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I demand a refund (and compensation).

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  • I demand a refund (and compensation).

    Last Saturday afternoon about 30 minutes from closing time one of my staff comes to me about this customer on the phone whose brand new Toshiba laptop isn't working. Apparently he had just bought this laptop, it wasn't working, and demanded a refund. All major refunds need to be approved by a manager, so they wanted me to talk to him. I pick up the call...
    Me: Good Afternoon ****, this is ****
    SC: You the manager there?
    Me: Yes
    SC: Right, I bought a brand new Toshiba laptop from you, and I've just started setting it up, it's not working, so I want a refund.
    Me: Ok, what's the problem with it?
    SC: [yelling] I just bleeping told you, It's not working, so I'll tell you what's going to happen. I live in **** [a town about 3 hours away], I'm leaving now for **** so I'll be there about 7:30, and when I get there, you are going to give me a cash refund.
    Me: I'm sorry sir, but the store closes at 5.
    SC: I bleeping know you close at 5. But I just told you I will be there at 7:30 and you will give me the refund when I get there. That means you are going to stay back and give me my refund. got it?
    Me: No, I'm sorry sir, but I can't do that, the store closes at 5PM, and it is actually locked by security guards. I don't have a key, so I couldn't stay back even if I wanted to.
    SC: Well bleeping take the cash home with you and I'll meet you at your house.
    Me: [starting to get angry at his demands] That is absolutely not going to happen, you will have to visit the store during normal opening hours.
    SC: No, I am going to **** tonight, and you are bleeping well going to give me my refund tonight or there will be trouble, got it?
    Me: Ok, that sounded like a threat. Don't threaten me, or this will become a police matter. You will need to visit the store during normal operating hours. That is the end of the story, and if you want to argue with me further on this I will simply terminate this call.
    SC: [pauses - maybe starting to realise I'm not going to bow to his demands] So if I come in tomorrow morning, I will see you and you will give me my cash refund?
    Me: Well, I'm not actually working tomorrow, but if I can get a few details I'll be able to leave a message for the duty manager tomorrow, to let him know I've authorised it. If I can start with the purchase date please.
    SC: I told you it's bleeping brand new, I only started setting it up today.
    Me: [As it happened I already had today's PC sales report on my terminal, none were for this customer's town so I had a fair bet it wasn't bought today] Ok, but what day did you actually purchase it?
    SC: I just bleeping well told you I only started setting it up today.
    Me: Ok, so you bought it this morning? yesterday?
    SC: No, in October but that's irrelevant I only started setting it up today.
    Me: Oh, well that changes things a bit. The warranty terms are that we can only return a computer within 14 days of purchase, outside that period it has to go for warranty repair.
    SC: Thats not bleeping good enough, I buy a new computer and I expect it to work.
    Me: Sir, it's 4 months old, if you called me about this 4 months ago I could give you the refund, but it is now within the repair warranty period. We can't give a refund on such an old machine. What's the actual problem with it, because it may be a very quick repair?
    SC: It comes up with an error message that Vista isn't installed correctly and then it reboots, and it keeps doing that.

    I recognise this immediately. It is a common problem with Toshiba laptops if the first power on is done on battery only. The battery goes flat half way through the inititial configuration, resulting in the described fault when it is turned back on.

    Me: Ahh, ok, that's quite an easy one, it's because the first time you turned it on, you didn't have it plugged into power.
    SC: No, of course not, it's a laptop, it's supposed to run off batteries.
    Me: Yes it is, but the battery has to be fully charged first. When you unpacked it, there was a big piece of paper with red writing stuck to the lid of the laptop warning of this.

    SC mumbles something about not reading it. I should add that it simply says "WARNING you must have the computer connected to mains power before turning it on for the first time" - this is the only text on an A4 piece of paper, so you get an idea of the size of it.

    Me: Well the good news is, the problem is very easy to fix, you'll be able to do it yourself, and I can easily talk you through it.
    SC: I don't understand computers, so it's no good talking to me about it, I'll bring it in and get a refund.
    Me: Well we can't give you a refund as I've already explained, but all you have to do is ...
    SC: No, I'll bring it in and get a refund.
    Me: It's as easy as...
    *beep* - he hung up on me.

    Anyway, expecting that he'd be in the next day, I wrote a note to Sunday's duty manager to expect him. I hadn't given it a further thought until this morning, I asked the DM what had happened, and was told he was a no-show. My sudden thought on the matter must have been some sort of ESP, because in less than a minute I get paged to the front of the store. It's SC, demanding his refund.

