Web address for Christmas in the middle of commercial chaos

PRELUDE: If you don't read anything else, just go to http://www.guidecraft.com/ and order from them, it's worth your while- TRUST ME (though they'd never brag about why). Below is an account of my eye opening experience with them.


I've been planning Layla's "big Santa" gift for some time now. It involves a yellow Belle (Beauty and the Beast) dress, which has been her first request and only consistent request to Santa this Christmas. Sure she asks for other things, but when pressed for her favorite thing, it always comes down to that yellow dress. Simple enough. She's starting to have a TON of dress up stuff and I had eyed a cool dress up center last year and decided this was the year and ordered the one pictured below...I ordered it two weeks ago (12/10)off of Amazon. Much to my dismay, a week later (12/15), on the day it was supposed to be delivered I got an email that the order was cancelled and the item was no longer available. I was SO upset -- it was so close to Christmas and I'd gotten a fantastic deal on the (expensive) item.

I looked all over the web and no one else had it available for delivery until January. At check out I would get the dreaded "back order" message :( I went straight to the brand - www.guidecraft.com and paid a little extra for it and at check out had the option to pay $25 for guaranteed delivery on the 20th - perfect!

Until the next day, when I got an email that they didn't have the item either and it wouldn't be available until after Christmas. I emailed them and asked if I would still have to pay the expedited shipping (they said definitely "no")etc, etc. I explained the nature of the situation, what happened with the previous order and asked if there was even a *slight* chance it could get here by Christmas. Nope. BUT- what did happen was amazing. After offering several alternatives -- all of which were very nice, but I still was committed to this item, he showed an incredibly overwhelming gesture of kindness and customer service (though this is so much more). I can't sum it up on my own, so I'm just going to paste some of the email responses from the Company's VP-Logistics here - they speak for themselves...

"I’m sorry that we weren’t able to get you this item in time. I even checked with some of our retailers and no one has any available.

I feel terrible that we are not able to get this item to you in time for Christmas. We’re a 46 year old, family owned and operated company and we constantly strive to exceed our customer’s expectations and I definitely think we failed you on this order. Please allow me to make up for it by sending this item to you at no charge. We are keeping your order open but I am going to make sure that we process a full 100% credit for your entire order total."

  

Wow!!! RIGHT?! I obviously was STUNNED and told him that was generous but unnecessary, but he held to it.

PART 2: I get an email today saying the order was cancelled, I figured it was an automatically generated message, but emailed to be sure and here is what he said this time!!

"No, you don’t need to worry about this email. It is an automated response from the company that handles orders on our website. It is just confirming that the order you placed on our website has been cancelled and your credit card should soon see a credit for the total amount.

Also, there’s good news! We are currently receiving our shipment of the Dress-Up Centers and I have your order out to the warehouse to ship today. I’m sending it to you via UPS 3 Day so you’ll receive it on Friday. I’ll send you a note a little later today once I have the tracking information so you can go online later tonight and see your items progress all the way to your door.

And, of course, he sent the tracking number not long after.

I can’t tell you how happy I am that these arrived to us today. I immediately thought of you and I dug through a few hundred orders to locate yours and make sure that we would ship it today in time for Christmas.

I’ll send over tracking in a little while."

Let's review -- even though we will still have the item before Christmas - they are not charging us for it AT ALL....and they could have just sent it slow and gotten it here whenever, but he personally selected our order from the stack to make sure we would get it in time for Christmas....again, FREE.

THIS is the ULTIMATE in customer service and it would be totally irresponsible of me not to share my experience. I would encourage all parents, grandparents, etc. to visit their site, view their selections, and order from them (www.guidecraft.com). They truly have GREAT products but their customer service has turned me into a lifelong supporter. I will buy from them at EVERY opportunity I get. We can all agree that your any town mega store not only doesn't understand service like this; but, they are paralyzed by a system of regulations that makes them incapable of it. 

PLEASE share this with anyone you know and support this business if you can. www.guidecraft.com This is the true spirit of Christmas, alive and well.

Merry Christmas all!!

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18