days, sometimes with a complicated question and every time I got a helpful question. In two cases they saved me money.
Here is the number one clue to identify a company dedicated to good customer service. Very low employee turnover.

Ed_Sandwich · Post by **Ed_Sandwich** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 7:50 am

Surprised nobody has said USAA yet. They cost more than competitors for auto insurance, but they have great customer service.

FI4LIFE · Post by **FI4LIFE** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 8:33 am

Along the lines of another post upthread, Wells Fargo because I never have to interact with a person and their ATM's are twice as fast as any other ATM I've used.

Otherwise, I try to shop locally and support stores that care about their employees and community. A local example is ShopRite grocery stores.

Grt2bOutdoors · Post by **Grt2bOutdoors** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 8:48 am

FI4LIFE wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2019 8:33 am Along the lines of another post upthread, Wells Fargo because I never have to interact with a person and their ATM's are twice as fast as any other ATM I've used.

Otherwise, I try to shop locally and support stores that care about their employees and community. A local example is ShopRite grocery stores.

I disagree - their ATM's are usually out of service in my locale, forcing me to go to a competitors ATM.

jjunk · Post by **jjunk** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 9:19 am

onourway wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2019 8:36 pm I can't agree with the Amazon suggestions. Yeah, it's great they will refund or replace almost anything with few questions asked, however their entire retail business model has gotten purposefully so sloppy that something like 20% of things we buy from them are counterfeit, damaged or otherwise not as described. Often they literally cannot deliver you the genuine product they are advertising, only fakes. They have wasted so much of my time that I now look for alternative sources whenever possible.

This is exactly how I feel about Amazon as well. I recently received counterfeit probiotics from them which I never thought would have happened. I have no idea what was in the pills I took and I cant get anyone there to actually answer how they knew it was counterfeit. I simply got an email telling me they were bad pills and to throw them away. Add to that their deliveries are all over the map these days. I've ordered things with next day shipping and havent gotten them for a week. I've tried to move most of my deliveries to Amazon locker and that hasnt helped either.

As for good service, REI is always excellent. Apple and Microsoft retail stores are very good. And I've never had any issues with Bank of America.

meebers · Post by **meebers** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 8:21 pm

Moen, lifetime support and replacement parts, No question

cashmoney · Post by **cashmoney** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 8:32 pm

1-800-contacts- good telephone support to price match.Easy free returns

Discount Tire- employees are always polite and they do not up sell anything.Will price match

Fidelity

Sconie · Post by **Sconie** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 8:44 pm

Another: Delta Faucet.

Nate79 · Post by **Nate79** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 9:39 pm

Add another vote for Schwab. Excellent customer service.

TheOscarGuy · Post by **TheOscarGuy** » Wed Jul 24, 2019 9:14 am

gac1979 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2019 6:43 pm I know there is a long thread about favorite consumer products. However, I can’t find one on companies that routinely provide quality customer service. I try to steer myself towards such companies for obvious reasons - for my own benefit and to reward the “better” company. For me, Amazon and Apple are two that come to mind. Others?

levis
eddie bauer
apple
under armour

TigerNest · Post by **TigerNest** » Wed Jul 24, 2019 9:18 am

Schwab is consistently great.

nisiprius · Post by **nisiprius** » Wed Jul 24, 2019 9:46 am

L. L. Bean. Of course I'm basing that on one data point.

Daughter was in college. She ordered something. It didn't show up. FedEx was (and I've had similar experiences myself) infuriating about it, said they had delivered it--to the front desk of the dorm--and produced an illegible signature from the recipient, and played hardball. They felt they'd delivered it, that was that, tough cookies. She called L. L. Bean and before she'd gotten to the second sentence they said "Oh, we're sorry about that, we'll send you another one right away." At no extra cost.

Oh, wait. Two data points. Bought a dog bed that came with in two kinds, different catalog numbers. One with a sort of wood chip mattress, one with a foam mattress. We bought the one with the wood chip mattress. Our dog didn't like it. We didn't want an exchange, but we wanted to buy a replacement foam mattress... but we couldn't tell whether they were interchangeable. We called L. L. Bean to ask whether the "replacement" foam mattress would fit the bed we'd bought. The person on the phone said, "I'm not sure, just a minute, I'll go check that for you." A few minutes later she came back and said "I've been to our product room, and I tried putting a replacement foam mattress into a bed with the wood chip mattress. The two mattress are the same size and it fits perfectly. You can't get both of them in at the same time, of course."

DetroitMetal · Post by **DetroitMetal** » Wed Jul 24, 2019 10:27 am

Columbia, especially their outerwear.

NJdad6 · Post by **NJdad6** » Wed Jul 24, 2019 1:31 pm

zoralsurgeon wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2019 7:20 pm A couple off the top of my head...

American Express - I can't tell you how nice it is when something doesn't work out or I am unhappy with a purchase, etc (whatever) and I know that Amex will take care of it. Example - Delta cancelled a very important flight for me less than 24hrs before with no reason why and couldn't offer another flight that same day for me... Delta said "sorry" and I said ok I'll call Amex. They cancelled payment to Delta and THEN reimbursed me the money anways!

Chik-Fil-A - if you have ever been to one then I don't have to explain it.

Carhartt and Southern Marsh Clothing - solid clothing that is well made and if you have any issues they will take care of it becuase they stand behind their products

State Farm - lots of people would probably disagree with this but they have treated me and my family very well over the years.

My experiences with Amex have not been positive at all. I had multiple cards for 20 plus years and after the 3rd minor issue they wouldn’t help with I switched to Chase Sapphire Reserve. Nice to not have to ask if a merchant will accept my card. I get the 100k offer from Amex Platinum a few times a year but have so far ignored.

Regarding the Delta flight, by law they have to provide a refund if they cancelled your flight and can’t get you out within a defined timeframe (I think 2 hours). Delta customer service would have provided the refund directly.

A440 · Post by **A440** » Thu Aug 15, 2019 6:06 am

meebers wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2019 8:21 pm Moen, lifetime support and replacement parts, No question

I called Moen the other morning because the new Moen cartridge I installed leaked. I couldn't get a human on the other end of the line. Instead, I was "forced" into choosing a time for a call back. The first opportunity for a call back was more than 24 hours later! Really?? I have to make time in my schedule to wait by the phone for Moen to call the next day at a certain time? Moen needs to hire more people.
I ended up calling their pro line and masqueraded as a plumbing professional. This got me a human within 2 minutes.