Learner's Guide
- 1. BIG LOTS INCORPORATED LEARNER’S GUIDE CUSTOMER RETURNS FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES (CSR)
- 2. Table of Contents Introduction……………………………………………………………………… 3 Determining Merchandise Eligibility…………………………………………….. 4 How to Complete a Refund Voucher…………………………………………….. 5 How to Key in a Refund…………………………………………………………. 8 How to Label a Sales Receipt……………………………………………………. 9 Skill Checks……………………………………………………………………… 10 2
- 3. Introduction to Customer Returns Overview Refund transactions are “hassle free” for merchandise purchased at any Big Lots store and accompanied by a valid register receipt. This lesson will provide you with all the information you need to: • Greet customer with return merchandise • Inspect merchandise and original sales receipt • Complete refund voucher • Enter transaction into cash register • Provide customer with proper documentation 3
- 4. How to Determine if Merchandise is Eligible for a Refund Introduction Any type of merchandise a customer returns to Big Lots is eligible to be returned. The CSR must inspect every piece of merchandise before proceeding with the refund procedure. Importance It is important to understand that if merchandise is accepted at Big Lots and it does not meet our “return standards” Big Lots could loose money. Greeting Customer with Return It’s important to greet the customer properly and to explain our refund policy to them if necessary. Please greet each of our customers in the following manner: “Welcome to Big Lots, May I help you?” If the customer would like a refund for merchandise and has a valid cash register receipt, say the following: “I would be happy to process your refund (Sir/Madam). May I have the sales receipt?” If the customer would like a refund for merchandise, but does not have a valid sales receipt, say the following: “I would be happy to process your refund (Sir/Madam) but without a valid register receipt, I cannot accept the merchandise for a refund. I can offer you an even exchange for merchandise of the same value.” What to look for when inspecting the customer’s merchandise return Use the table below to help you determine if you can accept the customer’s merchandise return. Accept if . . . Do NOT accept if . . . good condition and could be re-stocked Broken, chipped, tampered with or stained Big Lots store merchandise—as indicated by the price tag affixed on the merchandise Defective—You must test merchandise when practical to verify if it is defective. Has original adhesive price ticket or price tag attached to merchandise 4
- 5. How to Complete a Refund Voucher Introduction After merchandise has been inspected and determined as acceptable, the refund voucher needs to be completed. Policy A refund voucher must be completed for every refund transaction in numerical sequence. A CSR must perform all refund transactions. What you need You will need • the original receipt, • a blank refund voucher, and • information that the customer will provide to complete the refund voucher About Refund Vouchers Every Customer Service Desk has refund voucher books located in the drawer. All refund vouchers are numbered and must be used in order. If a mistake was made while completing a refund voucher, the VOID box must be checked off on the voucher book entry and it must be signed the store manager on duty. Continued on the next page 5
- 6. How to Complete a Refund Voucher, continued Sample Voucher Below is a sample voucher. Compare the areas of the voucher with the table on the next page. 6 Consolidated Stores Big Lots Incorporated 39696101 VOID REFUND PAIDOUT - PLEASE PRINT – STORE # __________ DATE __________ Register # __________ Non-Taxable $ _________ Transaction # ___________ Re-rung Sale # ___________ Sales Tax $ ____________ Re-rung Amount $ __________ Total $ _______________ Cashier’s Signature _______________ Amount Written __________________________________ Dollars Description of Merchandise ________________________________ ______________________________________________________ __ ______________________________________________________ __ Reason _________________________________________________
- 7. How to Complete a Refund Voucher, continued Information Required for Refund Voucher Information Field on Voucher Where to find the information Store # (number) Located on the cash register sales receipt. The store # that the merchandise was purchased should be listed. Date Today’s date Register # (number) The cash register that the merchandise was rung on. Located on the sales receipt. transaction # (number) Located on the sales receipt. re-rung sale # Used when performing an Even Exchange procedure. re-rung amount from the sales receipt Used when performing an Even Exchange procedure. Cashier’s Signature Only the CSR performing the Refund can sign the refund voucher book. Amount Written Write out the total amount of the refund in this filed. Description of returned merchandise A detailed written description of the merchandise being returned must be completed. Reason A detailed written explanation for the return of the merchandise must be written. Non-Taxable $ If the returned item was not taxable at the time of purchase, write the amount for return in this area. Sales Tax $ Indicate the sales tax applied to the merchandise. Total $ Indicate the total amount of the returned merchandise. 7
