Question

8-27. Message Strategies: Refusing Claims and Requests for Adjustment

Your company markets a line of rugged smartphone cases designed to protect the sensitive devices from drops, spills, and other common accidents. Your guarantee states that you will reimburse customers for the cost of a new phone if the case fails to protect it from any of the following: (1) a drop of no more than 6 feet onto any surface, (2) spills of any beverage or common household chemical, (3) being crushed by any object of up to 100 pounds, or (1) being chewed on by dogs, cats, or other common household pets.

Jack Simmons, a rancher from Wyoming, emailed your customer support staff requesting a reimbursement after he dropped his iPhone in his hog barn and a 900-pound boar crushed it with a single bite.

Your task: Write an email response to Mr. Simmons, denying his request for a new phone.

Consider the following before you begin writing:

• Open with a short buffer statement indicating that you received and understand the request.
• Communicate that you value the customer’s business.
• Provide an accurate, objective summary of the issue the customer encountered.
• Communicate what the cases are designed to protect and what is covered under the warranty.
• Deny the request for a new phone without being abrupt, insulting, or accusatory.
• Offer an alternative solution to the customer.
• Make any alternative solutions easy for the customer to understand and simple for the customer to take action.
• Close the message cordially.

Answer 1

Dear Simmons

We have received your request for reimbursement. We are sorry that we are not able to reimburse as it is not as per our policy that we have mention.

As you have mentioned that your IPhone crushed by 900-pound boar and we have clearly mention in our policy that we will process refund only if

(a) A drop of no more than 6 feet onto any surface;

(b) Spills of any beverage or common household chemical;

(c) Being crushed by any object of up to 100 pounds; or

(d) Being chewed on by dogs, cats or other common household pets.

We feel sorry for you loss but it is not as per our policy and we are sorry for inconvenience that you have face from loss of your phone. We love to work on your request if it comes in our policy. You are welcome to discuss for further detail and process if any require by you. For more detail discussion you can call on our customer care number.

Thanks for being in touch with us.

Regards

Smartphone case designer