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A customer at my store taught me a better way to handle a tough return | Customer Service Stories - Opinions Matter

A customer at my store taught me a better way to handle a tough return

Last Tuesday, a guy came in trying to return a power drill he bought six months ago, and the box was totally beat up. I was about to say no because our policy is 90 days, but he calmly explained he was a contractor and the drill failed on a big job in Denver. Instead of arguing, he asked if we could at least check the warranty with the maker. We called, and it was still covered! He got a replacement, and I learned that listening first can fix things way better than just sticking to the rules. Has anyone else had a policy turn out more flexible than they thought?

3 comments

3 Comments

uma_baker887mo ago

Wait, he had the box for six months and it was still covered? That's wild, I always thought those warranties were way shorter. Good thing you guys actually called to check instead of just saying no right off the bat. @nancy820 is right, that guy knew the system and just needed a little help to get through it. It's crazy how often the official rules aren't the whole story if you just take a second to listen. Makes me wonder how many times I've been too quick to say no on stuff.

nancy8207mo ago

Totally get that. I had a similar thing happen when I was working retail ages ago. A woman wanted to return a coat she bought on final sale, which we never took back. She was so nice about it, just said it didn't fit her mom in the hospital like she hoped. My manager ended up giving her a store credit just to be decent. It really stuck with me how much easier things go when you just hear people out first instead of hitting them with the rulebook right away. That guy knew the drill maker would help, he just needed you to make the call. Good on you for doing it.

walker.hayden6mo ago

Remember reading about a hotel clerk who waived a crazy late checkout fee for a family. Their flight got pushed back and they had a toddler with special needs who really needed the quiet room to rest. The clerk said the official policy was a hard no, but her boss told her to use her head, not just the rule book. Makes you realize the best customer service happens when someone has the power to bend a little for a real human problem.