When you work in customer experience, every interaction is more than personal—it’s a case study.

On a recent trip to Spain, I reserved a full-size van through Costco, which routed me to Alamo at the Barcelona Airport. After a long international flight with my family, I was met with some immediate challenges:

❌ The vehicle I was provided was significantly smaller than what we would consider a full-size van in the United States. When I asked about the discrepancy, the employee initially told me that I had rented a smaller model. When I pointed out my confirmation clearly said "full-size van," the story changed—now I was being told the van I expected was actually a “premium full-size van,” and would require an upgrade.

❌ The vehicle had a few significant dents and scratches that were not documented—and would have been very costly if I had been held accountable for them. The employee used a circular measurement tool to assess what qualified as “reportable,” which felt arbitrary and inconsistent. I’ve been down this road before, and insisted that all visible damage be documented. He resisted at first, then finally agreed—though I never received any confirmation or documentation of what was noted.

❌ There was also confusion at the counter regarding the security deposit, which they miscalculated, requiring extra time and proof on my end to resolve.

It was a messy, exhausting check-in. And like many travelers, I didn’t have much choice in the moment—my family had just arrived, we were tired, and we needed a vehicle.

The Turnaround

Fast-forward to the vehicle return, and the experience took a sharp turn for the better.

❓ When I returned the vehicle, the employee receiving it simply asked: “How was your experience?”

😠 I was honest: it had been frustrating—unclear expectations, inconsistent communication, and unnecessary friction.

👂 He listened. Apologized. And then said something that flipped the entire experience: “Let me take care of that for you.”

👏 No debate. No hoops. He removed the charges on the spot and wished me a good day.

Why That Moment Mattered

It wasn’t the refund that stuck with me—it was the recognition.

He acknowledged my frustration, owned the resolution, and made sure I left with a different impression than the one I walked in with. That single empowered decision transformed my perception of the brand. What started as a story of disappointment became a story of recovery—and one I’ll actually share as a positive CX example.

The CX Lesson

CX isn’t about being perfect. It’s about what happens when things don’t go as planned.

• 1. Empower your frontline. The right words and actions at the right time can restore trust in minutes.

  2. Recovery builds loyalty. Customers don’t expect perfection, but they do expect fairness and care.

  3. Small gestures, big impact. Recognition often matters more than refunds.

In the end, customer experience is defined not just by the problems, but by how quickly—and how meaningfully—you resolve them.

Want to turn CX stumbles into loyalty wins?

Let’s talk and explore how SATISFYD helps equipment dealers turn feedback into action and experiences into loyalty.