From quality-assurance techniques to call center staff training: the venerable cataloger’s customer-service strategies

By Gabrielle Mosquera and Donna Loyle

“[T]his company ... is well-known for high-quality products produced according to rigorous manufacturing standards,” stated Sears CEO Alan Lacy in a May 13 Webcast. “Customers recognize the value Lands’ End products represent.”

Such esteem comes from the mouths of friends and competitors alike.

When Chris McCormick, president of L.L. Bean, recently was asked which competitor he most admires, he didn’t hesitate to name Lands’ End. “They’re good marketers and their creative is doing a fine job. They execute perfectly. We’re learning a lot from them,” he said.