Earlier this year, I heard from several people about the exceptional customer service offered by Dan at Kayenta Games, creator of the highly acclaimed game Obsession. I dug into the great things he was doing and ended up significantly revising the notification email format we use on the Stonemaier Games webstore, directly inspired by Dan’s method.
Meanwhile, I invited Dan to share his customer service philosophy and experience as a guest post on this blog, and he has kindly obliged with the following insights:
***DAN***
By choice, Kayenta Games is a company of one person, which means I am the CEO and game designer; I keep the books, empty the wastebaskets, and drive packages to the post office. This represents a powerful and sometimes frightening level of freedom.
As I wind down a 33-year career in the medical device industry (7 months from retirement), I part ways with a 176-billion-dollar company that employs 104,949 more people than Kayenta Games and possesses all the expected layers of administrative and bureaucratic control. As one individual out of over 100,000, I most definitely do not have unlimited freedom. Don’t get me wrong, I am retiring from an exceptional company, but total freedom in such an organization is impossible, and for many good reasons when dealing with life support technology.
What does this have to do with the customer service philosophy that Jamey has asked me to describe? Everything. Going from a massive corporation to a miniscule company enables me to be a stickler for doing what is right, with no hesitation, no cost-benefit, no waiting for approval. This freedom permits me to try things that are just not done; for example, to feature this at the top of my last Kickstarter page:
Challenging a Common Assumption
To make (and follow through) with such a customer service philosophy questions a common assumption, which is that the financial risks of an open-ended pledge to make something perfect is too great. Since ‘perfect’ is in the eye of the beholder (who is often an exacting collector) and we enjoy an international hobby, the potential costs can be daunting…
- What if a customer in Hong Kong has a very slightly warped game board?
- What if a customer receives a box with a split in one corner from rough shipping, and the replacement game has a split, as does the second replacement game?
- What if a customer in Brazil has one meeple with a slight dent?
- What if a customer wants to return an open game for credit because my card font is too small?
- What if a thief steals the game from a customer’s porch?
- What if 500 customers have cloth bags that are fraying and coming apart after several uses?
- What if a reseller con artist charges a newlywed couple 2x the cost of the game after lying about it not being available elsewhere, and they come to you for help?
- What if a customer gets a second-hand copy that is missing components?
All these things happened and many more, and the Kayenta Games policy endured: the games were made perfect. One might argue that correcting the above issues costs thousands of dollars, and they would be right. So, is the policy ill-advised? Experience has shown otherwise.
Do Unto Others…
Before I ever contemplated designing a game, I loved board games and collected them. If a game had ‘the magic,’ I spared no expense enhancing the components and moving it to a place of honor in my collection. To me, games are all about the magic, which I describe as that feeling of anticipation when it is taken from the shelf, the aesthetic of it spread out on the table, the tactile feel of great components, and the thrill when you and your fellow gamers encounter excruciatingly wonderful tactical dilemmas born of great design.
I know how I want the companies who make the games I collect to conduct themselves. It is infuriating when, for example, in one massive and expensive project, I received a neoprene gaming mat that was folded like a napkin and placed in a constricted box; that mat two years later still shows the fossilized remains of those sharp creases and puckers, rendering it wholly unusable. The explanation? We warned you we were shipping it that way.
I cannot be on the other side of that example and fail to do what should have been done for me: to respond with a solution, quickly and without cost or inconvenience to the consumer.
Straw Man
If that were the whole of the argument, I would still have the policy. And, indeed, that was my policy before I learned that the common assumption mentioned above (that the financial risks of perfection are too great) is false, at least in our hobby. Perhaps that assumption would destroy a company in the used car business, but our hobby is peopled by passionate collectors, men and women who love games, and who do not, in my experience, take advantage of an open-ended customer service policy.
This has been proven by one remarkable statistic: of the 21,000 games I have sold from 2018 to the present, I have given a full refund* for only 1 game because the customer was dissatisfied (the font issue mentioned above). Note that there have been hundreds of transactions where, like described above, I have had to replace games or components, but only 1 refund because I could not make the game perfect.
