How Far Do You Go for Returns? Not just with mileage, but with customers too?

[ChefBeckyD]

Not mileage wise....

I just had a phone call from a customer......here is how it went - I say "Hello?" she says "Hello, Becky, this is Cindy and I bought a scoop and it's broken"....I say..."Okay, who's show did you attend?"

She goes on to give me the name of the host, I look up the info for her, and then I remember her......that scoop was all she bought - she was looking for freebies the whole night at the show, and complaining about products etc......absolutely no interest in booking, and gave me no contact info(I had her address, but no phone or email)......but now - she thinks I should pick up her scoop from her house and do the return for her. I very politely told her that I am not authorized to handle returns, and gave her the 888 # for PC to call and do the return herself. Now, sometime I do manage returns for hosts and regular customers - but not sure I want to go out of my way for this......

But at the same time, I think to myself maybe I'd be gaining a customer??? Or is she just looking for more freebies and wouldn't appreciate it???

What would you have done?

 

[dannyzmom]

Not mileage wise....

I just had a phone call from a customer......here is how it went - I say "Hello?" she says "Hello, Becky, this is Cindy and I bought a scoop and it's broken"....I say..."Okay, who's show did you attend?"

She goes on to give me the name of the host, I look up the info for her, and then I remember her......that scoop was all she bought - she was looking for freebies the whole night at the show, and complaining about products etc......absolutely no interest in booking, and gave me no contact info(I had her address, but no phone or email)......but now - she thinks I should pick up her scoop from her house and do the return for her. I very politely told her that I am not authorized to handle returns, and gave her the 888 # for PC to call and do the return herself. Now, sometime I do manage returns for hosts and regular customers - but not sure I want to go out of my way for this......

But at the same time, I think to myself maybe I'd be gaining a customer??? Or is she just looking for more freebies and wouldn't appreciate it???

What would you have done?

Given the situation, I would have done EXACTLY what you did.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Given the situation, I would have done EXACTLY what you did.

Yep. I agree. Sometimes you just know. But don't be surprised if you find out she did a show or purchased a large order from someone else and says that a different consultant (you) didn't do good customer service. That's how that type works. lol

 

[MissChef]

Ditto what Carolyn said. Sometimes it's not worth the headache! and she sounds like she'd be a thorn in you side! You did the right thing, you guided her to the right path on how to get it taken care of. So I wouldn't give it much more thought!

 

[katie0128]

Ditto to what everyone else said. After all, the customer receipts tell customers to contact Solution Center for returns/adjustments/etc - not the consultant they purchased the item from.

 

[jrstephens]

If anyone has a return, I always call HO myself and get arrange the return and get the reference number. Then I cal the customer back and give them the reference number and the address to return it to for them to do it. If it is within the first 30 days and PC will pick it up I offer for THEM TO BRING the item to me and I will handle the entire return for them. I will pick it up with the first 30 days to return for them if it is not out of my way. I find this make people appreciate what I do for them and builds loyal customers with only a little of my time going into it. I have never paid for a return and do not plan to.

 

[pamperedgirl3]

I would have done what you did. I handle my returns on a case-by-case basis. I just had a past host give me a product over the weekend at a show & I just told her I'd take care of it. She's at my shows about every other month. If it's a person I've only seen at one show & probably only ever will, I'll offer to call HO for them, but they do the returns. I would not go to anyone's house for a return--they'd have to bring it to me if I mailed it for them at all, but I rarely do. I don't have the time or money to be doing that for everyone.

 

[vwpamperedchef]

You used your smarts! Way to go!

 

[chefann]

I probably would have done the same as you, Becky. Luckily, there's that handy line right on the receipt that we're not allowed to accept returns, so you can always point to that if the customer gives you lip.

That said, if it were one of my really good repeat customers or a past host, I'd call for them and get the auth number. But I wouldn't send the product back. (It's like expecting Target to come to the house to pick up a return instead of getting in the car and taking it there yourself.)

 

[katie0128]

I probably would have done the same as you, Becky. Luckily, there's that handy line right on the receipt that we're not allowed to accept returns, so you can always point to that if the customer gives you lip.
That said, if it were one of my really good repeat customers or a past host, I'd call for them and get the auth number. But I wouldn't send the product back. (It's like expecting Target to come to the house to pick up a return instead of getting in the car and taking it there yourself.)

Really, where?

 

[heather9892]

yes please tell me where?!?

 

[chefann]

OK- I apologize. There USED TO BE a line on the receipt that consultants were not authorized to accept returns. I just checked, and it's not on there any more.
Darn.