    I went up and he started hurling abuse at me that the law says I have to give him a refund because the computer was faulty. I stood my ground and told him that because the computer was 4 months old, I couldn't give him a refund, and even if it was 1 day old, because the problem wasn't a fault with the machine, it wasn't grounds for a refund anyway. But I'd be more than happy to fix it on the spot for him, because as I tried to explain over the phone it was an extremely simple fix.

    He tried to argue the point a little more, but I stood my ground. Ultimately he begrudgingly agreed, I guess because I didn't really give him another option. Put it on the bench, and told him that as I tried to explain on Saturday, it was as simple as pressing and holding the 0 key when the power button is pressed, and the computer will then automatically start its inbuilt recovery process. I told him that was all that was needed to fix it, it will now take about 20 minutes to run and the problem would be all solved, simple as that. I suggested that if he has other business to do in town, that he do it and come back 20 minutes later. So off he went.

    All solved? You'd think so, but not with SC. He comes back a bit over an hour later, to pick up the computer. No problems, show it to him working, pack it up, there you are sir. Then he comes up with the following gem.
    SC: I had to travel 3 hours here, and now 3 hours return, which cost me $120 in petrol, plus my time, so I want $200 cash in compensation for my trouble, and I'm not leaving here until I get it.
    Me: I'm sorry, but I'm not going to pay any compensation. Your computer is ready to go, is there anything else I can help you with?
    SC: You bleep bleep have to pay compensation. Your faulty equipment has cost me $200, so you are bleeping well going to compensate me for my expenses, and if you try to get out of it, there'll be trouble.
    Me: [absolutely seeing red, I unfortunately lost my cool, stood over him pointing my finger in his face, and let him have it both barrels]. Ok, firstly the problem did not occur because of any fault in the machine, it was simply because you refused to read a very simple instruction. Secondly, I tried to give you the solution over the phone, but you wouldn't hear of it. You hung up on me when I tried to help you. As you saw, it is as simple as holding down 2 buttons and the computer fixes itself. You hung up on me while I was trying to tell you that. If you didn't hang up, you would have been able to fix it yourself, at home, on Saturday when you called. But instead you chose to hangup. There is only one person to blame for you having to make a special trip down here, and that is you. Not me, not the equipment, You and you alone. I would suggest that next time you purchase something, that you read the instructions. I would suggest that next time you have a problem with something, and someone tries to help you over the phone, that you listen instead of hanging up. Instead of paying you compensation, I should be billing you for the work done to your computer, and for wasting my time. So lets call it even. Goodbye.

    Didn't give him a chance to respond, just turned and walked away. The other staff said he looked pretty deflated, when he silently picked up his computer and walked out of the shop - didn't even do it in a huff. Hopefully I hit a nerve and SC will be a decent customer in the future. I can dream can't I?

  • #2
    Haha! That's brilliant. You have the patience of a saint. I wouldn't have bothered fixing it for him, he didn't deserve it.

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    • #3
      Holy cow! What kind of person doesn't read the instruction manual of a brand new piece of electronic equipment & then has a hissy fit when it doesn't work right AND has the nerve to bitch out a retail person cause they think their equipment is faulty? What kind of shit is that anyway?
      I always say-READ THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL!! That's what it's there for!

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      • #4
        There is only one thing to say: Bravo!





        Eric the Grey
        In memory of Dena - Don't Drink and Drive

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        • #5
          Very nicely done. Though the idea he won't be an SC next time... I'm unsure how much hope we should have for that one

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          • #6
            I'm going to have to agree with the rest, and say I'm amazed you kept your cool for that long. Granted, he really became a Complete SC at that point, and you did hit him with both barrels in a relatively calm manner. (I would probably have used much harsher words as when I see red I can't help it)

            I hope he's realised how suckful he was being, and has learned his lesson to always pay attention to CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS.
            3 Basic rules for ordering food.
            - Order from the menu.
            - If you order something that will take some time to cook, then be prepared to wait.
            - Don't talk about Fight Club.

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            • #7
              halleluja! a manager with a spine!
              Everything will be ok in the end. If it's not ok, it's not the end.

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              • #8
                HA! I just wish I could get away with telling off people like that guy.

                At my store, we'd probably charge for a $59.99 System Restore for his stupidity.


                Excellent first post!

                to
                "We guard the souls in heaven; we don't horse-trade them!" Samandrial in Supernatural

                RIP Plaidman.

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                • #9
                  Bravo!!!!! I loved how you gave him the invoice after he demanded to be compensated for his troubles!!!
                  Last edited by tropicsgoddess; 03-07-2008, 03:20 PM.
                  I don't get paid enough to kiss your a**! -Groezig 5/31/08
                  Another day...another million braincells lost...-Sarlon 6/16/08
                  Chivalry is not dead. It's just direly underappreciated. -Samaliel 9/15/09

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                  • #10
                    absolutely brilliant!

                    as for reforming him, only time will tell.
                    look! it's ghengis khan!
                    Sorry, but while I can do many things, extracting heads from anuses isn't one of them. (so sayeth the irv)

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      You sir are a godsent!
                      You can find me on Backloggery, Facebook, Twitch, Twitter, YouTube

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Quoth Bright_Star View Post
                        Holy cow! What kind of person doesn't read the instruction manual of a brand new piece of electronic equipment.
                        I'm thinking the same type of person who is dumb enough to take a laptop out of a box and expects it to have a fully charged battery.
                        Just because a customer expects you to put some effort into your job, that does not make them an SC.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Awesome story, Rivulatus! I've seen similar events in my store, but never quite that epic.



                          Quoth Bright_Star View Post
                          Holy cow! What kind of person doesn't read the instruction manual of a brand new piece of electronic equipment & then has a hissy fit when it doesn't work right AND has the nerve to bitch out a retail person cause they think their equipment is faulty?
                          Come spend a day in retail electronics sales and you'll see just how many of these people there are.

                          I've gotten yelled at:
                          - because a notebook's battery wasn't fully charged right out of the box,
                          - when computers without DVD burners (this was over a year ago) won't burn DVDs,
                          - when printers run out of ink,
                          - when 6-year-old wireless routers die, and
                          - when lightning storms severe enough to knock out our store's power short out a customer's $12 surge suppressor.

                          And on printers, even though it says on and in the package in four different places that a USB cable is not included and all the computer department employees verbally inform the customers of this fact, I get yelled at fairly regularly about "missing" USB cables.
                          I suspect that... inside every adult (sometimes not very far inside) is a bratty kid who wants everything his own way.
                          - Bill Watterson

                          My co-workers: They're there when they need me.
                          - IPF

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                          • #14
                            Quoth HawaiianShirts View Post
                            And on printers, even though it says on and in the package in four different places that a USB cable is not included and all the computer department employees verbally inform the customers of this fact, I get yelled at fairly regularly about "missing" USB cables.
                            y'know, i'm kinda pissed @ the printer companies for not including those anymore. however, Dell makes up for it by shipping out 2 USB cables for every monitor the get.. and since our job has 2 monitors for almost all employees... (over 80 employees) we have a small surplus of usb cables :P

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I don't know what it is, but the "i bought it several months ago, but I only started setting it up today" seems to be in epidemic proportions at our store. Half the time you just know it is BS, but surprisingly, about half the time it is true. I don't get it - if I spent $1500 on a new computer, I'd have it out of the box the second I got home, but so many times customers leave it in the box for months on end before using it, then expect the warranty to go from when they open it, rather than purchase date.

                              The other one we have is people who complain months (sometimes years) after purchase that part of their product is missing. Sorry, but if you told me within a few days of purchase, I could do something, but 3 years later?

                              Quoth HawaiianShirts View Post
                              - when computers without DVD burners (this was over a year ago) won't burn DVDs,
                              Or computers with DVD burners, won't duplicate all the customers DVD movies. "Well it is actually illegal to duplicate copyright DVD's, and it is illegal for us to sell software and equipment that will allow you to do it"

                              Quoth HawaiianShirts View Post
                              - when printers run out of ink,
                              Several few years back I had a customer who would bring her Epson printer back complaining that it's stopped working, it's super unreliable etc, every time it ran out of ink. Every time I would point out the red light labeled "Ink Out" to her, tell her what it meant (ink out, duh), sell her a new ink cartridge and send her on her way. A few months later it would be the same again. This happened EVERY time she ran out of ink. After a couple of years of this, she decided the epson was far too unreliable, and wanted a Canon. The Canons of the time didn't give an ink out indicator - if it ran out of ink it would go through the motions of printing but not put anything on the page. Surprisingly she had no dramas with this, and even when the Canon required servicing for actual faults, she still commented about how much more reliable it was.
                              Last edited by Broomjockey; 03-08-2008, 06:25 PM. Reason: merged

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