Hi all. I know this is probably a really easy answer, but I just need some reassurance so I can feel confident in executing.
I own a gift shop… boutique… all around badass store. A couple days ago, a customer, who is a bit of a regular, bought a pair of wine glasses. My sweet little employee came in today to a voicemail from said customer saying that she shattered the wine glasses she purchased when she got them home. She wants to know if we can replace them, I’m assuming for free?
Money has been tight this year. Scary tight. I feel like the old me would be like, “Yeah, come on in, I’m sorry they broke! I’ll replace them.” But the new me, the one who’s more afraid with the money situation, is wondering if there’s a very nice way to tell her that she broke them, she has to buy new ones? Or should I even do that? Should I replace them for free?
Please help. 😭
Sometimes I will think of a way to begin the conversation that doesn’t assume one or the other outcome. For instance, you could call and say how sorry you were to hear that the glasses broke before she got to enjoy them. You have some more on hand. Would she like you to set them aside for her? Then when she comes in, surprise her with half off. The key is that she will be so much more happy if she is surprised, than if you call and sheepishly offer a lower price. Shape the experience for max customer happiness, which will help you feel better about it too.