For a company filled with herb-loving tea-drinkers focused on creating a positive customer experience for all, it's no wonder that one of our fastest-growing departments here at Mountain Rose Herbs is our Customer Service team. Working hard to increase efficiency at every turn with new processes and technologies, it seems pretty amazing that just 5 years ago we were still recording order information with paper and pencil!
According to our Office Manager, Cassie, despite some changes over the years, the core guiding principles and values have stayed the same: “The service has stayed the same, the questions are still the same, and we continue to instill customer care in all of our representatives.”
You might be surprised to learn that, for us, customer service starts before you ever place your order. While we have lots of customers who've been with us for years, many of the calls and questions we get are from folks brand new to the herbal world. We work to make sure that our representatives know as much as possible about our products so we can help share the information. This takes time and training, but it's a fun learning experience!
In addition to keeping shelves stocked with samples of products to have answers at our fingertips, we are also fortunate to have herbalist Liisa Korpela offer classes on natural body care and medicine making, harvesting techniques, and herbal actions once a month for our Customer Service folks. Our Product Manager, Christine, also visits the Customer Service team regularly to give updates and answer questions about our new and exciting products. This free education enriches our depth of herbal knowledge and helps us better serve our customers.
Although we now have online ordering through our website in addition to the catalog sent out to customers twice per year and our daily phone service hours, every order is still processed by hand with care and attention to speed and accuracy. Our processors are the folks who take an order from the web, mail, or phone and create an invoice to be sent along to the production and shipping folks. If there are adjustments, out-of-stock items, or any student discounts that need to be configured, we do that by hand to make sure we cover all the bases. If a customer places an order and then changes their mind or wants to make adjustments, we do our best to retrieve that order, although sometimes it has already moved on to be processed and shipped, since our goal is to get the herbal goodies to you as quickly as possible!
When a customer calls or emails with a question about their order, we take time to do research before we call back. For complicated questions, this may mean involving our in-house investigators in the Claims & Returns Department and the Quality Control Lab. No matter how complicated, we set a goal of returning calls and emails within one business day. During very busy times this might be more challenging, but we strive to handle everything as quickly as possible. As Cassie explains, "It is a delicate balance. We are committed to tending to all emails, phone calls, and orders and making sure they are done within 24 hours. We may not be able to give every customer everything they want when a problem arises, but our reps are so nice, they try!"
In addition to the front line phone representatives, our Customer Service team also includes the small group who handle any returns (we have a generous, no questions asked 60-day return policy), as well as the folks who comprise our Terms Department (they work with stores and retail customers who purchase our herbs, teas, and spices to resell in their establishments including in-store demonstrations, arranging for deliveries, and more) and the International team who take care of our Canadian customers.
Like the other aspects of our work here at Mountain Rose Herbs, our Customer Service team stays focused on open, useful, and genuine communication. Whether problem-solving, taking herb classes, or interacting with our growing community of customers, constant communication is what Cassie identifies as the key to stellar customer service. We continually strive to stay connected with our customers on a very personal level! Herbalism and natural health attracts the sweetest earth-loving people, and we are so happy to provide organic herbs to our community.
