Here is a suggestion for Amazon:
Implement a mechanism where sellers can report messages sent by Amazon Customer Service reps directly to that rep's supervisor (and to the manager that manages the supervisor, so something is actually being done).
I don't know where you find these people (CS reps), but either the hiring criteria is very low or there is barely any training and minimum QA oversight. There should be a way to easily and effectively report inappropriate and incorrect paths that such reps take. That way such rep could be properly re-trained and managed closer to prevent such errors and ignorance in the future.
Here are some recent examples of Buyer Messages that we received from Amazon Customer Service reps:
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This is Amazon’s Customer Service team. A customer reached out to us with some questions about a purchase they made from you. Here’s a description of the issue:
Return requested: No
Reason for contact: Cx didn't order this item and there is some suspicious activity recorded and she wants to cancel the order. And also she also looking for the refund of the item. Please reach out to the cx as soon as possible.
Please respond to this request within 48 hours.
Thanks,
Amazon Customer Service
And why in the world are you sending this to us? This is an SFP overnight order with Buy Shipping label, the package was already picked up by a carrier, as you could see if you would track the package. Sellers can't do anything. Sellers can't even report fraud to Amazon so it would be handled immediately. How do you want us to cancel the order? Why would we refund the money now? So we would lose both the money and the item? What do you want us to reach out to customer with? Why are you calling the customer a "cx"? Do you even know what "cx" means? It's Customer Experience, not a Customer. And, since this is an SFP order, why are you contacting us at all, when you are supposed to handle the Customer Service, as per SFP program rules?
Bottom line: Customer was trying to proactively report fraud. Amazon could have contacted the carrier and reverse the shipment, saving the money and "delighting" the customer. Instead, because of a rep who didn't care and wanted to meet an hourly "cx" cases, a fraudster got an expensive item, customer will file a chargeback, which will, ultimately, result in Amazon losing money, most likely, and this money will be in reserve for a couple of months because of the chargeback.
We replied to the customer immediately, asking her to contact Amazon Customer again, but she did not understand and she thinks she is talking to Amazon. We can't reply to that so we reported the message in hopes someone at Amazon will do something about it.
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Another one:
Dear Amazon Seller,
This is Amazon’s Customer Service team. A customer reached out to us with some questions about a purchase they made from you. Here’s a description of the issue:
Return requested: No
Reason for contact: The item has been returned to UPS yesterday. Customer needs assistance on changing the refund method to a new card since the original payment method used to purchase this item was compromised and have been frozen. Please assist.
Please respond to this request within 48 hours.
Thanks,
Amazon Customer Service
And what do you want me, as a seller, to do? This simply means that CS rep has no idea how this platform functions. He/she thinks that sellers are in charge of customer payments and such.
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Another:
Dear Amazon Seller,
This is Amazon’s Customer Service team. A customer reached out to us with some questions about a purchase they made from you. Here’s a description of the issue:
Return requested: No
Reason for contact: cx have received damaged item and now the cx want to return the item
as the cx have not damaged the item, it was damaged while during in transit
please help the cx with the free return label for the item.
Please respond to this request within 48 hours.
Thanks,
Amazon Customer Service
This message was sent to us almost two months after the order was delivered. It's an SFP order. Why are we being sent this to us? All Customer Service in SFP orders is provided exclusively by Amazon - learn the rules and deal with the customer yourself. If you want to lose the money - fine. Authorize the return past the return period and we will SAFE-T it. But don't make us voluntarily lose the money. I will support and help customer if it happened within a reasonable time, but claiming the damage two months after the deliver is no reasonable by all means.
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Another:
Dear Amazon Seller,
This is Amazon’s Customer Service team. A customer reached out to us with some questions about a purchase they made from you. Here’s a description of the issue:
Return requested: No
Reason for contact: cx states the picture sent is not his home please issue the refund
Please respond to this request within 48 hours.
Thanks,
Amazon Customer Service
SFP order, Buy Shipping.
Why are you sending this to us? This is an SFP order - handle the customer service, as per program's rules. You are in charge of your own shipping labels and carrier relationship. I feel bad for new sellers who would see something like this and might panic and issue the refund, losing both money and the products without any recourse.
