Helping a Friend Reconvert to Pampered Chef: An Email from a Host

[Cindycooks]

This is an email I got this morning from a host - she is a good host, the wife of the Judge here in our county, so I want to treat her fairly - and she is collecting orders at the courthouse.

"One of my friends is a former pampered chef customer that remains very unhappy with her last pampered chef experience, so I hope that you will be able to help me to "reconvert" her back to being a pampered chef customer. She ordered the ice cream scooper as a gift for her sister. After her sister had used it only once, it was left in some water in the sink. It spotted up terribly and the spots won't come out and it looks as if it is very old. My friend contact the representative that she had ordered it from and was given a number to call and told she could package it and pay to have it shipped back and receive another one. (Now she realizes that her sister probably shouldn't have left it in water, but she wasn't informed that it would spot up that way.)
My friend has been a faithful customer to pampered chef, but she feels like it shouldn't have been her responsibility to contact pampered chef, package it and pay to ship it back.
She still has the ice cream scoop. If there is anything you can do to help, I would greatly appreciate it, because, as I said, I'd like to see her enjoy pampered chef once again".

I want to answer this professionally even tho I know the customer did not follow the procedures listed on the U&C Guide -
Wash by hand in warm, soapy water. Rinse and dry immediately after use. Do not expose to temperatures above 140ºF. One year guarantee.

I will be glad to call customer service for the friend. I know that I will need the name of the customer, the host and the date of the party, which I do not know. As for paying to have it shipped back, that is the tough question to answer. And boxing it up? I guess the customer feels it is all up to the consultant. I normally call for my customers, let them know the answer and forward on the product adjustment email from PC. I have had very few adjustments over the years and have never had a problem from a customer or host with what they had to do to return the item.

Please help! I want to say the right thing!

 

[Hathery]

How long ago did she purchase it? Does she still have the receipt? It may not even be guaranteed anymore.

 

[janetupnorth]

I'd offer to call for her but explain up-front that it appears the consultant did follow all the procedures listed on her receipt. Say you will do what you can but cannot guarantee the results being awhile now.You could always offer this lady a free ice cream scoop if she hosts a show. I had a customer just like that with a bad past experience who hosted a show for me. She is now a customer. Not a big one, but back to being a customer.

 

[wadesgirl]

I would be honest with her and tell her that is actually how we are supposed to handle returns. Consultants are not responsible for returns (you can if you want to but we don't have to) which is why she was instructed to call HO herself to take care of the issue. That is also why they include the U&CG with every product because some have specific instructions on how to care for an item. This is a tough situation because it sounds like the customer is at fault and is blaming PC for it!

 

[DebbieJ]

First, I would not respond via email. Tell your host you would be happy to TALK to the customer to help her. Apologize profusely for what happened (even though none of your fault and was really the customer's fault). Explain to her that the scoop still functions properly even though it looks bad. As you talk to her, you'll get a feeling for what you want to do to help her--either send it back for her or offer a new one if she hosts, etc.

 

[Jenni]

I once turned things around for a customer who had a similar experience. It cost me money to fix a problem that was not mine. But it was money well spent. The host was so thankful I helped her friend, she ranted about me to friends and got me extra bookings. And the lady I helped placed a huge order. It was win win for me.... and everyone involved!

 

[Cindycooks]

I'm taking a little bit of everybodys advice - thank you! I'm glad I asked first becuase you all made some points I would not have thought of. I did email the host but was very brief - I have no info on her friend (the customer) so I told her to give me her number and I would be in touch, and that I would need the party date. I will offer a scoop if she places an order - or books a show. I really do not mind. The friend sounds like she realizes it was the sisters fault and I will explain our normal return policy and guarantee without belittling her...we are all human and honestly most customers do not read the U&C. I'll fix it - this party is too important!!! Thank y'all again.

 

[NooraK]

In reading the email, to me it sounds like the return has already been done. And I don't think she was upset about the scoop going spotty, the friend was just upset about having to do it herself instead of the consultant doing it. I would focus on the positives of calling HO directly: all the information is ensured to be correct, all questions HO has will be answered immediately, no phone tag necessary.

And it sounds like the biggest part was the part about having to ship it back herself. Since we're a direct sales company, and we don't have stock and store fronts, the items have to be shipped back, just as one would if ordering from some online vendor. I don't know if it would have made the friend feel any better if the consultant had called, gotten the reference number, and then called to give the address to send it to.

 

[janetupnorth]

Good luck Cindy!

 

[DebbieJ]

I once turned things around for a customer who had a similar experience. It cost me money to fix a problem that was not mine. But it was money well spent. The host was so thankful I helped her friend, she ranted about me to friends and got me extra bookings. And the lady I helped placed a huge order. It was win win for me.... and everyone involved!

I think you mean she RAVED about you. If she ranted, you would have had a different outcome.

 

[Nanisu]

We're talking about a $14 ice cream dipper, not a $150 pan---I'd offer to contact the woman and replace the IC dipper at a 20% discount.

 

[cwinter474]

We're talking about a $14 ice cream dipper, not a $150 pan---I'd offer to contact the woman and replace the IC dipper at a 20% discount.

My thoughts exactly! Buy her a new sccop, good grief

You might be out the $14 but gain huge sales in the furture.

Carol

 

[babywings76]

She ordered the ice cream scooper as a gift for her sister. After her sister had used it only once, it was left in some water in the sink. It spotted up terribly and the spots won't come out and it looks as if it is very old. My friend contact the representative that she had ordered it from and was given a number to call and told she could package it and pay to have it shipped back and receive another one. (Now she realizes that her sister probably shouldn't have left it in water, but she wasn't informed that it would spot up that way.)
My friend has been a faithful customer to pampered chef, but she feels like it shouldn't have been her responsibility to contact pampered chef, package it and pay to ship it back.
[/I]

It's too bad the friend didn't just tell her sister what the consultant said to do. I think it's too bad the sister didn't handle it herself. It was a gift, and not the giver's or the consultant's fault. The recipient should have read the instructions that were included with it. That being said, I think the friend is looking for validation for her efforts of going above and beyond what should be expected as a gift giver. I would get the phone number of the friend and let her know you understand her feelings, and hope that you can offer the best customer service. It's a great company that stands by it's products and how great is it that they were able to get a new one.

Even though it's not that expensive of an item, I don't know if it's the best thing to do to just get her a new one. That item situation seemed to be resolved. Again, it comes down to validating the customers feelings and offering the best service you can. Maybe you could send her a SB and tell her you hope you can have the opportunity to work with her in the future.