However, all those fixes represented not a negative, but a delightful positive for both parties. I got to know many of my customers and hear feedback over the course of the two or three emails that were exchanged as part of replacing components or damaged games. Frequently, my immediate response that I would fix their problem at no charge flabbergasted gamers conditioned to expect disappointment or at least some level of red tape.
I have received thank you gifts of cashew brittle, homemade jewelry for my wife, customized tee shirts, handmade stationary, books, sets of Victorian coins, games, and a series of wonderful sketches (to name a few). I learned where my rules were confusing, ideas for improvement, and made many friends.
Fair Value
There is a catch. I believe in value, and my games are not cheap; I do not supply retailers that are all about deep discounting (I love and support FLGS). As a tiny company making a quality game, my costs are high, and I cannot be productive or maintain a high level of service without a reasonable profit for Kayenta Games. The 99% of people who enjoy a smooth transaction are supporting instantaneous, comprehensive customer service for anyone who needs it, and my policy never expires.
Our industry, in my opinion, is about the magic, not the discount. Perfect components feed the magic and make the experience exceptional. Knowing that replacement components are an email away if Rover eats a butler or a spilled glass of Platform Speed Merchant White IPA destroys a player board brings peace of mind to members of a passionate hobby.
It is true that most board game publishers are larger organizations, and that the Kayenta Games situation is somewhat unique. However, I think there are still takeaways that begin with a simple idea—minor imperfections are not trivial:
To our customers, a board game, properly envisioned, is a collector’s item, and the look and feel of a great game on a table has its own magic that the developer should respect and wholeheartedly support. But do I go too far? I often wonder if my passion for perfection represents a minority viewpoint. With the wider reach of this blog, I would love to hear if you agree, or if I am wide of the mark.
Note: For those who have been waiting for Obsession to be restocked, I am happy to report that 20,000 games (base game, expansions, and the Useful Box) are on ships headed to three ports. Nothing is certain in 2021, but I am hopeful that US, Europe, Canada, and Australasia will be well supplied by Halloween. Learn more at the Kayenta Games website.
*I have, of course, given many refunds for buyers who wanted to cancel orders for various reasons, including financial hardship, Covid, illness, etc.
***JAMEY***
If you gain value from the 100 articles Jamey publishes on this blog each year, please consider championing this content!
31 Comments on “Customer Service Obsession: Kayenta Games”
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Dan answered my email right away! I’m glad he also believes in the better nature of people, the value of learning from customers instead of avoiding risks, and champions innovation! I hope when I retire from my big company I’ll fulfill a passion career like Dan does! Happy gaming everyone!
That’s great! :)
Hello,
Thank you for being part of this people who thinks about quality rather than quantity. To make a game that stays and is not an instant consumer item.
I have been waiting for the French version of this game for a year. I hope that the same quality will be brought there.
BR,
Remy Bonafous
I wanted to thank those who commented on the post, and to mention that I appreciate the kind words sent my way (I didn’t want to clutter the comments in real time). Clearly, this post happened because a much larger game developer shares my passion (and preceded it). Credit to Jamey for the forum and for promoting the ‘magic.’
If it has been said once it has (should) been said a 1000 times – Dan is fantastic for our hobby. Thanks for leading by character.
I am a huge fan of Kayenta games! I have never had to make use of your customer service policy, but I am aware it exists. A week ago, my basement flooded due to a bad water heater. As we have only recently moved in, a couple dozen games were on the floor. I had only put in shrink games on the floor, “just in case “. Unfortunately the boxes of 2 of the games are unusable, including a Kickstarter version of Edge of Darkness. I wrote to their customer service explaining the situation and offered to purchase a new box (the contents weren’t damaged). The only response was to provide a link to their new Kickstarter, which does not include an option to purchase a box. I was extremely disappointed in AEG.
Rejeana: I empathize with both you and AEG in this situation. For you, I’m so sorry your basement flooded and that you had some games on the floor when that happened. For AEG, like any game publisher, the only spare boxes they have aren’t really spare at all–they’re complete games in shrink. So the cost of a spare box to a publisher is the cost of the entire game, not just the box. At Stonemaier Games, if you order a game from us and the box arrives damaged, we typically arrange for the customer to send the damaged box version to a reviewer (our choice of reviewer and we pay for shipping), and then we send the customer a new copy.
