When a customer tries to check out using his credit card, the charge is declined and he gets upset. The cashier sees that the card expired the month before. What should she say?
a-“Sorry, but this card is expired. You can use cash instead. If you don’t have any, there’s an ATM not far from here.”
b- “I’m sorry, your card was declined-it’s expired. You’ll have to use a different card or form of payment instead.”
c-“It looks like this card expired recently. Do you have the replacement with you? Otherwise, we can try a different card if you’d like.”
d-“Did you know this card is expired? You might want to use a different form of payment instead.”
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The most appropriate response is:
c- “It looks like this card expired recently. Do you have the replacement with you? Otherwise, we can try a different card if you’d like.”
Explanation:
This response is empathetic and professional, acknowledging the customer’s situation without assigning blame. It offers a solution by suggesting the use of a replacement card or an alternative payment method. This approach helps maintain a positive customer experience and encourages continued patronage.
Why the other options are less suitable:
- a- “Sorry, but this card is expired. You can use cash instead. If you don’t have any, there’s an ATM not far from here.”
- This response may come across as dismissive and could inconvenience the customer by directing them to an ATM.
- b- “I’m sorry, your card was declined-it’s expired. You’ll have to use a different card or form of payment instead.”
- While informative, this response lacks empathy and doesn’t offer immediate solutions, which could frustrate the customer further.
- d- “Did you know this card is expired? You might want to use a different form of payment instead.”
- This statement may sound accusatory and doesn’t provide a clear path forward for the customer.
By choosing option c, the cashier demonstrates understanding and offers practical alternatives, fostering a positive interaction.
For a visual demonstration of this scenario, you might find the following video helpful: