It's time to give a big round of applause to Target. We've been ordering items from them online lately, and it has given us the opportunity to see how an industry giant handles interpersonal communication.

The story began when I ordered an RTA (ready to assemble) coffee table for our office. It seemed fine until we had it completely put together. At that point I noticed they there were some damaged areas to much of the wood. The table itself was gorgeous, and - to be fair - when you order RTA furniture you are not expecting perfection. But this was considerable damage, so I contacted customer service using the web site.

What did I expect? That's easy. Based upon previous experiences with online vendors I anticipated having to ship it back at my own expense, re-order the table and wait for a refund to arrive. Not the case. I received a personal, compassionate response from a specific customer service representative who actually offered their name and contact information (first shock). They apologized for my inconvenience, told me a new table was already on the way and thanked me for my patience.

After I recovered from the shock, I went out of my way to find a way to send Target corporate an email letting them know how amazed I was at the personal service I received. Let's be fair, in this day and age most people are disenchanted with how customer service issues are handled. It's either outsourced, automated or an afterthought - or some combination of the three. But Target, it is clearly a priority to handle each issue on a one-on-one basis.

Last week, I received another item from Target.com that appeared to have been damaged in shipping. In my note, I conceded that it looked like something I could possibly fix, but doing so had not proven easy. I asked if I could take the offending item to the store and order a replacement. Within hours of sending in my note, I received a genuinely kind note from a Target rep. They told me how to have UPS come to my home to pick up the item. And - oh, by the way - a new item was already on the way to my home.

Is that the end of my story? No. I noticed that the item above had just gone on clearance. I could have saved $30 if I'd just ordered it this week. Since I'd not yet received the replacement, it seemed possible I could intercept the shipment and rebuy it at the new price. I was informed that normally I would need to return and repurchase the item to receive the new price, but in light of the situation surrounding my order they had already issued me a $30 refund. Can you believe that? I am 3 for 3 in terms of positive (very positive) experiences with Target.com.

Let me back up by telling you about my behavior as a consumer. I am a very engaged consumer. I price shop, I demand quality, I am not shy about asking for better service or products. But I am also fiercely loyal when I find a product or merchant who does things right. What Target.com did for me ranks them among the very peak shopping experiences I've had. Who knew a mass merchant could reach out and be so personal? I am truly impressed and have no qualms about telling you they have won my loyalty. Kudos to the powers that be for their courteous, professional and customer-centric approach to doing business online. My experiences with Target.com have been absolutely stellar.

It's time to give a big round of applause to Target. We've been ordering items from them online lately, and it has given us the opportunity to see how an industry giant handles interpersonal communication.

The story began when I ordered an RTA (ready to assemble) coffee table for our office. It seemed fine until we had it completely put together. At that point I noticed they there were some damaged areas to much of the wood. The table itself was gorgeous, and - to be fair - when you order RTA furniture you are not expecting perfection. But this was considerable damage, so I contacted customer service using the web site.

What did I expect? That's easy. Based upon previous experiences with online vendors I anticipated having to ship it back at my own expense, re-order the table and wait for a refund to arrive. Not the case. I received a personal, compassionate response from a specific customer service representative who actually offered their name and contact information (first shock). They apologized for my inconvenience, told me a new table was already on the way and thanked me for my patience.

After I recovered from the shock, I went out of my way to find a way to send Target corporate an email letting them know how amazed I was at the personal service I received. Let's be fair, in this day and age most people are disenchanted with how customer service issues are handled. It's either outsourced, automated or an afterthought - or some combination of the three. But Target, it is clearly a priority to handle each issue on a one-on-one basis.

Last week, I received another item from Target.com that appeared to have been damaged in shipping. In my note, I conceded that it looked like something I could possibly fix, but doing so had not proven easy. I asked if I could take the offending item to the store and order a replacement. Within hours of sending in my note, I received a genuinely kind note from a Target rep. They told me how to have UPS come to my home to pick up the item. And - oh, by the way - a new item was already on the way to my home.

Is that the end of my story? No. I noticed that the item above had just gone on clearance. I could have saved $30 if I'd just ordered it this week. Since I'd not yet received the replacement, it seemed possible I could intercept the shipment and rebuy it at the new price. I was informed that normally I would need to return and repurchase the item to receive the new price, but in light of the situation surrounding my order they had already issued me a $30 refund. Can you believe that? I am 3 for 3 in terms of positive (very positive) experiences with Target.com.

Let me back up by telling you about my behavior as a consumer. I am a very engaged consumer. I price shop, I demand quality, I am not shy about asking for better service or products. But I am also fiercely loyal when I find a product or merchant who does things right. What Target.com did for me ranks them among the very peak shopping experiences I've had. Who knew a mass merchant could reach out and be so personal? I am truly impressed and have no qualms about telling you they have won my loyalty. Kudos to the powers that be for their courteous, professional and customer-centric approach to doing business online. My experiences with Target.com have been absolutely stellar.