| It doesn't always work out. You have provided | | | | Sun Microsystems. |
| your customer with a number of merchandising | | | | 3) Use your written word to further develop and |
| offers and pricing options that seem favorable | | | | grow your trust with your customer. “Active |
| and fair. But no matter what you feel is a great | | | | Listening” applies to the written word as much |
| offer, there are times when a customer wants to | | | | as it applies to conversation. First strive to |
| just return your product. There are other | | | | understand, confirm that understanding and then |
| customers that will have a complaint about delays | | | | proceed to a proposed solution. |
| in shipping or product appropriateness. | | | | 4) Be fair in your solution proposal, but don't |
| No matter how clear your return policy is defined | | | | “give away the farm” as part of your |
| on your website, customers feel that they should | | | | problem resolution. Think Win-Win. Ask yourself |
| return it with a complete refund. No questions | | | | the question: With what you are offering as a |
| asked. The mega retailers have created this | | | | solution, is this likely to keep this customer as a |
| no-haggle return policy, because they have other | | | | repeat customer? |
| avenues to resell these items; namely, through | | | | 5) Break your 'fix-it' offer into two parts, a |
| their discount outlets. But for the small boutique | | | | current fix and a future buy offer. Apply some |
| online retailer, who employs a drop-shipper, | | | | common sense toward fixing the present situation |
| returns are usually charged a restocking fee. That | | | | (partial refund, item exchange or return). Then |
| fee is borne by the online retailer. It is then | | | | entice the customer to come back and buy again |
| understandable and reasonable that a customer | | | | with an offer against future purchases (like an |
| re-stocking fee is necessary to recover some or | | | | additional 5% discount or free shipping). |
| all of the re-stocking and credit card costs that | | | | 6) For a product replacement situation, this could |
| you bear as the retailer on the initial customer | | | | be an opportunity to “sell up” your |
| purchase transaction. | | | | customer to a better product or service. |
| When you are in the Customer Business, | | | | 7) Have a clearly defined Returns Policy Page on |
| inevitably, you will be required to address a | | | | your website. Don't hide the fact that you charge |
| Customer Problem Situation. So how do you | | | | a re-stocking fee. Always be transparent with |
| respond to these unavoidable yet regrettable | | | | your Return Policy, Shipping Information and |
| customer problem situations? What is the best | | | | Privacy Policy. Nothing hidden in these areas but |
| way to respond in writing to these customers? | | | | rather openly disclosed will build customer trust in |
| These Eight time-tested tips have helped me | | | | your website and company. |
| apply effective responses to Customer Problem | | | | 8) Accept that there will be times when you will |
| Situations over and over again: | | | | lose the customer. Forever! Sometimes it just |
| 1) Write your response as if your words will | | | | doesn't work and you will not be able to save a |
| ultimately be posted on the internet. It could | | | | customer. Be gracious in your closure - “We |
| appear, in whole or in part, on someone's BLOG, | | | | had hoped we could make this mutually beneficial |
| visible to all the web world to read and discuss. | | | | offer work ” and then Let it go. No guilt – |
| Remember problem situations are opportunities to | | | | No Regret. |
| further market your company's trusted image | | | | In your journey to continuously maintain high |
| and extend customer goodwill. | | | | customer satisfaction, you will discover that |
| 2) These emails or letters addressing problem | | | | “All Customers ARE NOT Created Equal” |
| situations should never tell the customer what | | | | and “The Customer IS NOT always right”. |
| they did wrong; instead, tell your customer | | | | Both the Seller and the Consumer have |
| exactly what they need to do to make the | | | | responsibilities toward ensuring the sales |
| situation right. Detail the steps the customer must | | | | transaction is mutually beneficial. Encourage your |
| execute to realize the solution. This “BE | | | | customers to ask questions and get answers |
| POSITIVE” approach was applied many times | | | | before they buy. Strive for a Win-Win sales |
| over the 30 years when I was a software | | | | experience. |
| support manager for both Hewlett-Packard and | | | | |