Refund outside the return policy
Handle a return request past the 30-day window by checking delivery date and loyalty tier, approving a Gold-tier exception (usually as store credit) or declining Standard-tier requests with a goodwill voucher, replying to the customer, booking collection and leaving internal notes, or escalating to a senior colleague when unsure.
Three people and four recordings cover the main flow, rules and edge cases, but the card-versus-store-credit disagreement is unresolved and the escalation approver and non-Gold or defect cases are not fully confirmed.
The procedure, step by step
21 stepsEach step was observed in real work. Open a source to see the exact moment in the recording.
- 1
Open the return request ticket in Zendesk (e.g. from the Gold priority view) and review the conversation and requester details.
In oasishome.zendesk.com
Where this came from - 2
If working from the approvals queue (team lead), open the Refund approvals queue in the admin page and pick a refund awaiting team lead approval.
In admin.oasishome.ae
Where this came from - 3
Find and open the order (search the admin orders list, or open the linked order from the refund request) and check items and delivery details.
In admin.oasishome.ae
Where this came from - 4
Check the delivery date on the Items tab to see how many days have passed since delivery.
In admin.oasishome.ae
Where this came from - 5
Check the Returns & Refunds Policy, Section 2 (Return window), for the written rule.
In oasishome.sharepoint.com
Where this came from - 6
Open the customer profile from the order or requester link and check the loyalty tier, order history and preferred language on the Loyalty tab.
In admin.oasishome.ae
- 7
If unsure whether the exception can be accepted, do not refund yourself: add an internal note on the ticket and assign it to a senior colleague (e.g. Sara).
In oasishome.zendesk.com
Where this came from - 8
For a customer who prefers a language other than English (e.g. Gold, Arabic), call the customer from the admin page before writing to them.
In admin.oasishome.ae
Where this came from - 9
End the call, set the call outcome and log notes (language, tier, order age, agreed resolution).
In admin.oasishome.ae
Where this came from - 10
Return to the order and click Create refund, select the reason 'Outside return window – loyalty exception' and enter the refund amount (support agent flow for amounts under AED 2,000). A new hire may start this but cancel it pending approval.
In admin.oasishome.ae
Where this came from - 11
Select the refund method: store credit (Sara, and in the approvals queue for Gold exceptions) or original payment method for Gold customers (Omar).
In admin.oasishome.ae
Where this came from - 12
Tick 'Notify customer by email', add the Zendesk ticket as internal reference and issue the refund.
In admin.oasishome.ae
Where this came from - 13
If store credit was issued, copy the store credit code from the issued refund.
In admin.oasishome.ae
Where this came from - 14
In the approvals queue, enter an approval comment stating the tier, the days since delivery and the decision.
In admin.oasishome.ae
Where this came from - 15
Click Approve refund, or Decline refund if the request is outside policy and not eligible.
In admin.oasishome.ae
Where this came from - 16
For an ineligible Standard-tier request, comment the reason, decline the refund and offer a 10% voucher.
In admin.oasishome.ae
Where this came from - 17
Book the item collection in the logistics admin (on the refund) and pick the next available collection slot.
In admin.oasishome.ae
Where this came from - 18
Add an internal note recording that the Gold exception was made, the 30-day rule waived, the refund amount and method (and collection).
In admin.oasishome.ae
Where this came from - 19
Add an internal note on the Zendesk ticket recording the approval/exception, refund method and amount, and the collection.
In oasishome.zendesk.com
Where this came from - 20
Reply publicly on the ticket (in the customer's language) confirming the decision, refund amount and collection (stating the exception is because the customer is Gold tier) or the goodwill offer, then submit as Solved.
In oasishome.zendesk.com
Where this came from - 21
Check other Gold exception refunds and leave a comment where one was refunded to the card instead of store credit.
In admin.oasishome.ae
Where this came from
Exceptions — the knowledge nobody wrote down
7 exceptionsThe cases where someone left the usual path, and explained why. These are the risks if the person who knows them is away.
- When
- The customer is Gold tier (e.g. 11 orders in two years) and the return is past 30 days
- Then
- Waive the 30-day rule and issue store credit instead of refusing; this is unwritten practice.
Where this came from- When
- The customer is Gold tier and the return is past 30 days
- Then
- Refund to the original card rather than store credit, because Gold customers feel store credit means the company is keeping their money; accept the few extra days it takes.
Where this came from- When
- The refund is under about AED 2,000
- Then
- Process it without asking a manager.
Where this came from- When
- The customer is Gold tier and the return is past 30 days (e.g. 38 days) in the approvals queue
- Then
- Approve an exception to the return window and change the refund method to store credit instead of the card.
Where this came from- When
- The customer is Gold tier, the return is past 30 days (e.g. 34 days) and the support agent is unsure
- Then
- Do not process the refund yourself; leave an internal note and assign the ticket to Sara.
Where this came from- When
- The customer is Gold tier and prefers Arabic
- Then
- Call the customer first before any written reply, then confirm in Arabic after the call.
Where this came from- When
- A Gold exception refund has been issued to the card by a colleague
- Then
- Remind them that Gold exceptions go as store credit, not card, so the team stays aligned.
Where this came from
Decision rules
9 rulesHow the person decides, in their own words.
- When
- A return is requested more than 30 days after delivery
- Then
- The written policy applies the 30-day window with no exceptions, so the request is outside policy; check the customer's loyalty tier before deciding.
Where this came from- When
- A refund is made outside the policy
- Then
- Issue it as store credit, not to the card, because a card refund outside policy needs finance sign-off and takes ten days.
Where this came from- When
- The refund amount is above AED 2,000
- Then
- Escalate to the team lead for approval before issuing, and note the approval internally on the ticket.
Where this came from- When
- The refund amount is below AED 2,000
- Then
- The support agent can issue it alone.
Where this came from- When
- An exception is granted to a customer
- Then
- Tell the customer in the reply that it is because of their Gold status, so they feel the exception and don't think the policy is soft.
Where this came from- When
- An exception has been made
- Then
- Leave an internal note so whoever picks up a follow-up sees the exception was already made.
Where this came from- When
- The customer is Gold tier and the return is past 30 days
- Then
- Accept the return as an exception to the 30-day rule (e.g. 45 days: waive the rule and agree store credit with the customer).
Where this came from- When
- The customer is Standard tier, the return is past the 30-day window and there is no defect
- Then
- Decline the refund as outside policy and offer a 10% goodwill voucher.
Where this came from- When
- A loyalty exception refund is issued
- Then
- Set the refund method to Store credit and the reason to 'Outside return window – loyalty exception'.
Where this came from
Conflicts to resolve
- Sara issues Gold-tier out-of-policy refunds as store credit (card needs finance sign-off and ten days); Omar refunds Gold customers to the original card because they dislike store credit.
- Sara escalates amounts above AED 2,000 to the team lead; Omar says he would ask Sarah first.
- Sara and Omar treat Gold exceptions as routine for support agents to process; Ahmed, as a new hire, did not know if the exception was allowed and handed it to Sara.
- Sara enforces store credit for Gold exceptions and reminds colleagues who refunded to the card (e.g. Omar), while Omar keeps refunding Gold customers to the card.
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