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If anything has become clear for small Business Owners over the past few years, it’s that consumer expectations have changed. They have more options available to them and are less patient and less willing to put up with friction.
And I can’t say I’m any different. The benchmark I have for other businesses is the benchmark I have for our business. You, our customers, deserve a certain level of service and we work hard to deliver that every day.
I love Birkenstocks. If you haven’t heard of them, they’re a supportive shoe that’s been around for decades. In under 2 years I’ve invested in 3 pairs of various styles, all purchased from the same shoe company – a privately-owned business with multiple locations – small, but successful.
Recently, my husband and I were going on a trip that would involve lots of walking so I ordered him a pair but when they arrived, they weren’t the color we had thought. We didn’t have time to complete an exchange online, but we had plenty of time to deal with an online return when we got back so I headed to a nearby location in person, found the right color and brought them home.
When we got back from our trip, I submitted a return request on their website and sent the unused pair back to them the same day. A few weeks later, I received an email advising that my return has been denied because the package arrived 2 days outside the return window. Although I understand how the calendar works, I was baffled. I requested the return in the time stated in their policy. I used their system to submit the request, which they approved. And I used the label that they sent me. But here’s where the confusion started…
Their Return Policy Reads: “All online purchases are eligible for return or exchange within 30 days of the purchase date.”
The Curveball: The return must arrive within 30 days. You will see it’s not stated specifically.
Running a business is complicated and I understand their must be limits, but surely this was a mistake. I just needed to connect with a human on their side, I would eat some humble pie if I had to, and surely, we could sort it out.
(I even looked at the return policies for several other comparable businesses to see if I was the idiot here… but they were all very clear with no room for this confusion.)
But what followed was days of explaining, re-explaining. I pointed out, several times, the lack of clarity in the policy verbiage, the mere miss of 48 hours, and reminded them that I’d also already purchased an almost exact duplicate of this pair IN THEIR STORE. I also nudged them to review my purchase history.
I received THREE verbal “No’s” before sending a detailed email pleading my case. Finally, someone relented and issued me an in-store credit… but it took way more effort than it ever should have. The entire experience left me wondering: Why make your best customers work that hard?
This isn’t a story about ‘good’ or ‘bad’ customer service. It’s about friction.
You may read this and think I was in the wrong. Rules are rules. And as frustrating as it was for me, I was happy with the final result. I will return and purchase more pairs of shoes from this business. But did it have to be this hard?
THIS is where Independent Businesses can shine. Every complaint, question, or moment of confusion is an opportunity. It is not always just another difficult customer. Often, it’s a signal that something isn’t as clear or as smooth as you think it is.
So, ask yourself the questions here and see if you can find opportunities, not failures.
What complaints keep coming back, just in different forms?
What do you and your team explain OVER and OVER again?
Where do your customers often hesitate, question, or get stuck?
Where do you rely on automation where someone's judgement would serve better?
As a Royalty Rewards® Merchant, you have a powerful tool to help you get ahead of situations just like this: the Royalty Rewards® Member Survey. It delivers valuable customer feedback straight to you every single day, that illustrate what’s working, where you can improve, and—most importantly—what your customers are experiencing.
And if you are not reviewing your Member Survey responses and acting on them on a regular basis… aren’t responding to negative (and positive) comments… aren’t considering the feedback received thoughtfully and implementing changes in your business because of it, consider this your reminder to reach out to your Royalty Rewards® Coach and get some tools to help you.