The Battle of the Bedroom Set
John and Jeanne Casey had just moved into their dream home. It was
spacious and comfortable—the house they had been hoping for. The
spacious master bedroom definitely called for a bedroom set that was
larger than the one they had been using for the past 15 years.
After searching the entire area, they found the perfect set. The
only problem was that they wanted it in king size not queen; that
meant ordering it from an out of town warehouse. At first, Jasper
Furniture seemed very accommodating. They promised the set would
arrive in 60 days at the most. After nearly 70 days had passed, Jeanne
called the store to see why it was taking so long. The sales clerk she
spoke with acted as if she was bothering him. “After all,” he replied
impatiently, “we’re talking about a shipment that is only 10 days
late.”
A full month went by after that phone call. Twice during that
month, John dropped by the store to inquire about the shipment. The
first time, the staff member they spoke with blamed the sales clerk for
submitting an incomplete order. The second time, the people he
talked to blamed the supplier. Both times, they promised to call when
the furniture arrived. Another two months later, no one had called.
Together John and Jeanne went down and demanded their money
back.
This time they spoke with the manager, who immediately blamed
the supplier. The store had done its best to get the order completed,
according to the manager.
“No,” John replied. “No matter what deficiencies your suppliers
have, we’re not angry with them, but with you. You have been of no
help through this entire ordeal, and you have left us waiting for
months! Our whole house is full of furniture that we have bought here
over the years, but we will not buy from you again. You could have
prevented this problem. You—not your supplier—could have
salvaged the situation.”

What specific actions could Jasper Furniture have taken to prevent
losing a long-term return customer like the Caseys?