Fiskars Knows Customer Service

As you are probably aware, with all my card making, scrapbooking, and other projects I love using border punches in my designs. Recently, one of my favorite Fiskars border punches died. I had it for a while, but one day while I was trying to punch a border for some gingerbread on one of my swap houses, the punch lever broke off. It was upsetting because I really wanted to use that punch and I loved that punch. Since I needed it immediately, I thought Michael's would do an even exchange for me, but of course not! Of course all they care about now is a receipt. It's really frustrating dealing with Michael's associates anymore because apparantly customer service is not one of their top priorities. They make you feel very insignificant and like they are "doing you a favor" for what they should be doing right in the first place--customer service. Ridiculous! But it got me thinking...how long am I supposed to hang on to a Michael's receipt for??? For as long as I own the item? Well then what happens after, say 30 days, or 60 days, or a year?? Let's say I still have the receipt, won't they then look at the date on the receipt and refuse to help me? Or make me pay some ridiculous "restocking" fee?? (Don't get me started on that! If you are returning/exchanging product that is damaged, why should you get charged a fee for that?? They aren't going to put it back on the shelf. Should you be penalized for a defective product??) It's just wrong and many of us are complaining about it. Thank goodness Hobby Lobby is moving into town! Anyway, back to Fiskars....I got the 800 number off the back of a punch hanging on the shelf and went out to my car and called them. I spoke with a real live person quickly and she was actually polite and helpful. She told me what I needed to do, which was send an e-mail to the warrantee department with a photo of the defective product and my information. About 2 weeks later, my replacement punch arrived in the mail! I didn't have to spend money to send back the defective one...I didn't get hassled...I didn't have to send any money for the new one...I didn't have to wait forever. It was such a pleasant experience. And it makes me confident in purchasing other Fiskars products, just knowing they actually understand customer service and how far that goes. Look at me, I'm actually blogging about this...that's how much of a positive impact it made on me. In a world where customer service and it's true meaning seems to be hanging on by a thread, I will enthusiastically grasp those threads wherever I find them and send my business (i.e. my hard earned money) to them! And it's a relief to know that not all companies are becoming so difficult to do business with that you want to run in the other direction. Have you received good service somewhere? Or just the opposite? Comment here and let us know!

Miles of Smiles,