But I SENT IT BACK!!

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

Typical scenario:

We send a customer a replacement phone. Policy then requires they send back the malfunctioning device within X amount of days or they are charged in full for the replacement.

Customer will later call us swearing up and down they sent the phone back and demanding we be nice enough to take that $500 charge off their account.

Our system will show no evidence the phone was returned (we have multiple ways to check), but the customer still SWEARS they sent it back and won't get off the line until they get their credit.

This creates a number of problems:

1. If our usual methods don't turn up proof the phone was returned, we have to contact our warehouse directly and see if they can verify the device is there. This takes time.

2. If the warehouse comes back and says it's not there, there's nothing we can do. The charge stands. This does suck for some customers because occasionally things do get lost/misdirected in the mail so they may in fact, be telling the truth when they say they sent it back.

3. Only a supervisor can waive the charge and only in certain situations (of course this doesn't happen much), so we end up with a lot of angry people who have to eat a $500 phone charge on their bill.

[BlaqueKatt]

I always did a search by ESN, it's amazing how often the "returned" phone is on another line, on the same account, sometimes I'd find it on another account...oddly enough an account that was called frequently by the original user. Sometimes you can find it was refurbished and sent to another customer(though some customers seem to think returning it to a store should count, which unless the store notes it, can be a huge problem).

[sms001]

If I was on the hook for five hundred smackers, I'd certify and insure that there package...

[XCashier]

If I was on the hook for five hundred smackers, I'd certify and insure that there package...

At the very, very least, a tracking number of some kind.

[Kittish]

At the very, very least, a tracking number of some kind.

That's what I was thinking. It's not difficult or expensive to use USPS Priority Mail, which includes a tracking number, and with UPS or FedEx it's automatic as far as I know.

[Pixilated]

Ditto here ... a signature at the other end can be costly (at least up here in the Frozen North), but a tracking number, not so much. And when there's $500 riding on it ... I'll pay the extra money to be able to prove I sent it back!

[Kagato]

Mmhmm, better to be down $10 than $500...

[EricKei]

Yeh.. Tracking: dirt cheap. Signature confirmation? Still cheap enough (under 5 bucks iirc). USPS Insurance on a $500 phone? I wanna say that was like eight bucks as of last year...

[OfficeSlug]

That's because you all aren't Sucky Customers.

You know what it takes to get your business taken care of.

[raudf]

It gets worse. Fellow Rep tells SC to send it in to the warehouse and the SC decides, "Oh, noes, I'll take it to the <authorized dealer/non-corporate> STORE. That'll get it there without costing me a dime!" 500 dollars later... You get stuck with a very pissed SC who swears to whatever micro-deity they believe in that the <authorized dealer/non-corporate> store clerk swore on their first cell phone said they'd note it on their file!

Yes, my hubs has gotten those type of calls. Yes, more than one. And there is seriously nothing that you can do in that situation, because there is no notes, no phone, no tracking number and no idea what store or clerk they dealt with. Most sups/higher ups won't authorize a crediting due to the lack of those aforementioned, because it hits their stats as well. (At this point, you pretty much have to hand off the call, because the customer is demanding it because you are "useless.")

*sigh*

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Yeh.. Tracking: dirt cheap. Signature confirmation? Still cheap enough (under 5 bucks iirc). USPS Insurance on a $500 phone? I wanna say that was like eight bucks as of last year...

Also, the company HAS to have the product back before they can adjust your account. Seems as if too many folks just think that they can say they sent it back and the rep will take their word on that and adjust the account.

In what world is this possible? What few times I've encountered having to send something back (one instance involved a printer that I ordered via Amazon marketplace. Model sent was the wrong one and it took me 3 weeks just to get the company to send out a FedEx return label so it could be returned and they would send the correct model.)

Got so bad communication wise (not to mention the company was located in NJ and they were having severe winter weather during this time but the item shipped from Memphis and they weren't having severe weather, but I digress) that I contacted Amazon.com to assist with the situation, as the company was being very slow with the exchange process. Following week I got the correct printer, and the delivery person showed with a return label, which my brother slapped on the incorrect printer and sent out the door with him (found the paperwork w/tracking number when I came home that evening.) Contacted both the company and Amazon.com with the tracking number for the returned printer (after double checking the status myself on the FedEx website) and all was well.

I'm not a) going to settle for something that's not what I specifically ordered
b) not going to keep what I didn't order and c) pay for something I did not order when I've already paid for what I wanted but did not receive.

So you bet your ass I'm going to contact the company directly and find out what needs to be done to correct the issue ASAP and do everything in my power to get it done.

[dalesys]

$500!?!?!?! But I got the phone for free!!!!

(+ 99 year contract, confiscation of firstborn, PhoneCo advertising tattooed all over my hide, but it was FREE! What's with this $500 crap?)