Customer Service That Lasts Beyond the Transaction

Creating Moments That Leave a Legacy

In business, we talk a lot about marketing strategies, pricing models, and customer retention. But what if I told you one of the most powerful ways to build customer loyalty isn’t about what you do when a customer buys something—it’s about how you show up when they experience loss?

Chewy, the online pet supply retailer, has quietly built a reputation for this kind of profound customer service.

Recently, I learned more about Chewy’s heartfelt protocol for when a customer loses a pet. While it’s not a “policy” in the cold, corporate sense, it’s clearly a practiced and genuine part of their culture. And it’s made a lasting impression on thousands.

What Chewy Does When You Lose a Pet

When a customer contacts Chewy to cancel an auto-ship or order because their pet has passed, something remarkable often happens:

• They send flowers or handwritten sympathy cards.
  
• They refund recent purchases, even those already shipped.
  
• They tell customers to donate unused food or items to a local shelter rather than return them.
  
• They’ve even been known to send personalized pet portraits.
  

None of this is required. No terms and conditions spell it out. And yet, it happens—over and over again. And each time it does, a moment of deep loss is met with kindness, and a brand becomes part of a healing memory.

The Takeaway: Protocols That Leave an Impression

It made me ask myself—do I have any impactful protocols in my own business that are so profound they leave lasting impressions?

Do I show up for my clients when it’s not just business, but life?

Over the years, I’ve had clients pass away. It’s never easy, and in those moments I’ve tried to find ways to let their families know how much they meant to me—not just as customers, but as people who were a part of the story of my business. A handwritten note, a thoughtful message, a donation in their name—small gestures, but filled with sincerity.

That’s what Chewy understands so well: long-term relationships are built in the quiet moments, not just the big transactions.

 Creating a Lasting Customer Service Model

If you’re looking to build a customer service model that actually sets you apart, here’s what to consider:

• Identify the emotional touchpoints in your customer’s journey. Loss, success, retirement, relocation—how can you acknowledge these moments?
  
• Empower your team to respond with empathy. Don’t make kindness a policy—make it a culture.
  
• Think about your legacy. What do you want your customers (or their families) to say about you after the transaction ends?
  

When you show up in the hard moments—when you remember that your clients are more than invoices and sales goals—you earn something that no ad campaign can buy: trust, gratitude, and loyalty.

Chewy knows that. And it’s why, when someone is ready to love another pet again, they remember who was there when they lost the last one.

So I ask you: what will your clients remember you for?

Misty, I am enjoying and appreciate your newsletters. Thank you for sharing.

Jerry

I discovered this concept when I shared that my business name honors my late daughter. Many bereaved moms and grandmas visit to share their grief with me, as well as others who’ve experienced loss. I think they feel safe opening up to me, knowing I’ve been through similar pain. Being that sanctuary for them is deeply rewarding. That’s exactly what I envisioned for Jilltbeanz as a community-building business. By sharing my own loss, I unintentionally created just what I hoped for. – Amy