Must Vent - Customer Service Gone Crazy

[sklay723]

I've only been a consultant since October, and I figured that something like this would EVENTUALLY happen. I had a party Dec. 2nd, and it worked out great...over $500 in orders THAT NIGHT plus more coming in within the next few days before we closed. It wound up being over $1,000. There was ONE lady who had filled out her order form wrong, got mixed up on some of the item numbers (things that were next to each other in the catalog, so she wrote down the nearest number...etc.). I corrected the problem, entered the right item numbers. Two days later, before we closed, she calls me at home and says that there was one item we thought was a mistake and we'd corrected it...and that she wanted the corrected item AND the item she ordered by mistake as well. So I adjusted her order, and everything was fine. The order came in a week after I submitted it, everything got delivered out (as far as I know) and so far everyone has seemed happy.
Two days ago I get a call...same lady. She wanted to ask me why she had two items she insists she did NOT order. Oh my goodness, I know I didn't screw up...she just doesn't remember the corrections we made. For example, she ordered a Slice and Serve. She has it now. She doesn't know why she ordered it. For some reason, she thought the Pie Gate was the Slice and Serve, and that you stick the Pie Gate into a pie and it picks up a whole slice (crazy, right?). WELL...then she tells me that she wouldn't have ordered either of those items in the first place, that I must have screwed up, because she almost NEVER eats pie.
Here's what I've done...at first I offered her credit toward whatever else she'd like to have, in exchange for the items she didn't want (provided they're still in their sealed packaging). She said no, she wanted a refund, and I told her OK. I told her I would buy back the Slice and Serve and the Easy Clean Kitchen Brush (still don't understand where the confusion is with that one...she told me her old one was falling apart and she wanted it...now she swears it's not what she ordered). I'm having an Open House on Sunday (gotta earn my tablecloth!), and I'll use those two items as door prizes, so I'm not completely messed up. She just called again and now she wants the Kitchen Shears, so I'll order her a set when I place my Open House order and we're even.
Any advice for what I can do to keep her from doing this to me again? The host from December's party is bewildered and we just laugh at this point...and the host has several parties booked from hers that this lady is BOUND to be attending, so I am afraid this will be a repeat performance. Ugh!!!

 

[dannyzmom]

Home Office will handle her returns - you don't have to. She can call 1-888-OUR-CHEf and arrange to have the items picked up from her doorstep and they'll credit her charge card back or send her a check.

 

[Sallie_M]

Congratulations, sklay723, on making it 3 months before finding a dissatisfied customer!! First thing to remember is that the party closed and shipped less than 30 days ago.

Do a product adjustment and just return anything she is upset about to HO. Fed Ex will come pick that stuff up from your doorstep (or hers) and you can exchange it for the Shears she wants.

If you want to return for the refund, e-mail [email protected] and they will credit your next commission check, and you refund your guest.

At the next shows she is at, try to go over her order with a cheerful attitude with her. The next one will be the hardest. Be prepared for her to take a jab at your not getting things right (sigh...)

Congrats also on your first $1000 show! It took me 7 years to do that:sing:

 

[ChefBeckyD]

At the next show she attends, when she checks out, have her read to you each item that she is ordering - so she KNOWS exactly what she is ordering and there can be no confusion.

 

[Sallie_M]

Good one, Carolyn! I forgot about crediting her card!!

 

[sklay723]

Thanks!!!I love this site. Thanks everyone for the helpful comments. The funny thing is, I specifically sat down with each guest and let them read me their order numbers while I put them into the computer, then I confirmed each item's description to make sure the item numbers were correct...this lady confirmed it to me and then still acted like I was the one who screwed up. I guess I was lucky that it took this long to come across someone like this, but wow...
Again, thanks for the advice!!!

 

[Teresa Lynn]

Its gonna happen..... I still call the garnisher the crinkle cutter (or is it the other way around) 1/2 my guests order the mix and chop and want the masher
I still get mixed up and I've been doing it nearly 14 years its called being humanAbout 8 years ago Doris did a demo here in Dallas at a meeting and she couldn't remember the name of the egg slicer.Keep a positive upbeat attitude with her. You can't let the little things like this upset you..... and trust me this is little compared to other things that can/will happen.

 

[sfdavis918]

Do you not use an order form at all?

 

[sklay723]

Order formI use the outside forms for people to make their item list, and then (if time allows) I have my laptop setup on a table to the side where people can get their orders put directly in...most people feel better about giving credit card info when they know the info is going into P3 directly, so I've found that easier (especially since it means that I won't have to deal with as many checks, and in turn such a huge debit from my checking account 10 days later!).

I didn't even think about looking back at her order form, since I remembered it all so clearly. I just went and looked, and sure enough, everything she ordered (and received) was clearly marked on the sheet, including the correction we made the night of the party. I'm definitely staying patient with her...told her that this is all part of the customer service that the company stands by, and that I would take care of it for her. She's appreciative, but she still gets cranky whenever she calls, like it's this HUGE inconvenience for her.

My mom called earlier and told me she wants to buy the Easy Clean Kitchen Brush, so that item is already taken care of. And the Slice and Serve will be a nice door prize for someone at my Open House (I have a trifle bowl a host didn't want to order last month as my main gift, a gift certificate for $10, and a couple other little things...my number of door prizes will depend on how many people attend).

 

[dannyzmom]

Where in Florida are you?

 

[BethCooks4U]

Where in Florida are you?

Hijack - Carolyn, how is your ear??

 

[rennea]

and that I would take care of it for her. She's appreciative, but she still gets cranky whenever she calls, like it's this HUGE inconvenience for her.

My mom called earlier and told me she wants to buy the Easy Clean Kitchen Brush, so that item is already taken care of. And the Slice and Serve will be a nice door prize for someone at my Open House (I have a trifle bowl a host didn't want to order last month as my main gift, a gift certificate for $10, and a couple other little things...my number of door prizes will depend on how many people attend).

Just remember that you don't have to give customers any money back, HO will take care of it for you. You should never be left with products you have to pay for. HO is fast at doing returns.