Kelly Nelson

Parts/Credit Requests
June 12, 2007

My position at New Baby Products is one that requires me to solve problems with damaged and defective merchandise. This means I have to deal with frustrated customers as well as the manufacturers. I begin by taking the customer's information including the description of merchandise and any pertinant numbers from the product. I have a self-designed fax form that I use to contact the manufacturer. This fax form includes the following statement: "I am writing to request either parts or a credit concerning the following item(s) from your company. You will find all available information on the product(s) below. All credits are expected to be issued within 30 days of this letter. The P.O. number for all parts should be the date of this communication. Any correspondence or parts should be addressed to my attention. Do not hesitate to contact me with any questions. Thank you for your prompt response." This statement addresses any issues that I, the customer, or the manufacturer may have including the fact that we expect our credits quickly. Why would anyone expect a company to issue a credit within 30 days? Because 30 days is concidered a reasonable standard for payment of invoices, it should also apply to money moving in the opposite direction or credits. Companies are usually not only compliant, but very pleasant. One has to remember that each of us, the retailer and the manufacturer, is trying to run a profitable business. As long as your requests for parts and credits are reasonable, manufacturers will typically help correct any issues in a cost-effective but timely manner.

Posted by Kelly Nelson on June 12, 2007 | Comments (0)