we are infinite.

How does one go about dealing with difficult and unreasonable customers?

I have always prided myself for being incredibly even-tempered. I strongly believe in exceptional service and have always operated under the motto that ‘customers are always right’.

That being said, after working in the online enterprise industry for 3 years, I’ve met countless people who have blatantly challenged my beliefs by being completely unreasonable, irrational and unfair.

As all online shoppers will know, there are 2 postage methods commonly used for the delivery of purchases: Normal and Registered Mail. The difference between these 2 methods are as follows:

Normal Mail is completely untraceable should a parcel go missing in the mail. However, this option is cheaper and the delivery rate is faster. Most customers actually choose this option as parcels will be stuffed into your mailbox so you don’t need to be home to wait for the mailman.

Registered Mail comes with a tracking number which can be entered into SingPost’s system to locate where your package might be. Registered Mail requires you to be physically at home to sign the delivery notice slip when the mailman arrives. This option is costs an addition $2.25 on top of Normal Mail charges.

Most people do not opt for the Registered Postage option as it might be inconvenient to stay home to wait for the mailman, or going down to the Post Office should they miss the mailman to collect their package. Some others are also unwilling to fork out an additional $2.25 to get their parcels registered.

This is the part that angers me so. We, the owners of online boutiques, do not work for SingPost. We do not work for the government. We are not shareholders of the local delivery system company. How then, do some people, expect us to magically trace their packages? What do you expect us to do? Go down to the post office and hold a gun to the service staff’s head, demanding that our packages be located? Because in case you didn’t know, SingPost does not entertain us when we try to trace your lost packages. Yes, they may try to help, but there is no guarantee.

I have customers coming to me and demanding an explanation and even refunds for their lost packages dispatched via normal mail. It is stated clearly on all online shopping sites that companies are not liable for purchases sent via Normal Mail. There is essentially nothing we can do about it, which is why registered mail is always strongly encouraged. How can someone pin the blame on us for their missing parcel?

You made the decision to save $2.25 and not get your parcel registered.
You made the decision to take the risk of losing your parcel.
You made the decision to agree to all Terms and Conditions when a purchase is made.
Why then, are you coming back and biting us? Some customers can be harsh and demanding in their complaints of lost packages. This kind of unprovoked hostility is unwarranted and we do not have to entertain it.

Yet, I do still go the extra mile to help any customer who might experience a missing parcel, because I personally understand the frustration and worry at the prospect of losing your money. I understand the anger that might come with not receiving what you paid for. What I don’t understand is the misdirected anger towards us that we do not deserve.

This is a call to everyone who shops online; please understand the amount of anguish that we, blogshop owners experience when customers act like we owe them a living. It hurts when we have strived for excellence and have done everything we can to provide great service, yet people ask for more that isn’t within our power to deliver.
I don’t deny that there are some blogshops that provide really bad service, that don’t reply to emails or are rude and inefficient. So take precaution when you shop and know which establishments are accountable and responsible.

Okay, I am now significantly less angry after my long rambling session. In other news, my new room does not have an air conditioning unit installed. I must be living in the 1960s.