Selling Luxury: Connect with Affluent Customers, Create Unique Experiences Through Impeccable Service, and Close the Sale

Chapter 22. Relationships and mistakes

What happens when a boutique you've been going to for years makes a mistake, or the car stereo that is installed by your garage is not the one you ordered, or a restaurant you often go to forgets your reservation for lunch? Your first reaction may be anger. "How could they?"

Obviously a gesture of some kind is in order: a gift, a free-of-charge corrected order, or a bottle of wine the next time you're in the restaurant to express that they too are upset that they did not come through for you.

When the relationship is solid, we forgive. We're all human and we all make mistakes. This gives us an opportunity for a little humor, and life goes on. The situation is smoothed over and, of course, avoided in the future.

Sales Ambassadors are not always responsible for errors or decisions made by the brand, for example, a repair that was promised to be finished by a certain date, a faulty item that somehow made it past quality control, or an unanticipated price increase that leaves the customer furious.

For customers, the Sales Ambassador is their contact, so their frustration is directed at him. This always calls for diplomacy, and the ability to deal calmly with the customer's anger and frustration.

Sales Ambassadors tell us that in several instances some of their best customers were, in the past, some of their most angry customers over a specific incident. By using their ability to deal with the negative situation in an understanding and positive way, ...