Tweet
So the company in question has an excellent return policy. The item in question is an easily broken product(meant for older humans but given to toddlers, preschoolers) and there are a few ways that young children commonly break our products. I am at the cash register when a customer approaches with an obviously broken product. His child was not present.
Customer: Hello, I'd like to return *product* that is defective. I called your main company number and they said to bring it in for a new one.
Me: Sure, may I see it?
*I examine product for five seconds and see what happened. The product is in bad shape and clearly has been misused for a significant period of time. It has also very, very, VERY obviously been cut.*
Me: This *product* was damaged with a pair of scissors. You see this? It was cut.
Customer: What?
Me: This was not a defect, it was broken. This *crucial part of the integrity of the object that is very cuttable* was cut with scissors causing the product to break.
Customer: That's not true. My child ran into the room, hysterical, because your product broke when they were playing with it. My child did no such thing, they are very careful with their things. Plus, my child does not have access to scissors. (At this point the customer seemed insulted that I would think his child would do such a thing. To his credit- he remained calm and didn't get nasty.)
*I show the customer how the product is supposed to look on one of the models on display in the store and shows what happened to the product he is trying to return. I explain that his kid CUT the product and lied to him.*
Here the truth starts to dawn on the customer. That his child lied to him about breaking an expensive product.
Customer: If they did that I will beat them. *This was said very seriously. I'm sure my eyes were popping out of my eye sockets*
Me: Oh, no no no. It was just a common misunderstanding that children have. I can easily fix it and I'll do it for free this one time because your child didn't know any better. This happens all the time, consider it a lesson of childhood.
*I remove the destroyed part of product and hand it to customer*
Me: Would you like to keep this to show to your child?
Customer: Yes. May I come back to pick up the *product* after I get off of work at 5? Thank you so much for your help. I cannot say how sorry I am for this misunderstanding.
Me: Sure, what name do you want me to put it under?
*Customer gives first and last name.*
Me: Okay, it'll be waiting for you.
Customer: Thanks, I need to go talk to my child. *Customer walks out ticked off*
My commentary: I do like this customer because he realized that his child did something wrong and it was not OUR fault. Some parents refuse to believe their child would do such a thing. I do prefer it when the child comes out and admits what they did and does just blame the company. It's not the destroying the bothers me, it's the lying. I can fix it for free and I'll try a lot harder to get you out of trouble with your mom/dad- just don't lie to me kid. I've had kids lie to my face when I repeatedly ask them if they cut/did something to their product. Some of the kids will realize that I know and will fess up. Some don't. And more importantly- some parents back their kids up and get nasty about it. Just suggesting their angel did something wrong? *le gasp*
It also bothers me when children repeatedly break the product in the same way. Second time, I'm going to charge you. After that, I'm definitely going to charge you! There's a reason why our products are not for young children. 
This story in particular just makes me giggle because of the "my child does not have access to scissors" part. LOL! If a child is able to walk and open things, they have access to scissors. And the story had a happy ending, this product was fixed for free and the child learned an important lesson about messing with expensive products and then lying about it. I just hope the parent wasn't too hard on their kid.
THE END!
Customer: Hello, I'd like to return *product* that is defective. I called your main company number and they said to bring it in for a new one.
Me: Sure, may I see it?
*I examine product for five seconds and see what happened. The product is in bad shape and clearly has been misused for a significant period of time. It has also very, very, VERY obviously been cut.*
Me: This *product* was damaged with a pair of scissors. You see this? It was cut.
Customer: What?
Me: This was not a defect, it was broken. This *crucial part of the integrity of the object that is very cuttable* was cut with scissors causing the product to break.
Customer: That's not true. My child ran into the room, hysterical, because your product broke when they were playing with it. My child did no such thing, they are very careful with their things. Plus, my child does not have access to scissors. (At this point the customer seemed insulted that I would think his child would do such a thing. To his credit- he remained calm and didn't get nasty.)
*I show the customer how the product is supposed to look on one of the models on display in the store and shows what happened to the product he is trying to return. I explain that his kid CUT the product and lied to him.*
Here the truth starts to dawn on the customer. That his child lied to him about breaking an expensive product.
Customer: If they did that I will beat them. *This was said very seriously. I'm sure my eyes were popping out of my eye sockets*
Me: Oh, no no no. It was just a common misunderstanding that children have. I can easily fix it and I'll do it for free this one time because your child didn't know any better. This happens all the time, consider it a lesson of childhood.
*I remove the destroyed part of product and hand it to customer*
Me: Would you like to keep this to show to your child?
Customer: Yes. May I come back to pick up the *product* after I get off of work at 5? Thank you so much for your help. I cannot say how sorry I am for this misunderstanding.
Me: Sure, what name do you want me to put it under?
*Customer gives first and last name.*
Me: Okay, it'll be waiting for you.
Customer: Thanks, I need to go talk to my child. *Customer walks out ticked off*
My commentary: I do like this customer because he realized that his child did something wrong and it was not OUR fault. Some parents refuse to believe their child would do such a thing. I do prefer it when the child comes out and admits what they did and does just blame the company. It's not the destroying the bothers me, it's the lying. I can fix it for free and I'll try a lot harder to get you out of trouble with your mom/dad- just don't lie to me kid. I've had kids lie to my face when I repeatedly ask them if they cut/did something to their product. Some of the kids will realize that I know and will fess up. Some don't. And more importantly- some parents back their kids up and get nasty about it. Just suggesting their angel did something wrong? *le gasp*
It also bothers me when children repeatedly break the product in the same way. Second time, I'm going to charge you. After that, I'm definitely going to charge you! There's a reason why our products are not for young children. This story in particular just makes me giggle because of the "my child does not have access to scissors" part. LOL! If a child is able to walk and open things, they have access to scissors. And the story had a happy ending, this product was fixed for free and the child learned an important lesson about messing with expensive products and then lying about it. I just hope the parent wasn't too hard on their kid.
THE END!
pushing out the hinge pins was easy 
)
Comment