Return Request Classification

1. Overview

The process reads a customer’s return request email, determines the underlying reason for the return, and provides a short, actionable recommendation for the Customer Service Representative to follow.

2. Business Value

Speed – Faster handling of return requests reduces customer wait time.
Consistency – All reps use the same reason codes and suggestions, ensuring uniform communication.
Accuracy – Structured classification lowers the chance of mis‑routing or incorrect actions.
Data – Captured reason codes can be used for reporting and process improvement.

3. Operational Context

Situation	When it is Used	Primary Users	Frequency
A customer sends an email asking to return or exchange a product.	The process runs each time a new return‑request email is received.	Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) handling inbound email requests.	As often as return‑request emails are received (multiple times per day).

4. Inputs

Name/Label	Type	Details Provided
Customer Email	Plain‑text email content (including any order number, product name, or details the customer provides)	The complete body of the customer’s email. No attachments, links, or external documents are needed.

Only the email text is needed for a single run of this process. All other data needed for classification are included in the Appendices.

5. Outputs

Name/Label	Contents	Formatting Rules
Reason Code	One of the predefined reason codes (e.g., Damaged Item). Use the exact phrase from the list; do not add punctuation.	Title case (first letter of each word capitalized).
Reason Description	A concise sentence (in the customer’s language) summarizing the issue.	Sentence case, ending with a period.
Suggested Next Step	An action‑oriented sentence that tells the CSR what to do next (e.g., “Send a prepaid return label and arrange a replacement.”).	Starts with an action verb, ends with a period. Use a friendly‑yet‑professional tone.

The output is a plain‑text summary that the CSR can copy into a response or internal note.

6. Detailed Plan & Execution Steps

Read the Email – Review the full content of the Customer Email.
Extract Keywords – Scan the email for words or phrases that indicate a return reason (e.g., broken, damaged, wrong size, not arrived, duplicate).
Map to Reason Code – Using the Reason Code Mapping in Appendix C, match the identified keywords to one of the predefined reason codes.
- If several keywords match, apply the Priority Order (also in Appendix C) to choose the primary reason.
Create Reason Description – Rewrite the key part of the email as a short sentence that captures the customer’s issue. Keep it simple and use the wording from the email whenever possible.
Select Suggested Next Step – Look up the matched reason code in the Next‑Step Guidance (Appendix C) and copy the recommended action. If the reason is Other/Unclear, choose the “Escalate for manual review” suggestion.
Assemble the Output – Fill in the three fields (Reason Code, Reason Description, Suggested Next Step) according to the formatting rules.
Check for Missing Information – If the email does not contain a clear reason, set Reason Code to Other / Unclear and use the “Escalate” next step.

The process stops after the output is assembled; no further actions are taken by this SOP.

7. Validation & Quality Checks

Reason Code Validity – Verify the chosen code exactly matches one entry in the reason list (Appendix C).
Matching Next Step – Confirm that the suggested next step belongs to the selected reason (see mapping table).
Complete Fields – Ensure no field (Reason Code, Description, Next Step) is left blank.
Email Presence – If the Email field is empty, flag the run as “Missing Email Content” and do not produce a classification.
Language – The process only supports English. If the email is in another language, flag for manual translation.

8. Special Rules / Edge Cases

Situation	Rule
Multiple Reasons	Use the Priority Order (Appendix C) to select the most critical reason.
Ambiguous or No Reason	Set Reason Code to Other / Unclear and use the “Escalate for manual review” next step.
Non‑English Email	Flag as “Unsupported Language” and route to manual review; do not produce a classification.
Missing Order Number	Keep the classification but add “(Order number not provided)” to the Reason Description; still provide the next step.
Conflicting Requests (e.g., “I want a refund and a replacement”)	Choose the most “actionable” reason (e.g., Refund > Replacement), based on the Priority Order.
Empty Email	Generate no output; record “Missing Email Content” and alert the CSR.

9. Example

Input – Customer Email

“Hi, I received my order #4567 last week, but the sweater is the wrong size. I ordered a medium but got a large. Can you tell me how to return it?”

