What does Christmas bring except over-indulgence and credit card debt? Returns of course! Retailers must hate this time of year, with some having to devote whole counters to queues returning their unwanted gifts - the “sell it on via eBay” faction not yet forming the majority.
With an unwanted gift from Animal clogging up the kitchen work top, no local Animal store and no eBay account, what was I to do?
I contacted the support service via the Animal website and before long had an email from Customer Service in Poole who advised me to call the store and arrange to send it back. This was not a situation the store were used to handling, but with assurance from Head Office and Tony Pryce Sport – who manage a number of the Animal stores – the very helpful assistant manager assured me I could return the unwanted gift and he would call me on receipt to arrange a refund or exchange.
The service was prompt, efficient and painless for me. This level of customer service is not always seen in retailers, so top marks to Animal. But this is also a sign that Animal have recognised a key factor in moving forward – the importance of embracing the multi-channel format. This has made my life easier and I will have no hesitation in shopping at Animal again.
Which retailers win your vote for customer service?
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