ReDefining Customer Service – Well.ca

Posted by kboon on January 26, 2010 under Stories | Comments are off for this article

Had the pleasure of listening to a talk by Ali Asoria, the CEO of Well.ca.

Ali started Well.ca back in September 2007 in the back of his dad’s pharmacy, and within two short years the business has grown to be the top online health and beauty store in Canada.  They made Profit Magazines “Hot 50” as one of the fastest growing companies in Canada in September 2009.

What’s the secret to their success?  Here is a quote from their website.

What makes us different?

“Our company is made up of kind, friendly people that want to go the extra mile for you. With customer care at the core of our business, we strive to give you the best shopping experience possible!”

The answer is Customer Service.  Ali explained how the customer is at the core of their business philosophy. Every  interaction is an opportunity to provide exceptional customer service; even to the point where they include a hand written note on every order.

When they hire new staff, they want to find the most friendly people and create as Ali says, “a local store feel”.  They are not afraid to admit when they’ve made mistakes and they take the time to talk to their customers.

Obviously there are other factors which enhance the customer experience.  Some you can see on their website, which is well designed with easy navigation, fast checkout and the incentive of free shipping.

But there is something more to Well.ca.

When you visit their website you get the real sense that they’re interested in you.  They want your business and they want to connect.  There are profiles of their employees, team photos and they are connected on Facebook and Twitter.  They are blogging and creating a two-way conversation with chat and a prominent 1-800 number.

When people ask me, how do I do use social media for my business?

Well.ca actually has the answer! Create a quality website, be friendly, approachable and take care of your customers! Engage in a dialogue and be there to assist and support.

Ali closed his talk with two comments that I thought were most enlightening.

“We don’t spend on marketing” and,

“We are a technology company“.  (they are not a drugstore)

Perhaps ideas for future discussion.

In my next post I will talk about Haiti, the fund raising efforts and the ability of communities to make a difference.