Excellent post, Dan! I couldn’t agree more with everything you posited in the article and yes, many gamers have come to expect the deflating responses from Asmodee, versus the friendly, helpful, positive responses from both Kayenta and Stonemaier Games. Thank you for your passion ~ and commitment to our hobby!
That is what it is all about in any industry. Taking care of the customer has lost its way in pursuit of the almighty dollar. It fills my heart to know that there is a company like Kayenta Games out there. On a side note, I recently had an experience very similar to the spilt wine scenario. I had finally gotten my collectors copy of genotype to the table, when one of my friends spilled water on the players mat. Genius Games , stepped right up and sent me not one but 2 boards at no extra charge. I was estactic. Hopefully more companies follow suit.
Count me in as a happy customer of Dan’s. Dan we really great right from the ordering process I was really impressed. And then when I had an issue with a bag he took care of me straight away. He impressed my so much that she asked if he had any other games we could buy as a show of support. Thanks Dan! You are truly awesome. Thank you Jamey for sharing this with all of us. And Obsession rocks! Highly recommended!
– Adrian
I should have proofread closer. ‘we’ -> ‘was’, and it’s supposed to say he impressed my wife. lol
I am a HUGE fan of both Obsession and Dan Hallagan! His customer service and engagement with the community are second to none! His stance of 100% satisfaction guaranteed has only grown his fan base and the fans of Obsession. And this amazing game has only become more beautiful, more streamlined, and more pleasing because he listened to his fanbase and tweaked and updated its appearance, rules, and content. I’m not alone in respecting how Dan created his game, developed his game, and now supports the customers buying his game. Our hobby is blessed to have him in it! Thank you, Dan!
Wonderful article, Dan. I am one of your many customers who recognizes just how special you and your customer service are and I’m thankful for the role model you serve as for the rest of us. Three cheers for you and your impeccable customer service and three cheers to Jamey for celebrating you not once, but TWICE this year in his blog!!!
Lol, I would have loved the poor headless footman, but probably sent a picture of it for its amusement.
And the half of a housekeeper! I’ve seen so many cool mutant servant meeples, but I don’t have any :(
I’ll send you my half valet!
Too valuable! Keep the collector’s item. Plus, I am about to get 3500 spare parts meeples in about a month…I am sure I will find one in there. Sort of like looking for wheat pennies in a giant bag of pennies. :)
I haven’t had to use Dan’s policy, but am aware of it, and the care and thoughtfulness behind that policy infuse the entire game. It’s not a coincidence that the customer service and amazing game experience come from the same person.
Reading that straight up makes me want to buy Obsession!
It’s a fantastic game.
Yup, get it. Awesome game!!!
I’ve been around the hobby for quite some time and have over 1000 games in my collection (excluding expansions) according to BGG. I’ve had good experiences with many companies over damage to components and larger scale damage to boxes. The best were from Fantasy Flight Games (pre-Asmodee buyout) and Soda Pop Miniatures. FFG had one punch-out flat that didn’t get fully punched, which they replaced with no further questions, as it was something they had heard multiple instances of – and at no charge. They were also quite willing to replace missing plastic bits for spinners when a game was short the requisite number. I was very disappointed when the new customer service policy was put into place by Asmodee. The SPM instance was very generous, as I had purchased a second hand copy of one of their games and it was missing a large miniature. I reached out to them and asked if I could purchase a replacement, as they received no funds from me for my copy of the game. They sent me the replacement at no charge, eating both the replacement and shipping costs. Made me a supporter for quite a while. I’ve also had a few times where I look at the damage to a component and ask myself, “Does this damage make the game harder to play?” If the answer is no, I view it as ‘character’ for my copy. A split corner to a box makes it more likely to lose components, so I’d ask for that to be replaced (unless it was my fault the box was damaged), but one with a ding or some minor crushing of a corner (again, where it won’t cause issues with box open/close/fit) is no big deal to me. A folded player mat can be fixed ‘enough’ with minimal effort, but a torn or mangled one will never be the same.
Customer Service is important in this kind of industry, with many easy-to-access word of mouth distribution points for criticism, both good and bad. I applaud those who work with customers to try and help make them whole where and when they can.
