As part of an occasional blog series on companies that offer rockstar customer service, I’m going to focus today on SmugMug, the company I use for client image proofing. Though I occasionally test other image hosting services, some of whom offer a more compelling set of features, I always come back to SmugMug. The reason? No surprise here: customer service. Here are three lessons I’ve learned from SmugMug (and three reasons I will likely never leave them.)

1) A business is only as strong as the people who work for it.
Ask any portrait photographer who uses SmugMug for the number one reason they do so, and I doubt you’ll hear anything about SmugMug’s popular image hosting service. Instead, you’re likely to hear stories about the people that work at SmugMug, and the way those employees interact with professional photographers. SmugMug’s employees are everywhere, at all hours – interacting online, via email, on the phone, and even in person. SmugMug’s employees are as valuable a commodity, if not moreso, than the photography services it offers.

2) A company that sends an automated answer isn’t listening to the question.
I’ve never received an automated response from SmugMug, and when SmugMug addresses my inquiries, the reply is always personal and – wait for it – relevant! In this age of robotic emails and canned answers (I’m looking at you, Google), SmugMug bucks the trend and never fails to treat me like an individual. The heroes at SmugMug, as they’re called, never fail to engage in a conversation that makes me feel heard, and makes me feel like I matter. With that option available, why would I ever choose to work with a company that treats me any differently?

3) It’s okay to talk about your flaws.
SmugMug is not only aware of its flaws, but it doesn’t mind talking about them. Its employees actively engage with customers on their digital forum, Dgrin, as well as their UserVoice feature request site. This empowers customers to feel like they have a voice, and it permits SmugMug to understand its customers’ concerns. Those conversations can turn whiny, and even angry, but SmugMug’s employees never shy away, and they’re a stronger company for it.

As a portrait photographer, I’m proud to partner with SmugMug. As I prepare for some exciting changes in the coming year, I’m happy to continue relying on SmugMug for killer customer service, and terrific photography services. I look forward to learning even more from the way they do business.

Got a story about great service from SmugMug or another company? Share it in the comments!