Output – Return Classification Summary

Reason Code: Size/Fit Issue
Reason Description: Customer received the wrong size (ordered medium, received large).
Suggested Next Step: Send a prepaid return label and arrange for a size exchange.

Appendix A – FAQ

What if the email does not mention any product or order number?
- Record the reason as Other / Unclear, use the “Escalate for manual review” next step, and ask the customer for the missing details.
Can the process handle emails with multiple items?
- This SOP processes one email at a time. If multiple items are mentioned, treat them as a single request and follow the same steps.
What if the email contains a request for both a refund and a replacement?
- Choose the more urgent reason (e.g., Damaged Item > Wrong Item > Other). The next step will address the primary reason; the CSR can handle the secondary request manually.
What should a CSR do if the email is in a language other than English?
- Flag the request as “Unsupported Language” and route it to a bilingual agent for translation and manual handling.
How is the “priority order” determined?
- The priority order is listed in Appendix C. The most critical reasons (e.g., Damaged Item, Missing Parts) have higher priority than others (e.g., Changed Mind).
What if the email contains a typo that hides the reason (e.g., “damged”)?
- Use the keyword‑matching step; common misspellings are covered in the Keyword Variations list (Appendix C). If a match is still not found, use Other / Unclear and request clarification.
Is the “Next Step” meant to be copied directly into a response to the customer?
- Yes. The phrasing is already ready for a reply. The CSR may add personal greetings or sign‑off as needed.

Appendix B – Glossary

Term	Definition
Return	The process of a customer sending a purchased product back to the seller for a refund, replacement, or exchange.
Reason Code	A standardized label that describes the main reason a customer wants to return the item.
Reason Description	A brief, plain‑language summary of the customer's issue.
Next Step	An actionable recommendation for the CSR (e.g., send a return label, process a refund).
CSR	Customer Service Representative, the person handling the request.
Priority Order	A list that ranks reason codes when more than one is found; the highest‑ranked reason is used.
Escalate for manual review	A direction to send the request to a supervisor or a specialist for further investigation.

Appendix C – Reason Codes, Keyword Variations, and Next‑Step Guidance

1. Reason Codes & Definitions

Reason Code	Description	Common Keywords & Variations
Wrong Item Sent	The product delivered is not the one ordered.	“wrong item”, “incorrect product”, “not what I ordered”, “different product”, “sent me the wrong”.
Damaged Item	The product arrived damaged or broken.	“broken”, “damaged”, “cracked”, “defective”, “doesn’t work”, “broken part”, “smashed”.
Product Not as Described	The item differs from the online description or picture.	“not as described”, “different from website”, “different color”, “different model”, “mis‑matched”.
Size/Fit Issue	The size, fit, or dimensions are wrong.	“size issue”, “too small”, “too big”, “wrong size”, “wrong fit”, “size mismatch”.
Changed Mind	Customer no longer wants the product.	“changed my mind”, “don’t want”, “no longer needed”, “just returning”.
Late Delivery	The item has not arrived within the promised time.	“late”, “not arrived”, “still waiting”, “delivery delay”, “missing”.
Duplicate Order	More than one order of the same item was placed.	“duplicate”, “double order”, “two orders”, “multiple orders”.
Missing Parts	The product is missing components or accessories.	“missing part”, “missing piece”, “missing accessory”, “not all parts”, “part missing”.
Wrong Color	Received a different color than ordered.	“wrong color”, “different color”, “color not correct”.
Incorrect Quantity	Received too many or too few items.	“wrong quantity”, “more/less items”, “extra item”, “missing item”.
Other / Unclear	Reason cannot be identified from the email.	(none) – used when no clear reason is found.

