Free Nexus 5 from Google

I had broken my Samsung Galaxy S2 on my European trip. So as soon as I got back home I started to look for a new phone. I decided that I would just invest in an expensive smart phone and be ultra careful with it (I am not the type of person to care much about the protection of phones….or sun glasses)

I purchased a Nexus 5 from the Google play store. About 5 minutes latter I found an old HTC in my drawer and decided that I needed the cash I used to buy the phone. So I cancelled the order.  About a week after that, I received a package at work. It was the Nexus 5.

At first I was confused. I thought I canceled the order. So I checked the Google play store and my credit card statements. All seemed to confirm that I didn’t pay for the phone.

I then gave Google a call and they apologised for any inconvenience caused. The customer care representative on the other line advised me that I have two options. Firstly, I can send it back and receive $25 credit. Or, keep the phone. I obviously took the latter.

What got me thinking afterwards though was the level of customer care that Google has. This standard is what all companies should be aspiring to achieve. On the phone, the Google representative did three key things.

1. Acknowledged an “error” on the side of Google explicitly. That is, he used the word “error”.
2. Apologised on behalf of the company.
3. Provided ways to rectify the error.

This is the customer-centric mentality that creates great companies for employees and customers!