My name is Stever Robbins, and I have a confession: I order stuff online. A lot. A whole whole lot. We used to live in a world of not-so-instant gratification, where if you wanted something, it required walking or driving to the store. Then you had to shop. Then you’d wait in line for the cashier. You and the cashier would exchange pleasantries. You’d pay for your brand new Turnip Twaddler, and proudly head home.
You couldn’t always do this at the drop of a hat, however. It might require planning. Maybe the only store that carries Turnip Twaddlers was one town over, so you would have to wait until the time was right to sneak out for your consumer extravaganza.
Now you can buy buy buy buy, and your Twaddlers will descend upon you from a veritable army of uniformed delivery services. And best of all, you still get to see your friend the cashier, who has joined the “gig” economy and is now delivering those very same twaddlers by bicycle. If they deliver 300 or more a day, they can even make it into the income bracket where they’re making 1/10th of what they made before. And best of all, they always deliver your packages with a smile. Otherwise, you can give them a 2-star rating and they’ll get fired. So they better deliver service with a smile.
Stuff Gets Lost
Since finding myself desperately in need of a Turnip Twaddler, and a Tomato Musher, and several other household essentials, I’ve been ordering online like crazy. And in an absolute miracle of modern technology, every one of those packages notifies me every time the package moves closer to my outstretched, grasping hands.
You’ve been there too, right? And then...then the chaos hits. You get a text message that says “Package 3493 is en route.” You jump for joy. You celebrate. You...you have no idea what package 3493 actually is. Is it the Turnip Twaddler or the Tomato Musher? Or perhaps the exciting shower curtains you ordered last month that were on backorder? Who can tell?
When you later get a message saying “Package 3493 delivery error,” and the tracking feed goes silent, you have no idea which vendor to call to complain. Or request a refund. Or ask for an investigation.
Track Your Tracking
So you need to know your tracking numbers. But only if you’re prepared. Last week we discussed using your NOTES program to organize all your project-related information. This is another place your NOTES program can save the day. But you have to be prepared.
Create a note called “Product Tracking.” Every time you’re notified that a product has shipped, when you tell the website to track your purchase, note the tracking number. Copy it into your note, along with a brief description of what the item is. Then when you get your text message, a quick peek into your notes tells you that package 3493 is your Tomato Musher.
Add Links to the Order Page
When the package gets lost, however, you need a way to start finding it again. When you add the tracking number to your notes, also paste in the URL of the order page itself. Then when you need to start an investigation to find your wayward Musher, you’ll have the link ready to go.
One click and you’re at your order page. One click on Track Package and you’re at the status page telling you the package has vanished. From there, it’s just a short click...back to the order page. Yes, that actually happened, just last week when ordering my 200 feet of paracord, mustache clippers, and 30-gallon drum of olive oil. Don’t ask.
Also Track Order Numbers
There are times—far too many times—when an online merchant will not investigate a complaint or process a return without the original order number. It’s especially bad when you’re buying software upgrades online. I tried to upgrade some software I first bought over ten years ago. Their website wanted my original order number. Excuse me? That was ten years ago. Who tracks their original order number?
Why, starting today, you do! When you order something, go to your shipping note and note the order number and what it is you ordered. You probably won’t need it, but if you do, you can find it lickity split.
Always add new order numbers or shipping numbers or RMAs to the top of the note. That way, as soon as you open the note, you see what’s currently en route. If you scroll down, you’ll see previous purchases.
Many Happy Returns
Because all companies are competent, you’ll get the whole mess sorted out, and not one, but two Tomato Mushers arrive at your house. Apparently what was once lost, now is found.
Being the honest sort (and because they charged you for both of the Mushers), you immediately call the support rep to return the extra Tomato Musher.
By setting up a single note for tracking shipping numbers, return numbers, order numbers, order entry pages, and product details, you reap rewards several times over.
A happy customer support rep answers (they’re much happier than the ex-cashier, because they have a full-time non-living wage job, as opposed to a part-time non-living-wage job). They give you a Return Merchandise Authorization number, or RMA. You then send off the extra Tomato Musher with the RMA number on the side, so it gets properly credited to your account.
As I’m sure you’ve already figured out, you go straight to your NOTES and enter the tracking number of the item you’re returning, the RMA and what the item is, right in your notes. Two months from now when you still haven’t received the credit, you have all the relevant info at your fingertips when you contact the company.
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things
More importantly, you have all of the relevant info for the future you! Two years from now, when you’re Twaddling your Turnips and Mushing your Tomatoes, you may realize that a Twaddler is the Best. Wedding. Present. Ever. for your sibling’s children. And rather than wracking your brains to remember where you got it (let’s face it, they aren’t exactly common), you can return to your Product Tracking note and in a click or two be right back on the website, ready to Twaddle.
By setting up a single note for tracking shipping numbers, return numbers, order numbers, order entry pages, and product details, you reap rewards several times over. You have all the information you need to buy, rebuy, return, reorder, and retrack your purchases. Everything’s in one place, and in today’s everything-by-mail, you’re-at-the-mercy-of-vast-faceless-corporations world, you’re completely ready to take on the corporate behemoth at its best.
Now if you’ll excuse me, my paracord, olive oil, and mustache clippers are waiting.
I’m Stever Robbins. Follow GetItDoneGuy on Twitter and Facebook. If you have projects that are stalled or taking too long, check out my “Get-it-Done Groups” accountability groups. Learn more at http://SteverRobbins.com. Image of packages © Shutterstock.
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