Veronika Plank-Bachselten has been Head of Logistics and Supply Chain Management at Makaro Jewelry for three years. The jewelry label based in Vienna has established itself in no time from a small online shop to an established manufacturer of high-quality and sustainable jewelry that ships to all of Europe!
We met her for an interview and wanted to know how their returns management has developed since they started with 8returns two years ago. With her, we go back to the beginning – and to their biggest challenge. Because as the company grew, so did the logistical and bureaucratic effort – returns were recorded manually, problems couldn't be addressed in time, and personnel costs were high.
Veronika Plank-Bachselten, Head of Supply Chain Management
Between material requirements planning and inventory management, Veronika eventually made it her task to optimize cross-departmental processes.
At the top of her list: digitizing returns management! The only prerequisite was finding a partner for whom automated processes are a core competency.
We show how she succeeded.
Tracking with Google Sheets: Returns in the Dark
Until 2022, important KPIs such as the return rate or return reasons could only be analyzed retrospectively. Especially with defects, the team had no chance. "We never saw in real-time how our returns were developing and had no digital access to statistics. If the return rate for a product was above average, we couldn't intervene in time."
Expensive & Non-Transparent
Customers also faced a manual process with every return, which the Makaro Jewelry team accompanied as best they could. "Customers could return their products via a delivery address on the website. If there were problems or questions, we were there for them, for example manually creating the label or helping customers create one. We always tried to keep costs minimal for our customers. For example, orders from Germany could be sent to one of our German stores. That didn't always run smoothly, and as the online business grew, so did the support tickets.
A solution was needed that would make the return process easier for customers and bring more transparency and efficiency to customer service.
Personalized Use, Quick Integration
In the course of switching to a new fulfillment center, Veronika finally learned about 8returns. "For me, switching to the digital platform of 8returns was the only sensible step to meet the company's growth. I wanted to act faster and above all more customer-friendly while still keeping processes lean. I had complete confidence that we would succeed."
The first contact was made in mid-July 2022, and the first return through 8returns came in just a month later. "At the same time, we were switching fulfillment centers, which was our priority, otherwise we would have completed the implementation even faster. The biggest question was how we wanted to best use and set up the software internally. Integrating it was then very easy."
"Finally a Software That Perfectly Adapts to Our Needs"
Whether edge cases, international shipping, or special offers during peak season – with 8returns, Veronika finally had the opportunity to realize her individual requirements for Makaro Jewelry in an automated process.
"When a product needs to be returned, customers get to the returns portal with just one click – without feeling like they're leaving our shop. From there, they can easily register the return using their order number."
Through 8returns, customers can both exchange products and request a refund, with the possibility of offering different return options per product. "Even complex rules can be set directly in 8returns to automate individual processes for certain product categories."
International customers also benefit from automation. Depending on the country, the right carrier is selected, the return label is created and sent by email. "At this point, we also use individual rules: If I return a defective product, for example, no automatic label is generated. In 8returns, the return is then 'On hold' and we can first see what's wrong with the product. Our customer service is trained to specifically answer and check these cases. This allows us to see important information about the quality of our products in real-time."
Returns as Part of the Shopping Experience
It was also important to Veronika that the returns platform integrates seamlessly into the shopping experience. "After stating the return reason, as a customer I can decide whether I want the refund on my original payment method or a voucher with a five percent bonus."
Time for a conclusion! What's the result after two years with 8returns, Veronika?
With Transparency to Highest Quality
Customer Service 2.0 and Sustainable Growth
"The best thing is that we've taken our customer service to the next level. Before 8returns, defective items were particularly difficult to process since we manually requested all information. The email traffic was extremely high. Today, customers can upload a photo and their description directly in the portal. When our customer service starts processing, all the info we need is already there to directly approach customers with a solution. This saves us a lot of time.
Makaro Jewelry continues to grow, but today we're much better positioned. The best part is that we can continue to keep our processes lean and focus on our own core competency – producing sustainable, chemical-free jewelry of the highest quality."
Individual customer care has also improved. In 8returns, we can now not only view the tracking number of the package but also download the return label and thus track the return shipment status faster."
With Transparency to Highest Quality
Tracking is also no longer a problem today: "Our most important KPI is the return rate. We can now view it in real-time, per product and overall, which is great. In the backend, we can even download targeted analyses to see which products are defective and why they're being returned. This ensures our high standards for quality and service."
Right after switching to 8returns, we received feedback from our customers who were happy that their returns are now handled digitally. This feedback came especially from customers who have been shopping with us for a longer time. They appreciate that the process is now less complicated and saves them time. That's what counts in the end – the satisfaction of our customers.
All images courtesy of Makaro GmbH.
