A Process with Attention to Detail
Paula Stahl is actually a teacher. Two years ago, she discovered the world of e-commerce as a career changer. At onomao, she has since been making customers instead of students happy as Customer Success Manager.
The interior label based in Cologne has meanwhile made an international name for itself and, five years after its founding, is on the verge of leaving startup status behind.
Not far from onomao's store, Paula and her team sit in Ehrenfeld and sell handmade, sustainable home accessories from Portugal. Most business, however, runs through the online shop.
Shipping and returns were handled through a logistics company for a long time. The famous "logistics list" led the returns process back then – an Excel spreadsheet where Paula manually collected all information about a return. Soon, however, the process became too labor-intensive for the small team. A solution was needed to simplify daily business and bring transparency to returns management.
8returns eventually transformed the piecemeal process into a return that's done in just a few clicks. Paula knows what advantages this has brought for onomao, their logistics partner, and their customers.
Paula Stahl, Customer Success Manager
High Time Investment During Peak Season
Including a paper return form used to be the best practice in returns management. Shops evaluated the form to understand the reasons for a return. However, onomao couldn't draw any learnings from the data. "Many customers didn't fill out the form. Our colleagues in logistics also didn't have the capacity to evaluate the slip and report back the information," Paula recalls.
The logistics company only sent an email with information about which products should be returned. "My task was to look up the order number in Shopify and see what was ordered. I then had to compare this data with logistics."
When customers contacted her via email about their order, the detective work began. "For every return, I had to check the message history with customers: What had we already discussed? Is the product defective? I had to track down every problem – is it an exchange or can I simply refund the money? It took forever until a return was processed."
Transparency was also lacking for customers. Initially, there were FAQs on the website that explained the process. Nevertheless, tickets piled up from online shoppers who wanted to know exactly how the returns process works. As Customer Success Manager, Paula tried to keep the process as simple as possible. However, macros alone couldn't solve that. "With every inquiry about a return, I had to check a thousand things. We also calculated and initiated the refund ourselves."
After a stressful peak season, the decision was finally made: A new solution was needed to optimize the labor-intensive process!
Naturally beautiful ceramics
How Can the Shopping Experience Be Optimized?
A colleague finally started researching. It was particularly important to onomao that the new returns solution could be easily integrated and was compatible with Shopify. "8returns was in the conversation from the beginning. My focus was naturally: How can the process be more customer-friendly? What would make shopping easier or more pleasant for customers? The answer is: seamless returns management!"
Paula speaks from experience: "Everyone knows it – when you buy something and the return is difficult, you're annoyed. We wanted to offer our customers a simple, transparent way."
Clear and Customer-Friendly
During the implementation phase, the team tested all features together. "Gradually, we explored the tool. I have to say, I'm a big fan."
Paula appreciates that the software adapts to the individual needs of customer support. "It's very clear. We have many options to make configurations that make our daily business easier. For example, I can simply extend the return period for customers if it has expired. Overall, the process is much clearer and more customer-friendly after implementation." Paula was able to quickly shelve the logistics list.
Timeless & sustainable
More Transparency for Logistics and Customer Support
"8returns makes working with logistics much easier for us. In the past, there were often backlogs – when there was a lot to do in the warehouse and new goods had to be shipped, returns were left aside for the time being. Customers then sent me an email asking if their return had already arrived. Today I don't have to search anymore, I can see everything at a glance."
Drastic Time Savings
"In 8returns, we see the status of a return and how long customers have been waiting for their refund. The waiting time has shortened enormously because our team and the logistics company can process returns much faster."
The customer support team also has more time to focus on other things. "We have far fewer tickets about how the return works. Email traffic with customers has also been reduced, so the time savings for me are significant."
Return Status: Up to Date
At onomao, the returns process once caused a lot of confusion, both for customers and the team. Today, a return is done in just a few clicks. "In the past, I often received feedback that our return was too complicated and 'old-school,'" Paula recalls. "With 8returns, we've implemented a standard that customers simply prefer nowadays. I love the tool, it takes a lot of work off my hands and provides more transparency in all areas."