2. Priority Order (highest priority first)

Damaged Item
Wrong Item Sent
Missing Parts
Product Not as Described
Size/Fit Issue
Incorrect Quantity
Wrong Color
Late Delivery
Duplicate Order
Changed Mind
Other / Unclear

3. Next‑Step Guidance

Reason Code	Suggested Next Step (template)
Wrong Item Sent	“Send a prepaid return label to the customer and arrange to ship the correct item.”
Damaged Item	“Offer a replacement or a full refund, and send a prepaid return label for the damaged product.”
Product Not as Described	“Apologize, offer a replacement or refund, and provide a prepaid return label.”
Size/Fit Issue	“Provide a prepaid return label and arrange an exchange for the correct size.”
Changed Mind	“Process a refund and send a prepaid return label.”
Late Delivery	“Check the shipment status. If still undelivered, offer a refund or a replacement and include a return label if the customer wishes to return.”
Duplicate Order	“Cancel the duplicate order, issue a refund for the extra item, and provide a return label for any received items.”
Missing Parts	“Send the missing parts immediately or arrange a full replacement; include a prepaid return label if the item must be returned.”
Wrong Color	“Send a prepaid return label and ship the correct color.”
Incorrect Quantity	“Arrange a return for the extra items and send a replacement for the missing ones; include a return label as needed.”
Other / Unclear	“Escalate the request to a supervisor for manual review and request clarification from the customer.”
Unsupported Language	“Escalate the request to a bilingual agent for translation and manual handling.”
Missing Email Content	“Flag the request as ‘Missing Email Content’ and notify the CSR to request the customer’s email.”

4. Keyword Variation Table (optional reference)

Base Keyword	Variations
Damaged	“damaged”, “broken”, “cracked”, “defective”, “broken”, “broke”, “cracked”, “dented”
Wrong	“wrong”, “incorrect”, “not what I ordered”, “different”, “sent me the wrong”, “wrong product”
Size	“size”, “fit”, “too small”, “too large”, “big”, “small”, “size mismatch”, “size is off”
Late	“late”, “not arrived”, “still waiting”, “delivery delay”, “missing”
Duplicate	“duplicate”, “double order”, “two orders”, “multiple orders”, “duplicate order”
Change	“changed my mind”, “don’t want”, “no longer needed”, “returning”

5. Formatting & Style Guide for “Suggested Next Step”

Begin with a clear action verb (e.g., Send, Provide, Offer, Check, Escalate).
Keep the sentence under 30 words.
Use please only when the instruction is to the customer; for internal notes, omit “please”.
Use a friendly but professional tone.
End with a period.
Do not include internal codes, dates, or signatures.

Examples

Correct: “Send a prepaid return label and ship a replacement in the correct size.”
Incorrect: “The customer should be sent a prepaid label and then we should ship the new product.”

Additional Notes

When the email contains a return reason that matches multiple codes, follow the Priority Order to decide the primary reason.
If the email contains a request for a specific action (e.g., “I want a refund”) that conflicts with the standard next step for the identified reason, follow the standard next step but note the customer’s request for the CSR to confirm.
The SOP is designed for single‑email processing; batch or bulk processing requires a separate SOP.

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Effortless Return Request Classification for CSRs

Return Request Classification

1. Overview

2. Business Value

3. Operational Context

4. Inputs

5. Outputs

6. Detailed Plan & Execution Steps

7. Validation & Quality Checks

8. Special Rules / Edge Cases

9. Example

Appendix A – FAQ

Appendix B – Glossary

Appendix C – Reason Codes, Keyword Variations, and Next‑Step Guidance

1. Reason Codes & Definitions

2. Priority Order (highest priority first)

3. Next‑Step Guidance

4. Keyword Variation Table (optional reference)

5. Formatting & Style Guide for “Suggested Next Step”

Additional Notes

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What the Workflow Delivers

Reason Codes at a Glance

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Focus on the Customer, Not the Process

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Reason Code	Quick Description
Wrong Item Sent	Customer received a different product than ordered
Damaged Item	Product arrived broken, cracked or otherwise unusable
Product Not as Described	Item differs from the online description or image
Size/Fit Issue	Wrong size, too big, too small, or fit problem
Changed Mind	Customer no longer wants the product
Late Delivery	Item has not arrived within the promised timeframe
Duplicate Order	More than one order of the same item was placed
Missing Parts	Component or accessory missing from the shipment
Wrong Color	Received a different color than requested
Incorrect Quantity	Too many or too few items were delivered
Other / Unclear	Reason cannot be identified from the email