# Unsure of how to respond to a customer



## ocean_soul (Jul 14, 2013)

Okay, I'm baffled.  I've had a customer contact me telling me she's having trouble with the conditioner bar that she got from me, she admits that she didn't read the instructions very well.  Immediately I'm puzzled, I don't make any "conditioner bars," but rather two different shampoo bars.  I suggest that she used an apple cider vinegar rinse, she says okay, she thought that with my "conditioner bar" she wouldn't need one.  She says I should update my listing to state that my product doesn't replace the vinegar rinse...but my product ISN'T a conditioner bar, nowhere in the listing is the word "conditioner" used.  Also the listing states that the product works best when followed with an ACV rinse.  

So I'm not sure if I should point these things out to my customer or if I should just apologize to her, promise to make my listings more clear and offer her some free samples.  On one hand I know that I'm not in the wrong and I feel I have the right to point that out, on the other I don't want her to leave me a negative review and apologizing is free.  Plus I'd love to get some feedback regarding my new shampoo bar recipe.

Any thoughts?


----------



## Buttsmom (Jul 14, 2013)

ocean_soul said:


> I should just apologize to her, promise to make my listings more clear and offer her some free samples.  On one hand I know that I'm not in the wrong and I feel I have the right to point that out, on the other I don't want her to leave me a negative review and apologizing is free.  Plus I'd love to get some feedback regarding my new shampoo bar recipe.
> 
> Any thoughts?



That is the route I always take in my bird toy business. It can be very frustrating knowing you are right though, but it does make for better customer service. Just know we are here to complain too and know you are right


----------



## heartsong (Jul 14, 2013)

I agree...the customer is "always" right, even when they're dead wrong...with just a few kind words you just might gain a customer for life...also, remember they tell all their friends, too...don't worry, we've all been down that road.

I used to be a waitress and we had a chicken fried steak dinner, with brown gravy...even had a great big picture with brown gravy...even said brown gravy TWICE in the listing...still I was continually asked "does this come with brown gravy?"  people just don't read and assume too much!


----------



## ocean_soul (Jul 14, 2013)

Thanks, Buttsmom and heartsong.  I was leaning more towards the good customer service route...your feedback helps confirm that this is the way to go.  Makes me glad I hadn't responded to my customers note yet!


----------



## savonierre (Jul 14, 2013)

That is for sure heartsong, people do not read, she may have bought this "conditioner bar" elsewhere?


----------



## ocean_soul (Jul 14, 2013)

savonierre said:


> That is for sure heartsong, people do not read, she may have bought this "conditioner bar" elsewhere?



I checked my records and found that she had ordered three shampoo bars from me back in May.  I'm thinking she got my product mixed up with something else she was looking at at the time.  *shrugs*


----------



## Obsidian (Jul 14, 2013)

As a consumer, I always appreciate when a seller tries to make right a mistake but in this case, you are not in the wrong. Either she misunderstood what she was buying from you or she bought a conditioning bar from someone else and thinks she got it from you.
I would email her a copy of her invoice with the info that you do not, nor have you ever offered a conditioning bar, only shampoo bars. I don't think that the small chance of getting a repeat costumer is worth you apologizing and sending freebies too, especially if it might end up being a troublesome customer.
Do you have any kind of guarantee or satisfaction clause? If not, you might want to consider putting one up to protect yourself.


----------



## meeplesoap (Jul 26, 2013)

I just ran into this myself, in my case the customer thought the soap she bought was scented even though the label clearly says unscented and it's also on her receipt!  

You are absolutely right, it costs nothing to be polite and will only help your business. As far as giving something for free, I personally would not in this case (you don't make the bar she seems to be thinking of, but if you did, a sample of that wouldn't hurt!), but that is up to you! Here was my response:

"Hi XYZ!

Thank you so much for your feedback, I really appreciate your giving me the opportunity to make this right for you. After checking out the sign, it does say unscented, but I'm sure I could make it more clear so as to not confuse future customers! Was there anything specific about the display that you found unclear so that I can correct it going forward? Thank you again for contacting me and if you'll be attending MakerFairXYZ on Friday, I'll be there and I'd be happy to help you choose a great fragranced soap, as well as exchange any unused bars.

Sincerely,
MeepleLady"

I am lucky in that my customers are largely locals, so exchanges are easy. In this case, the customer responded positively and will be coming by tonight specifically to buy more soap from me, having opted to give the unscented version to her mother. So I not only made her happy, I ensured her repeat business by encouraging her to shop with me again - all with a 1 minute email.


----------



## CaraCara (Jul 26, 2013)

I agree with Obsidian. If you don't make the product then there is nothing wrong with pointing this out to your customer.

Since she is a repeat customer you may want to do something to keep her coming  back, but that's entirely up to you.


----------



## MOGal70 (Jul 26, 2013)

As I was reading your first post, I was thinking close to the same thing as meeplesoap.  Use words that say I'm at fault, but with a clear MEANING that says the customer just didn't pay attention.


----------



## ocean_soul (Aug 17, 2013)

Eeeks, so sorry for not getting back to this sooner!  So I thought I'd  let you all know that I think the situation's been resolved (I think, I  hope? meep?) and I wanted to say thanks to everyone for the wonderful  feedback.  Meeplesoap, thank you for contributing your letter, it was a  great example for future reference, for sure.  



meeplesoap said:


> As far as giving something for free, I personally would not in this case (you don't make the bar she seems to be thinking of, but if you did, a sample of that wouldn't hurt!), but that is up to you!



And that's exactly why I offered to send her samples from a couple of test batches.  Because the product that she seemed to want (a conditioning bar that doesn't require ACV rinse) is something I've been working on.    She hasn't given me any feedback yet on the samples I sent her, hopefully they will have made her happy no matter what.  

And in the end I  didn't point out to the customer that she misunderstood the listing  mostly out of concern that, what if she went back and actually read the  listing and then told me, "Oh that's not what it said when _I_ ordered from you!  You've changed the listing, rawr rawr rawr!"  Because that...would have been a nightmare.  @[email protected]


----------

