Customer Service That Rejects Traditional Metrics: Maui Jim

Maui Jim finds that empowering employees to go above and beyond results in memorable customer interactions and unparalleled loyalty.

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Maui Jim, Inc.

Apr 18, 2016, 11:52 ET

LAHAINA, Hawaii, April 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Some companies evaluate their customer service departments by a set of metrics: the number of calls "handled" per hour, sales volume per customer or the number of calls that "escalate" to a supervisor. Maui Jim Sunglasses has an entirely different philosophy – it's called the "Aloha Spirit." Customer service employees are encouraged to do whatever it takes to make customers feel like they are part of the "'ohana" (Hawaiian for family). Team members are empowered to make the customer happy with virtually no limits. In fact, they are rewarded for making interactions memorable.

Beyond its two-year warranty on every pair of sunglasses, Maui Jim replaces the temples and nose pads on glasses for as long as parts are available. No questions asked. What happens after the warranty runs out? Maui Jim continues to repair glasses for a nominal fee and return them to customers in three to five business days.

"We answer every customer care call personally," said Lynn Campen, Vice President of Customer Care. "No automated menus, no voice mail, because we know our customers want to speak to a human being when they call. This is why customers sometimes tell us that they will never buy another brand of glasses - because we take care of them. Always."

Often the commitment to speedy repairs and personally answered calls means overtime or staffing up during peak times of the year, but Maui Jim is committed to making sure it delivers on its promise to take care of its 'ohana.

"We've seen it all," said Campen. "From glasses with tire tracks that 'never left the case' to temples of glasses chewed by the dog. We simply do what it takes to make the customer happy. Oh, and now we include a doggie treat so that Fido has something else to chew on."

Maui Jim is one of the fastest-growing polarized sunglass companies in the world, and its average customer owns three to five pairs of Maui Jim Sunglasses.

"It's tough to wear another brand after you wear them," said Joe Luber, a Midwestern technology executive who has been a loyal Maui Jim customer for eight years. "In addition to being crucial for me on the golf course, I know that regardless of how many times I drop or sit on them, Maui Jim will repair and send them back almost before I can blink. Or squint."

About Maui Jim:

Maui Jim Sunglasses were born on the beaches of Maui and designed to protect eyes from the harsh rays of the island sun. Today, Maui Jim is recognized for unparalleled "Aloha Spirit" and customer service as well as patented PolarizedPlus2® lens technology, which blocks 100% of UV rays and eliminates glare while enhancing color, definition and depth perception. Maui Jim Sunglasses have earned the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Recommendation as an effective UV filter for the eyes and surrounding skin. For more information, visit MauiJim.com or check out @OfficialMauiJIm on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

SOURCE Maui Jim, Inc.