Excited to hear that the Obsession copies are almost here! I pre-ordered Obsession recently, and have been waiting with baited breath. And Dan’s policy and attitude in his interactions with others has definitely been part of why I’ve wanted to pick up a copy! Thanks for your hard work Dan!
Dan is a prince among game designers. His love of his craft is a key reason I am such a huge fan and customer. (And, it doesn’t hurt that Obsession is one of my favorite games!)
I am an artist, and I have a similar philosophy for my business. When I decided to leave my corporate job way back, I started my tiny business based on two key values: the happiness of my clients, and value of my work.
My partnerships with clients and collectors is key to my success. So if someone ever has an issue with the art I send them, I resolve it and replace it. Sure, I’ve had a couple people take advantage of this, but they are rare. Most people have been amazing and respectful to work with.
And like Dan says, I can do this because I value my work, and charge appropriately for it. My art isn’t cheap, but it reflects the true cost of what it takes to bring art to market. When I walk through local art fairs, I am always shocked at how low the prices are. I know how much it costs these artists to create and promote their work, and know that at the prices they are charging, they are making little to nothing. They may be making a lot of “sales”, but they are not earning enough to maintain a business or make a living.
A good policy for the customers always helps a lot. Stonemaier applies to this. I mentioned the other day in the replacemente parts thread that I was missing a yellow cube for Scythe, and even when it’s not game breaking (I found a suitable replacement) I was offered to get a replacement. I asked to get some extra stuff and pay for it, because there’s no need to spend money, gas, pollute just for a tiny cube, but having the option to have it is amazing. That’s exactly why I have stopped buying Asmodee games. They just screw the customer in every way possible, and since I’m the one paying, that can’t be acceptable.
Thanks for this insightful post, Dan! (And thanks to Jamey for providing space for this discussion.)
I think the point about 99% funding the 1% is significant. Is it fair to the 99% of your “good” customers to charge them an extra overhead, just to subsidize the atypical customer who wants “perfection” when that expense is disproportionately high? Obviously it’s nice to have games that are in perfect condition, and I think it’s reasonable to offer replacements for significant flaws that are the publisher’s fault. But at the same time, I think there should be some “reasonableness” check, to ensure your money is being fairly distributed among your customers. If you’re willing to spend $200 on 5 atypical customers, maybe it would be better to spend $1 on 1000 typical customers?
I see your point, and I would agree if it were a straight line from the price you pay to the customer service provided (and I think I implied there was a straight line, so my fault, not yours). But the path is a winding one. I preserve my margins by choosing not to participate in actions that discount the game, even at the expense of exposure or sales volume. The retail outlet market demands deep discounts as the price of admission. So much so that it is not uncommon that a large retailer (not FLGS) or international distributor expects me to sell to them near my cost (particularly when one takes into account the 6 fold increase in transoceanic shipping) so that they can enjoy a healthy margin. Why do publishers accept the proposition? For increased volume and exposure through large marketing channels. I pass on these, mainly because I have a business model that is intent on the game and the customer, not on sales. Paradoxically, the more I focus on the 1st two, the more sales increase.
And truly, if it were a direct line, your math would be probably correct. Would a game that was $1 cheaper with a black hole for customer service be what the 99% want? I don’t necessarily know (which is why I asked). Interested in more on this.
Dan
To be clear, I wasn’t suggesting that the choice was between “black hole for customer service” and “perfection in every game.”
I was imagining customer service as a bell curve of issues. Obviously every “normal” request you’ll handle. Perhaps even 99% of the requests you’ll handle. But maybe when we get all the way out to the crazy 1% issues, which cost disproportionally more than 1% of your time and expense, maybe those issues you don’t solve, because it’s takes away your time and energy from everyone else. And that person way out on the edge of the customer service bell curve will hopefully understand that you’re not going to send them a *third* copy of the game because the corners of the first two were slightly dinged (and if they don’t, then you live with it, because that’s the right trade off… perhaps?)
That was a real example, so your point strikes home. Still, I don’t think there is a calculus that yields a price adjustment for the 99% if I say ‘no mas’ to a Herculean service demand. Theoretically, you are correct. In practice, I absorb the cost.
Great Policy
Dan is amazing! Thanks for this article. I loved hearing Dan’s history and how he decided to run his business. What an inspiration and I hope other publishers follow his model. :)