 

[raebates]

If it's one of my really good customers, I'll take care of a return. No question. A situation like this, though, I generally make sure they have the customer service number and tell them what info they'll need when they call.

 

[amerrigan]

I actually do the returns for all my customers, at least the getting the reference number and stuff. I then give them the information and they return the item, so I am not spending the money on that.

 

[Grandmarita]

Okay, I'm the acception to the "Rule", from all the previous posts. Here are two cases in point: (1) Myself. My recruiter was willing, in April 2005, to take an item I was not satisfied with, sold to me by another consultant, and return it for me. Within two weeks, she had recruited me, and I had signed my contract. (2) My most recent show, the hostess' Mom,had a friend who had a defective Chef's knife with case ($26.75 item) purchased in July 2002. She brought it to the show, early before other guests arrived, and asked if I would help her friend get a replacement. I agreed to do so, and used it as a selling point during the show. The lady was so grateful that she placed a $61, order the day after the show. It boosted my hostess' totals to $726, and she gained an extra $25 in free products and an additional 1/2 price item.
My commission on the $61 will more than cover the return postage, and I have several folks convinced that Pampered Chef stands behind their products. I've talked with my hostess about the advantages of being a PC, and hope she will at least be a repeat hostess, if she does not join us.

 

[Paige Dixon]

I'd offer to mail her a copy of the receipt if she could not find hers, then refer her to instructions which I have clearly printed on my website so customers can handle returns on their own.

 

[MGG]

Remember that within the first 30 days a return or exchange is picked up by FedEX but a damaged product that HO needs returned will receive a pre-paid label from USPS and USPS has a home pick up service. After 30 days I call HO, mail the receipt if they do not have it but it is up to them to do the rest.

 

[legacypc46]

Paige,

Would you mind sharing the return instructions you have posted on your website? That sounds like a great idea. Thanks!

Kris

 

[Paige Dixon]

it's nothing spectacular, feel free to visit at .biz/chefpaige. Just don't look at how outdated it is! baby steps, baby steps!

Really I got fed up taking items to return and then having customers getting annoyed that I'd take too long handling it. I still accept a few items here and there for customers, but mostly I just refer them to my website and they either blow it off or take care of it themselves.

 

[Chef Kearns]

I guess I do what everyone else does. I'll put in the phone time with PC getting the reference number then I'll call my customer with the return/exchange procedures. I've had a few tell me that it was too complicated (I think they just wanted me to do it for them). But most seem happy that I could help them.

 

[baychef]

I have just started making a return ONCE a month. The customer HAS to have the receipt and delivery the product to me. I will then have it sent directly to them. It has helped and one person who knew it would cost more to give the item to me was happy to return it herself after I explained how to go about it.
I do tell people that I do it only once a month and if they need the product back sooner, I can tell them how to go about returning it.
I also staple a slip on each receipt letting them know to check their item asap and let me know if it is damaged...and that after 30 days they will be responsible for returns, but I would be happy to assist them. I know it is contradictory, but I am trying to get people to tell me if their item comes in broken sooner.

 

[JAE]

I've been trying to make my CCC before the 30 days is up so I can make sure PC will take care of returns. The worst think is that many times I don't have all the information from people who place outside orders and they weren't at the show so they didn't hear me talk about the 30 day period. We can only do so much and keep trying to do better.

 

[mommyhugz1978]

Not mileage wise....

I just had a phone call from a customer......here is how it went - I say "Hello?" she says "Hello, Becky, this is Cindy and I bought a scoop and it's broken"....I say..."Okay, who's show did you attend?"

She goes on to give me the name of the host, I look up the info for her, and then I remember her......that scoop was all she bought - she was looking for freebies the whole night at the show, and complaining about products etc......absolutely no interest in booking, and gave me no contact info(I had her address, but no phone or email)......but now - she thinks I should pick up her scoop from her house and do the return for her. I very politely told her that I am not authorized to handle returns, and gave her the 888 # for PC to call and do the return herself. Now, sometime I do manage returns for hosts and regular customers - but not sure I want to go out of my way for this......

But at the same time, I think to myself maybe I'd be gaining a customer??? Or is she just looking for more freebies and wouldn't appreciate it???

What would you have done?

Ditto i would have done the exact same thing that you did.

 

[rebeccastt]

Usually I would do exactly what you did.

I did just have a family aquaintance ask to return a round stone that she bought for her son in June 2006 intending to give it to him for Christmas. She contacted me in February asking me to return it for her since he had already purchased one himself from a store. Um....o.k.

I just took it for myself to give away as a gift (which she really should have done herself after waiting that long) and reimbursed her the money so that I wouldn't have to deal with it anymore.

Yikes....some people!