OK so let me just say I know I was an ass when I managed a retail store back in the early 80’s. That's because I wouldn’t return things unless it met all the criteria because any return was money off of my bonus plan and out of my wallet. So if I did that to you, mea culpa.
I went into the grocery store a few weeks ago with two bottles of fiber pills. My hound Hallie Mae’s vet prescribed them for her to help with digestion. I had purchased these two to six weeks ago and hadn’t noticed they were actually laxatives with fiber – not what was needed. (Think the chili scene from Mr. Mom. )
My goal was a simple exchange but they didn’t have any so I went to the "Customer Service" counter where three employees were waiting.
I was surprised when the guy told me he had to look through every day of the week for the past month to try to find the transaction. He suggested I go do my shopping and come back. OK
Why don’t they just call it a "Damage Control" counter? Customer service happens prior to the sale. Damage control is what happens after. In this case, it was "Cost Control" counter.
Turns out he couldn't find my transaction in the past month. Because of that they couldn't give me a refund. I suggested since I was one of their loyalty card members, could he find it that way he replied, “No.” I suggested just a credit towards my purchase.
One of the three proudly pointed to their return policy that anything over $10 needed manager approval so they called over an older guy with Manager on his name tag. He said, “Can't do it without receipt. I don’t make the policies I just have to enforce them. You can call the number on the register tape if you want.”
Could this have been your store? A manager so tightly wrapped that all he could see was what they were losing or what the policy was. He was an Analytical personality that couldn’t see it from the shopper’s standpoint.
The likelihood of me having picked up two of the exact same thing to try to take from them was probably not the right way to look at it; especially if you're a manager.
I told him, “Look, I’m going to call that number and complain. You don't have to do this, you could just make this go away and give me a credit,” but he refused. I was nice, not screaming or making a scene.
A few more points about this encounter with the grocery store:
- They were making an employee physically look up a transaction, which a simple scan could have confirmed.
- Even if I did steal it, which I'm telling you I didn't, giving the customer a store credit means they minimized any potential loss by at least half.
- This was a loyal customer doing a return, which they could see by reviewing their loyalty card records.
Why wouldn't a manager just start from thinking maybe this is the one in a million who is trying to take advantage of us, but at least he’s coming back.
But no the “manager” locked his horns and set the customer up to feel like a jerk. The three people at the customer service counter also were made to see how stupid the customer looked or worse given the message that customers are out to screw us over and we need to hold firm.
But it’s 2011. Isn’t it time we realized that customers generally are not out to get us and we can get more bees with honey instead of giving them the stinger?
PS- I finally got a call from the store manager apologizing and encouraging me to return for a credit, this after I received a letter from corporate restating company policy of no credit.
By
Bob Phibbs
