Apologizing & Explaining Shipping Delays to an Upset Customer

[milkangel]

this host a bout a month ago is comlaning about shipping cost and pc had called me becuse the check hadben returnd to them form the correct address and ot she is very upset and she told pc about what is going on. i had not gotten a replacement ordering for her for 2 food chooper parts and she is complaning that it is not there yet and she has the e-mail that i sent about 4 weeks agao about it stating that i can drop it off where se need it, and for me not submitting the order for replacement parts till to day she is upset, i also had others that need things to. So what do i say? I told her i am so sorry and not she is about ready to write to better business bureau. so what do i say?

 

[milkangel]

i have apoloized over and over again and she will not let it go.

 

[Aurora]

Take the replacement parts to her like you said you would? Wait -- did you not order the replacement until today, after telling her you had 4 weeks ago? I'm confused...Your post is really hard to understand. I don't mean to offend, but maybe some punctuation would help? Overall, I think you should do what you said you would do... don't worry about what to say, just come through for this host with whatever replacement parts you said you were ordering.

 

[raebates]

You can't control someone else. Do what you can. You've ordered her parts. You've apologized. There's not much more you can do.

 

[milkangel]

what is better business buearu? and i did not send it in till to day. i had others put theres on it as well.

 

[pcsharon1]

Be honest with your customer if you made a mistake........I'm not really following your post very well. Did you order the replacement parts and mail a check to home office for them and then have the check bounce? I'm understanding that you told her four weeks ago that you had the parts and would drop them off but then you are saying you ordered them today.

Basically a customer (who is not a friend - because I make a lot of friends in this business) does not want to hear that you have problems or your kids have problems or that things come up - all they care about is that they aren't getting what they ordered and paid for. I don't mean that to sound rude - because I know what it's like to be overwhelmed at times - but if you were trying to return a broken item to Target and the lady behind the counter started telling you her problems instead of solving your problem, you wouldn't be sympathetic for very long. To a lot of customers, we are that lady at Target. They want to depend on us to do our jobs and they don't really care what else we do.

Just come through for the customer and if you made a mistake admit it and apologize one last time. That's basically all you can do.

 

[milkangel]

i am sorry about the post. i am having a hard time with it. i tolder her that i mad a mistake and i am so soorry.

 

[esavvymom]

just for future reference, since Replacement parts don't have shipping costs associated with them, it is often just easier to put it in as the customer needs them...instead of trying to group them together- like we may sometimes try to do to get enough for a catalog show to save shipping costs, etc. Replacement parts are just the price of the item and the tax.

 

[minirottie]

I guess I'd try one more time to explain it was your error in not getting the parts sooner, and then hope it goes away. I don't know how the BBB can get involved in this case, though maybe they can. I know when I've dealt with local retailers who have not provided me service promised, I've threatened to call and have called on them and all of a sudden, I get my service. Case in point a few years back I bought a satellite TV dish...a few months later lost all reception. Turns out the trees growing leaves were blocking the satellite view. Well, in my opinion, their installer should have known this. I called, they said they would come out and move the dish...and then avoided me until I called BBB. They were there within a week, new satellite dish, new provider, etc.

 

[pcsharon1]

Actually, unless I am putting it in through P3 then the easiest thing to do is to just hand them a replacement parts order form and let them handle it themselves. Then they are the ones writing the check to HO and they are getting things delivered directly to them. Replacement parts orders are not commissionable, so they don't have to go through a consultant.

 

[milkangel]

i guess i do not take critizium to well, and i should. you guys are right next time just hand the parts order form to them and have them do it them self insted. thanks all, and i sould not take this to personal right.

 

[NooraK]

Have you called HO to find out what their advice is when a customer threatens to call the BBB?

 

[chezshelly]

Actually as far as ordering the replacement part, if the guest is at a party, I put the order in right then, and add the total to their bottom line total of their current party order. That way I have the money and I can submit the replacement part asap, when I deposit her payment. Plus ordering replacement parts for people is great customer service!

 

[ShelbyMichalek]

i agree. give her the part, apologize again, and move on. relax, you seem really wortked up about it. take a breath
in the future, for good customer service put that order in right away.
a tip as far as food chopper collar replacements or packs of 4 of the rubber feet on the cooling racks, i keep one of each of those on hand at all times for quick service

 

[esavvymom]

It's hard NOT to take it personally or be upset. You just have to figure out how to let it go, do your best as far as the customer is concerned and go the extra mile as best you can and apologize- which is sounds like you already did. If she continues to be difficult or upset by the situation, then I would probably do as suggested by another and give HO a call to find out the best way to handle things. Maybe they can offer advice or suggestions, or just tell you that there is little BBB complaint would do for your. I don't know.Try not to let it upset you too much.