How to Make A Customer for Life--Infinit Nutrition and Foot Solutions

As consumers, we often we struggle to get good service, and hope the products we choose to buy are even remotely as good as the marketing claims that precede them. Skepticism has become a way of life. Recently, however, I had two experiences that have turned me from a customer to a customer for life. This, marketers, is how it's done.

Michael Folan, owner of Infinit Nutrition is one of my two new my poster boys for customer service. I am an avid triathlete, and many competitors I know swear by the Infinit products and service. Infinit is unique, in that they offer pre-mixed formulas OR the option to customize a brew just for you--more electrolytes or less, caffeine or not, higher or lower calories, lots of flavor or a little--it can all be made to your specifications.

I had visited the Infinit web site a number of times in th past, and was never quite sure what I wanted. I finally dropped Michael an email asking for some additional direction. Know what?  He actually called me! On the phone. Talking person to person. Not only did Michael call me once to review my needs, he followed-up (unheard of!) and called again to review his suggestions! That's it. I'm sold. If I have to, I'll tweak the Infinit product till the end of my days to get it right, and stick with a guy who puts himself out there to that degree to stand behind his product and make customers happy.

My second poster boy for customer service is Abe Hirsch at Foot Solutions. This may be more than you want to know, but I have terrible feet--flat, bunioned, pronating disasters. I have had orthotics for years, and couldn't run or do triathlons without them. You name the foot doctor/podiatrist of note in the Boston area, and I've seen them. Probably got orthotics from all of them too through the years.

About a year ago, I stopped into Foot Solutions on a whim to look for shoes. My orthotics were beyond worn out, and Abe showed me his system for making custom orthotics. I was skeptical--so conditioned was I to thinking only podiatrists could provide the proper orthotic. But I took a chance (I was already in the store and time is precious), and I got my orthotics from Abe. Truly, I have NEVER had a better pair.

Now here's the customer service part. I went back to see Abe last week to get a new pair of orthotics since I'm training again for the Ironman triathlon. Abe looked at the ones I got from him about a year ago, and said, "These orthotics are perfectly fine. They'll hold up to your training without a problem." I was stunned. Think about it. I was standing there willing to plunk down my credit card for a new pair on the spot. Instead of taking my money, he sent me home with the reassurance that my orthotics were fine. That saved me $300. $300!!!! I could not be more grateful.

So thank you Michael and Abe for your amazing service, and for being able to use you both as models for the way business should be done. In fact, there's a client of mine who needs some follow-up...

You can find Michael Folan and Infinit nutrition here, and Abe Hirsch at Foot Solutions here.