Crispin Reed, managing director Europe at Fusion Learning compares the customer experience offered by Folksy.com and Indesit.com.

At Folksy.com, you get all the benefits of shopping online and a personalised service, along with unique products and craftsmanship.

Folksy.com

The first ‘secure’ online ecommerce transaction was in August 1994. Since then, much has been made of the decline of the high street as consumers trade service for price and convenience.

But at Folksy.com, you get all the benefits of shopping online and a personalised service, along with unique products and craftsmanship.

My wife recently shopped for door handles. After a discussion online with the small business, within minutes it had posted a selection for her to peruse. It was as if they had gone to the back of the shop and found some unusual stock hidden there, and they were just the thing we needed.

Indesit.com

Contrast that experience with shopping online for a new freezer door handle at Indesit.

The process was initially good – the handle was easily located and the order was processed efficiently. But it arrived without the screws.

“Oh, that’s not included” came the reply from the customer care line assistant, who then proceeded to reel off a list of catalogue part numbers, assuming we’d know them.

It was an opportunity missed for some positive interaction. Investing in online technology is one thing, but it’s still essential that staff live the brand. And it wouldn’t have hurt to send a handle with screws in the first place.