Most of the times, people have genuine issues concerning the product they purchased and when they do encounter issues, they have no idea where to start and whom to contact. If you intend to solve your issues as quickly as possible, there are things that you must know and do before you call an agent. You have to prepare yourself with strategies of approaching customer support, and you might need to provide some details as well as some transaction documents depending on the company that you are dealing with.
Your goal is to make it easy for support staff to help you and solve your problem quickly. Of course, the support team is there to help you but how quickly they help you also depends on your willingness to cooperate and provide them with enough information. Most of the times, customer issues are caused by ineffective communication between the parties. There are assumptions, emotions and lack of understanding as well as the inability to listen. If you need quick solutions to your queries, and you can’t seem to get anywhere, here are 5 probable causes that might be hindering you from getting a breakthrough and how to prevent them. In each case, you will find helpful consumer tips:
You Don’t Know the Number
Most of us don’t care about the after-sales support number until we need it badly. When you buy a product from a shop, make sure that you obtain their number as well. The customer care number is often printed on the product label as well as the receipt. You might find it on the invoice and if you don’t, try to check the contact details on the company’s website or front door billboard. If you have access to the internet on your mobile phone or laptop, look up the number on Google Search or you can browse a local online directory.
You Don’t Know the Right Number
You might think you have found the right number but it may turn out to be useless. In order to find the right phone number, you will need to call the Enquiries Desk to ask for the relevant department that can deal with your issue. Big organizations have many specialized departments so it might take you a few more forwarded calls to reach the right person. Don’t despair, but office personnel is often nice and they will be willing to help you with any customer issues.
If you have no luck with the Enquiries Desk, then you must go to the internet to search the relevant department, for example if you just bought a computer from a department store, search for the company’s electronics department e.g. Walmart Electronics Customer Support. This will be a good starting point to begin your search and keep in mind that in the Electronics Dpt, you might come across various sub-departments before you reach the right person.
You Lost Your Receipts
There is a reason why your parents taught you to keep your school receipts at all times. If you have the habit of losing your receipts or throwing them away the moment you get out of the shop, then you will cause yourself a lot of problems when you are required to show proof of purchase. Sometimes, customer support staff needs to see your receipt to get some file numbers and codes that will help them track your purchase and act accordingly. Always keep your receipts in a safe drawer, so that you can access them when you need to. There are a lot of disorganized fellows out there, but there are also some smart people who can keep some transaction records running 10 years back. It’s important to keep transaction records of items that you have in your possession, who knows, you might need them one day.
Your Warranty is Expired
Along with a receipt, you must also keep your warranty at your fingertips. Most people forget about their product warranties as soon as they step out of the shop. You should check your warranty after you have purchased an item. Let’s say you bought some sunglasses from a brand shop and you only start wearing them 30 days later. You realize that there is something wrong with the glasses, but when you go to the shop to get them replaced, they tell you that your warranty has expired so they can’t refund your money. Things like sunglasses have a short warranty in the region of 14 days. Make sure that you unbox the item and use it as soon as possible to test for defects and other issues before the warranty expires. If you approach the shop before the expiry date, they will gladly find a solution for you.
You Bought From an Unregistered Shop
Sometimes, customer issues are caused by dealing with an unlicensed company. Companies that are registered with a Trade Association or Licensing Institution offer protection to consumers. Such companies are required to disclose their registered physical address as well as other details like telephone number, registration number and tax number. Of course there are a lot of legitimate businesses that operate online and which don’t have an offline office, but if you deal with such companies you are doing it at your own risk. Before you buy anything online or from a mobile shop, make sure that there is a way to track them if you have any post-transaction issues. If they are registered with a Trade or Licensing Association, you will be able to contact the body to get more details about them.