- 8. How to Key in the Refund Introduction This lesson will cover how to key in the refund and produce a refund receipt. Process The table below explains how the cash register produces a refund receipt. Action Press the Refund key Press the Mgr # key CSR will enter their 6 digit manager number Press the Mgr# key Key in the item(s) being refunded Enter the information from the voucher book and press the Zipcode key after each entry • Enter the 6 digit date • Enter the store # • Enter the register # • Enter the transaction # • Enter the voucher # Press the Subtotal key Enter the amount to be tendered Press the appropriate currency key (cash, check or charge card) used in the original transaction. Cash register will produce a refund receipt. Give cash refund (if necessary) and refund receipt to the customer. 8
- 9. How to Label Sales Receipt Background The original sales receipt may contain more merchandise than the customer wishes to return, therefore, the original receipt is very important to the customer as well as the CSR handling the refund. After the refund transaction, the CSR must always give the customer back the original sales receipt. Procedure Follow the steps below to label the original sales receipt. 1. Request a sales receipt and reason for the return. 2. Inspect the returned merchandise and locate the price ticket. 3. Inspect the sales receipt and the returned merchandise. 4. Locate the SKU number (a 9 to 13 digit number given to each item that identified specific characteristics such as price and description) on the price ticket. • If SKU numbers match on price ticket and receipt, proceed to Step 5. • If the SKU numbers do not match, a refund cannot be given. Inform the customer that the sales receipt and the refunded merchandise do not match. Ask the customer if they had another receipt that did match the refunded merchandise a. If yes, then ask the customer to present the proper sales receipt to match the merchandise to be refunded. If SKU number on the merchandise matches on the price ticket, proceed to step 5. b. If no, inform the customer that a refund for this merchandise cannot be completed. 5. Circle the item and price eligible for refund on the sales receipt 6. Write your initials next to the circled item. 7. Retain the original sales receipt until transaction is completed. 9
- 10. Skill Checks Introduction Skill Checks will be needed at every phase of the lesson in order that students will master the objective. Objective: How to Determine if Merchandise is Eligible for a Refund The skill check required in this objective will be a test provided by the instructor in which participants will be provided with two tables of merchandise. The participants will be paired in teams of two. Each team must sort through the items listed on the table and identify those items that will be considered refundable. The teams will be asked to present their findings to the class and justify why those items were chosen as eligible for a refund. The instructor will be available to provided guidance and answer any discrepancies. 10
- 11. Skill Checks Required Introduction Skill Checks will be needed at every phase of the lesson in order that students will master the objectives. Objective: How to Complete a Refund Voucher The skill check required for this objective will require that participants complete blank refund vouchers with information provided by the instructor. This skill check will be repeated until the instructor feels confident that the learners have mastered the objective. 11
- 12. Skill Checks Required Introduction Skill Checks will be needed at every phase of the lesson in order that students will master the objectives. Objective: How to Key in the Refund This skill check will require the learner to use the cash register in order to properly key in the refund. The instructor will be available to provide assistance when needed and to trouble shoot any errors with the cash registers. Each time the participant successfully keys in the refund, it will produce a refund receipt. This receipt is considered proof of the objective mastery. 12
- 13. Skill Checks Required Introduction Skill Checks will be needed at every phase of the lesson in order that students will master the objectives. Objective: How to Label Sales Receipt This skill check will require the learner to become comfortable with viewing a cash register sales receipt from any of the Big Lots stores and correctly labeling the items that will be needed to complete the refund voucher. The participant will be asked to view multiple sales receipts from the BL stores (furniture department stores included) and correctly identify SKU numbers for matching purposes. The learner will be asked to view a variety of sales receipts and correctly label those receipts to proved objective knowledge. 13