(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ...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.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by BobPhibbs,RetailDoc and BobPhibbs,RetailDoc, Laura Stewart. Laura Stewart said: RT @TheRetailDoctor: New post: #customerservice in #retail is just damage control http://ow.ly/1JDbm [...]
Bob,
You didn’t specifically say “strict return policies are bad; everyone should have a liberal return policy,” but I inferred that you did (rightly or wrongly). So, inferring that you meant this, I will now disagree with the inference.
Yes, your situation, the legitimate customer attempting to make a reasonable return almost within bounds, is the situation that policy-adherence fails at. Yes, to succeed in this situation, flexible policies are called for. However, if flexible policies exist, other problems become unsolvable. Yes, the obvious one is the “scam” return, which can be reasonably argued away by saying that these are A) few and far between; B) should be the cost of keeping good customers who fall into a situation similar to yours. But this isn’t the real problem.
The real problem is the abusive return. These are “customers” who just want to piss in your Cheerios, and will bully staff into getting their way. I care less about that abusive bully getting what they want than I care about the effect that abuse has on the staff. I believe most training philosophies, yours included, give firm guidelines of what can and cannot be done. Having such guidelines for returns helps the staff immensely in abusive return situations- they know what they can do and what they cannot do, so are able to focus on the transaction, which gives them a tool to deflect the abuse.
Since giving the staff firm guidelines for returns means having some lack of flexibility in the return policy, it is not possible to both give the staff tools to work with abusive customers and complete flexibility to solve your situation. Which is the right choice? I know, the argument to this is that one should hire staff with thick-enough skin or who can spot the intricacies of each individual situation and address them as appropriate. This is not realistic. Someone who has the skill and experience to perform that job is also capable of doing much more, and has already moved on to shoulder more responsibility than the return desk allows for.
Let’s add a hypothetical to your story. Instead of getting the firm manager you did, you get a flexible manager who properly diagnoses your situation and allows for your receipt-less exchange. You are happy, the manager is happy. However, behind you was Abusive Al. Al wants to return 2 bottles of supplement, just like you. Unlike you, they are 5 years old, yellowed, and well past their clearly marked expiration date.
Al: “I bought these last week, and would like to return them. They’re the wrong bottle, just like that other guy. Your clerk really sold me the wrong stuff. You need better training, or something.”
Manager: … [ what does the manager say here? "These bottles were clearly not purchased last week" is the least offensive I can think of. ]
Al: “Well, maybe the week before. Look, you let that other guy make a return. You can do the same for me. I’m a good customer. I spend all sort of money here.”
How does the manager handle this? How can the manager be trained, with clear guidelines, to handle this? What tools should the manager have to not feel rotten about this transaction? These are the situations that really grind on a staff and lead to unnecessary attrition.
My best solution- and I am certainly not saying that is it *the* best solution, just the best I have come up with- is to have a suite of non-return based tools to help do the Right Thing (discounts on current purchase, gift card for future purchases, freebie promo items, freebie surplus items). But trying to shift gears away from the return policy to offering something else in the face of Abusive Al is not always easy.
My big-picture view is:
Flexible returns: keeps the out-of-bounds good customer happy, but opens the staff to abuse, reducing staff morale and effectiveness over time. Eventually, that good customer is served by less-than-good staff. Good short- and medium-term, bad long term.
Clear guidelines implying firm return policy: the out-of-bounds good customer is not well served by the return; the staff has tools to mitigate abuse. Sometimes bad short- and medium-term, good long term.
What I advocate is having clear guidelines for returns *plus* some other flexible system that can assist the one situation where clear guidelines fail. Discount on that purchase, free gift card, promotional item… whatever that manager can think of that will make that individual customer a bit happier. But not a return. Else, we come back being open to abuse. Unfortunately, some otherwise good customers get caught up on wanting that return, even though they are out of bounds, and, gosh darn it, I don’t know how to solve that situation without making others worse.
So, I disagree with the (unstated) concept that retailers are foolish to not have wide-open flexible return policies. In my experience, at any rate, the purpose of clear policy for processing returns is to help the staff do their jobs. Black and white. Too much ability to freelance leads to wildly varying results.
So, what is the Right Thing for returns in specialty retail?
Good night, and good luck,
-Gordon B Lugauer, “the” Board Game Barrister
Looks like I got you a bit stirred up Gordon. Thanks for checking if I was implying something and taking the time to present your case how hard it is to have a black and white return policy. I think there have to be rules, yes but managers have to be able to get up in the blimp and look down on the situation. To your point, what happens when Angry Al comes in and gets his way? Will employees learn if customers are nasty enough they’ll get their way? And what would Angry Al learn? The same thing so he’ll or she’ll tell her buddies and compound it. That’s how we’ve gotten to this place to begin with. Friends, blogs and articles all written with the, “Here’s how to get your way” slant. Ugh!
The other side is, let’s face it, if a customer really wants a return and paid by credit card, they probably are going to get it. And more importantly, let’s get up in the blimp. What does such a miserable return do for anyone? The customer hates it, you hate it and no one remembers that originally they purchased something from you.
Final point. Having rigid return policies are what spooks many people about shopping with a local or independent business. I know as a Driver personality, I look at return policies before I hand over my money. Sometimes I’ll ignore them because I’m sure of my choice but other times, I’ll pass.
We have to remember this is maybe 5% of our business. It isn’t worth the effort to 1) become so entrenched there is no grey and 2) to spend time worrying about what ifs. To control the damage, we need common sense.
Firstly, I want you to admit that the fibre pills were for you.
Secondly, your experience exposes the true culture of customer service Price Chopper embraces. The DM or regional authority should really understand that they do not have manager that works at their store. What they have is an ‘enforcer of policies’.
So here’s a suggestion: Since the bottom line is so important, fire the manager and the 3 people behind the counter and replace them with a parrot or some other animal that can be taught to say the same thing over and over again. You will save tons in labor and health care costs and at least your customer will understand what they are dealing with. They know that a parrot only repeats itself and can’t really do anything to help them.
Bob, you should really post what happens after you call the number. Any self respecting DM that understands retailing should have a long talk about empowerment, customer service and building the basket with ‘Manager’.
I disagree with the label ‘Damage Control’. When I was at TRU, I showed them how to turn returns into sales. Those fibre pills could have gone a long way in turning you into a lifelong customer.
Yes you will have fradulent returns. ‘Manager’ would probably be extremely surprised to know that total fradulent retail returns adds up to less than 5 percent of total refunds. But then again, ‘Manager’ may not be aware of a lot of things but he sure does know his policies.
Like the parrot idea Doron – and they already have the crackers! I stand by Damage Control though. This wasn’t one of those “customers only give you one chance.” It was petty. Stupid. They are the only game in town for a decent selection, I already was planning to and did in fact buy from them. How many people have to go through this? Probably very few. That’s why it is such a waste of everyone’s effort. It’s not like I was taking food from his kids mouths for gosh sakes.
[...] Couple that with Analytical personalities who only see black and white and you have a recipe for disappointing many customers as they follow the letter of the law. (See my post last week about the Analytical manager who stood in my way of a refund.) [...]