What steps should be taken when handling a customer return?

The correct approach to handling a customer return involves several critical steps to ensure a smooth and fair process for both the customer and the store. Firstly, verifying the purchase is essential, as it confirms that the item was indeed bought from the store and helps prevent fraudulent return attempts. Checking the item against the store's return policy is also crucial; this ensures that the return is legitimate and falls within acceptable guidelines, such as time limits or conditions of the item (e.g., unused or unopened).

Once verification is complete and the item is compliant with the return policy, the next step is processing the return according to established procedures. This might include issuing a refund, exchanging the product, or offering store credit, depending on the circumstances and policy. These steps not only uphold the integrity of the return process but also contribute to customer satisfaction by treating their concerns seriously and professionally.

The other options do not align with best practices for customer returns. For example, ignoring requests for returns can lead to dissatisfaction and a poor customer experience. Similarly, processing returns without verification could result in unauthorized or invalid returns, ultimately causing loss to the store. Lastly, automatically providing only store credit may not be conducive to meeting customer needs, as various situations may warrant different resolutions, such as providing