Tuesday, August 14, 2012

The Joys of Exchanging Items

Extra, extra, read all about it! The return and exchange policy in Saudi Arabia is a bit different than in the US. For example, you can only exchange an item for a different item or for store credit. You also have to have a receipt. This is quite different than the Wal-Mart policy that I am used too, where you can return a product at any time and without a receipt.

 
image via www.google.com

Now, I have to tell you about our experience with "bad customer service" today in a store called "Extra." We went to the exchange counter to switch out a blender with another one. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, we ended up being frustrated and laughing the whole time. At the exchange counter, the guy there had to call the other guy from appliances to sign off on the receipt. I asked him why he couldn't just exchange the blender for me-since this is the exchange counter. He said that the guy from appliances has to check and be sure that all the parts are there because if not, it will come out of his paycheck. I told him that was too bad, because he seemed completely competent. So, after waiting 10 minutes for the guy from appliances to come down (form upstairs), the guy at the counter told us to just go meet him upstairs. So we did and the guy wasn't there. Meanwhile.....we went upstairs to pick out a new blender. We picked out 4 from the display models, that we liked-but there were none on the shelves. The sales guy said they were all out. We found one that was on the shelf and went back downstairs. We went back to the exchange counter, expecting to see the appliances guy. Nope-he was gone again. We were told to sit down and wait because the guy was helping another customer. I said, c'mon, please help us and he yelled at the appliance guy to come. We lucked out this time-he came! He signed the receipt and we were able to successfully exchange the blender. This took just 40 minutes.

Oh, but wait...Sohail realized that he needed a special USB cord. He found it and we went to check out. We got to the register and as we were in line, I noticed the most amazing thing. 3 people worked at the register-each one having a separate duty. Guy 1 scanned the item, guy 2 pressed a button on the cash register and took the money then handed the receipt to guy 1. Guy 2 gave the item and the receipt to guy 3. Guy 3 put the receipt and the item in the bag. The customer left the register and headed to the doors. Guy 4 had to stamp the receipt at the door. And.....I'm not done yet....Guy 5 was in charge of the doors, telling the other customers that the store would be closing in 10 minutes and the shopper was not allowed inside. We couldn't help but laugh!





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