Connecting Your Mission to Business Practices

One of the things we talk about at Catch Your Limit is living your brand. If you say you're something you better actually be it. You can't claim to be innovative if in fact you're only committed to what works in the past. In today's transparent environment saying what you are and being it must equal the same thing.

The past two weeks I experienced two very different interactions with two reputable brands. One company understood living it's brand promise and delivered beyond expectations. The other company, it seems, has policies drastically out of sync with what it claims to represent. One experience was very positive, the other frustrating and negative.

I'll start with the good news. The first involved a major component (logic board?) of my Macbook Pro laptop. The wireless card stopped working and after a look by tech repair it was due to a logic board malfunction. The price tag for repair was $1100 as it was out of warranty and I didn't pay for Applecare extended protection. After a short conversation with customer service Apple agreed to do the repair at no cost simply as a gesture of standing behind their product.

The second experience was with Nikon. I received a Nikon digital camera a few months back as a gift. One day it broke in my pocket as the lens popped out. I knew the product was out of warranty but sent it to the repair department with the intention of paying to have the product repaired. Rather than repair it Nikon simply returned the broken camera without explanation.

After several attempts I finally reached a customer service manager who could provide an explanation. I copied her response below:

""Gray market" Nikon products are those that were not imported and distributed by Nikon USA but were purchased by the end consumer in the USA. Nikon USA will not service gray market products under any circumstances, even for a fee.

A Nikon product purchased by a customer from an authorized Nikon dealer in another country will be serviced by Nikon USA as long as the customer provides the Nikon Worldwide Warranty that was supplied with the product and the sales receipt from the overseas dealer. This documentation must be presented for warranty and non-warranty service.

Any product sent to Nikon USA for non-warranty service is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If there is a question about the origin of a product, our factory service centers require the customer to provide documentation (such as a Nikon Inc. warranty or a sales receipt from an authorized Nikon dealer outside the USA) before any service will be performed. A non-USA sales receipt is mandatory to obtain service for a non-USA model.

Sincerely,
Melanie Champlin
Supervisor, Service Relations
Nikon Inc. USA"

The product was a gift, I do not have the receipt nor even the packing from where it was purchased. The fact is it is a Nikon product. Their brand. Their name and their promise. They refuse to service the product even though I'd be willing to pay simply because it was a product the wasn't imported through the channels they've deemed appropriate.

As a consumer it is not my responsibility to manage the chain in which products reach the end user (me), it is their responsibility. In a global economy where products are made, shipped and purchased electronically what difference should it make as to which website I ordered the product? It seems to me that their policy is both outdated and punishes the customer unfairly. My only expectation as a consumer is that a brand stand behind it's product. I do not expect a free ride as Apple provided. I simply expect not to be punished for using the Internet to purchase goods.

Nikon's website describes their organization:
"Nikon is the world leader in digital imaging, precision optics and photo imaging technology and is globally recognized for setting new standards in product design and performance. The unique strength of the Nikon brand is attributable to the company’s unwavering commitment to quality, performance, technology and innovation."

The unwavering commitment to quality is not seen in their customer service and repair policies. Nikon is NOT living their brand!

Jeff is a ><((“> Team Member at Catch Your Limit Consulting, a management and marketing firm with offices in Tallahassee, Florida and Richmond, Virginia. He is a keynote speaker, facilitator, blogger and contributing author for international, national and regional publications. To learn more, visit http://www.catchyourlimit.com.