Imagine the problem was caused by your own mistake or oversight. Maybe you've missed the deadline. Maybe you did not read the fine prints. Maybe you've lost your receipt. What do you think will be the answer you will get?
There's nothing wrong in having terms and conditions for dealing with a company. In fact, it is necessary. You need proof of purchase (aka receipt) and a duration for exchange of goods purchased. You put up signs and notices informing customers that certain items are not exchangeable/refundable. These are part of the contract that customers agree when entering into a sales with you. And they help your staff in dealing with different situations.
However, there is an art to applying these policies and that's where a lot of companies go wrong.
Most of the times, staff are taught and instructed to follow the policies strictly. If you've missed the exchange deadline, I'm sorry. If you've bought the wrong item which is not exchangeable on behalf of someone, you're toast. If you did not see the BIG warning posters, that's your problem.
And when customers write in, are you thinking that they are trying to pull a fast one on you? Thinking they are trying to take advantage or try their luck?
No doubt there are such people around. They may regret their purchases and try to exchange them even if they knew the items are not exchangeable. They may have seen the BIG posters informing them about some precautions but choose to ignore them and complaint about getting charged.
But by looking at customers' feedback with a perception that they are trying to take advantage of you is disastrous. After all, it's the customers' fault for not reading the terms and conditions indicated clearly on your receipts and ignoring your signs and posters.
On the other hand, if you take every customer's feedback as a genuine problem, then you are in a better position to help resolve the problem. Otherwise, they probably wouldn't take the trouble to write in.
I was at IKEA last weekend with my friends to purchase their baby's chair.
While paying for the items, we got a complimentary parking coupon.
If you've ever been to IKEA, you know how chaotic the place is. Families with toddlers in pram everywhere, children running all around playing with the furnitures, tons of interesting household items of all shapes and sizes, mockup of house furnishings. So many people and so many things.
While driving out of the carpark, we forgotten to remove the cash card and before we could insert the complimentary parking coupon, the cash card was deducted by $7.
As we have a complimentary parking coupon, I wrote to IKEA to check if they could do a refund. This was the reply I got.
"Thank you for your online enquiry.
We would like to let you know that we have communications throughout the Alexandra store about our free parking and reminders on the parking coupon and the exit barrier to remove your cashcard from the IU before you leave the store so our customers are better informed. We apologize that we do not do a refund on all parking charges.
However, as a small gesture, we would like to offer you a $10 IKEA food voucher which you can use at our restaurant or cafe on your next visit.Simply present this email to our co-workers at the Customer Service - Exchange and Returns counter, Alexandra store to avail the voucher.
For any other enquiry and stock availability, you may contact the IKEA Singapore Call Centre hotline at (+65) 67866868 during our normal operating hours between 10am - 11pm daily or you may also check at our website: www.ikea.com.sg"
Now, I swear I did not see the signs and reminders at the car park reminding me remove my cash card as I was busy chatting with my friends.
In fact, when I wrote in, I was skeptical that I could even get a refund because the complimentary parking coupon was discarded and the receipt was with my friend, who has probably thrown it away as well.
Instead of telling me it's my fault for not noticing the warning signs, I was given a $10 voucher. Note that the staff did not require me to proof that I parked my car there (using my car IU number - a cash card device installed on every car in Singapore for automatic deduction for entry into car park, ERP, etc) and receipt.
They have operated on trust - Trust that I was there, trust that I purchased more than $15 of items which entitled me to a complimentary parking coupon, trust that I did not see the warning signs. And they believed that since I took the trouble to write in, my problem is genuine. They gave me the benefit of doubt.
And don't try to push your luck using the same tactic to get a free voucher.
P.S. I'll remember to remove my cash card in future.