67% of customers are now ‘serial switchers’ due to poor customer service

Customers value brands that go the extra mile to appreciate them and ensure that the smooth buying journey is translated in a smooth return, warranty or even a resale experience. Nothing will lose your brand its hard-earned customers faster than a poor customer service interaction.

Amazon, for example, has successfully streamlined this difficult process and turned into an interesting case study that we can learn from. With the recent tie-up with Kohls, they have further simplified the returns process into a simple click- drive-drop activity. Customers can schedule a return on their app/device by identifying the reason for their return. A return delivery slip is digitally generated. And a timeline is defined by when the customer must start the return process by dropping the item and the drop- off location. Here, the process is further simplified with a larger range of drop – off locations that include postal offices as well as Kohls stores around their preferred area.

The advantages to the customer are multi-fold: 

- frees up the customer’s time with a shorter process

-reduces anxiety of having to explain the reasons for their return

-flexible return timings that they can work around their current busy schedule

-immediate tracking of return with step by step updates

It sounds like a lot of work you might say. However, help is at hand. Today’s agile CRM systems can deal with this process quite efficiently. With a CRM system, it’s possible to:

- Set up a customized case to handle returns where you can set up fields such as return request submitted, the reason for the return, etc.

-Define a path that can be tracked throughout the case life cycle

-Keep customers updated on return status as well as offer re-ordering and up-sell offers.

-Track the cause of returns to improve quality and internal processes

In short, earning and retaining the holy grail of customer loyalty is no longer impossible. Instead, this long and elaborate process can be broken down into a series of steps to make it easier to achieve. With the right processes, a well-defined strategy and execution plan, it is achievable and worth fighting for.