Maintaining the Gold Standard

Staffers also read and respond to customer mail. One customer who wrote to dispute the accuracy of the battle information presented in the copy for a set of Civil War figurines received copies of the group’s own product research, which proved to be correct.

National Geographic even recalled two products in 2000 and 2001 (a lantern and a wooden vase, respectively) that prompted mild quality and functionality concerns from customers. The company sent each customer who’d bought the items a refund, an apology letter and a gift certificate for future purchases.