We’d Give Them Credit For Trying, But We Don’t Even Know What This Credit Is!
I work at a dealership. The brand I work for offers a loyalty rewards program. If you spend $10 at the dealership, you get ten points. If you get 1,000 points, you can redeem them for a $10 voucher that can be used for parts or service. In order to redeem the points, all the customer has to do is tell their service advisor or the parts counter guy that they have points they want to redeem. The advisor or counter guy will do everything for them.
A husband and wife come up to me to pick their car up. I grab their paperwork and tell them their total.
Customer: “We don’t owe anything. We have a customer care credit.”
Me: “A what?”
Customer: “A customer care credit.”
I flip through their paperwork, but I don’t see anything about a credit.
Me: “Who did you talk to about a credit?”
Customer: “We called them, and they said you guys are supposed to go online and redeem the points and print it out for us.”
Me: “Oh, a voucher.”
Customer: “It’s not a voucher. It’s a customer care credit, and you guys are supposed to redeem it.”
Me: “Your service advisor will do that for you. I’ll go talk to him.”
I grab the keys and paperwork and go to the service lane. Their advisor is at lunch, so I ask a different advisor. This advisor has only been with us for a little over two months, and I’m not sure if he’s seen a voucher yet. The other two advisors are either with customers or on the phone.
Me: “Can you redeem a voucher for—”
Customer: “It’s not a voucher. It’s a customer care credit.”
Advisor: “A what?”
Me: “A voucher.”
Customer: “It’s not a voucher! It’s a customer care credit!”
Advisor: “Uh… I can’t do credits. If it was a coupon, then yes, but credits need to be approved by [Manager #1] or [Manager #2].”
I look in the manager’s office, but neither is in there. I page them, and [Manager #1] comes up.
Me: “They want to redeem a voucher.”
Customer: “It’s not a voucher. It’s a customer care credit.”
Manager: “A what?”
Customer: “A customer care credit.”
Manager: “Do you have a paper or something?”
Customer: “Nope. You’re supposed to redeem our points for us and print it out here.”
Manager: “A voucher.”
Customer: “It’s not a voucher; it’s a customer care credit.”
I leave while the manager and the customer discuss whether they really do mean a voucher or a credit. About fifteen minutes later, their advisor is back from lunch and he brings me the customer with their paperwork, including a voucher. The customer is clearly irritated that it took so long to pick their car up.
Me: “Okay, it looks like your voucher covers everything—”
Customer: “It’s not a voucher.”
Me: “I just need a signature here.”
Customer: *Signs* “It’s a customer care credit.”
Me: “Have a good day.”