How can the returns process become a positive experience?

Posted 22nd September 2015, by John Aves.

Taking something back to a store can feel like a dreaded task from a customer’s point of view. We have all been there trying to argue our point, unsure of what the returns policy is and feeling slightly embarrassed. How can retailers turn this uncomfortable situation into a positive experience for the customer?

Many retail staff are young, new to the world of work and so queues of potentially angry customers wanting to return goods can be a daunting prospect. Our natural human instinct in these situations is a ‘fight or flight’ response, which can cause an already tense situation to spiral out of control. For employees  who do not know how best to handle these emotionally charged situations, the risk is that a customer who started off a little annoyed becomes so angry that they vow never to shop at the store again. Result – a customer lost for life.

The investment in training to ensure employees can manage their own emotions and to positively engage with customers, is a so called ‘soft skill’ that can make a big difference to the bottom line.

Improving customer returns and your customer experience.

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If you would like to discover more about how CP2 Experience, a Customer Experience consultancy and Training company could help you shape and deliver your organisation’s Customer Experience, contact us today: +44 (0)7850 603723 or email johna@cp2experience.com