Last week I was emailed by a SavvyWoman user, Lucy, about a problem she and her husband were having with their local branch of a well known retailer. Shortly after Christmas, Lucy's husband bought a Wii console and accessories set; at least he thought he had. The problem was that when they opened the box, the accessories weren't there.
Needless to say they headed straight back to the shop, only to be told by the retailer's head of security that it was impossible for the Wii to have been sold without the accessories. According to him, the boxed set must have contained everything it was supposed to. He was so sure that he implied Lucy's husband was lying if he said anything else.
Hmm.. accusing your customers of lying as an opening gambit. What would Mary Portas have to say? Lucy and her husband decided to get in touch with their local Trading Standards who told them they were in the right and the onus was on the shop to prove the boxed set had all the items in it, not for Lucy and her husband to prove they didn't.
Funnily enough this didn't appear to cut much ice with the retailer. It was only after I got in touch that the retailer contacted the couple and offered to replace the missing items. It's not that much of a surprise, but it is a bit of a disappointment (to say the least) that only the prospect of media exposure seems able to bring about such a speedy change of heart.
Sure, sometimes there are complicated cases where the judgement may be fine as to who's in the right and who's not and I'm equally sure there are customers who are never happy, no matter what the shop does. But in this case - and many others like it - it must have been obvious from the outset that it was at least possible that all was not as it should be.
What's more, the law was clearly on the couples' side. And even if you did think it was unlikely that the Wii set had been sold without the accessories, isn't that something you should keep to yourself until you were absolutely sure?
Even before the advent of social media, a disgruntled customer could spread the word - good or bad - to dozens of prospective customers. Now they can do so to hundreds, thousands or even millions of others. Maybe this particular retailer doesn't value repeat business. It does make you wonder.
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Businesses are losing out in the end when they adopt such attitudes.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that customers are not always right and there are a few that try to 'rip off' the business.
However people in business should endeavour to treat all customers with great respect and build a relationship with them that will last. Smaller retailers could really give the larger operators a run for their money. If they do they will be more likely to succeed and not be closed down by superstores and retail chains.
Before I retired I worked in retail for a family firm that eventually went bust. The boss hated giving refunds & would have taken the same attitude. IMHO he was shortsighted. Sometimes his behaviour was embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I'm writing an article about branding and this is the kind of failure that occurs when there is such a disconnect between low level staff and the higher agenda that these silly mistakes are made.
ReplyDeleteAny company must ensure their customer service values permeate the hierarchy otherwise our so-called consumer rights look like something considered a nuisance to them.