EZ-returns aren't...

My mom has been an Avon representative for 40 years. She received her "recognition" for 40 years of service in 2006. Unfortunately, she could not attend because she was in the hospital at the time.

In 2005, the "powers that be" at Avon decided that the paper orders were too cumbersome and time consuming to process. I can understand that completely, but Avon representatives in their 70s and 80s, like my mom, were put into a difficult position. They had the option of processing their orders through fax or the Internet.

My mom chose fax because she doesn't have a computer and she didn't want to bother me. To use the fax Avon provided some forms (like SAT tests) that had to be "coded" and transmitted. The lines on the form were a yellow color that is difficult to see even for me. Because her eyesight is so bad, she took the forms, and a black marker, and drew a black line over every yellow line on the paper. Since she has never taken a standardized test, (like the SAT) she had no idea that she was "marking" every box when she did that.

The first order that was delivered using the fax order method was huge! She had to sort out the real items and call the manager to get the rest of the items picked up and returned to Avon. The manager looked at her fax forms and found nothing wrong. When the second order came in the same way, my mom asked me to look at it. The problem was obvious but apparently only to me. So she kept using that method and the orders kept coming in with many additional items. At some point, the manager got tired of picking up the boxes and told my mom she had to process the returns herself over the internet.

So my mother called me. I learned the Avon website, and basically put my foot down. No more fax orders! I would process her orders through the internet. Then the returns started. Box after box of items had to be processed one at a time through the EZ-returns page. What is the item number? What campaign was this item ordered? Find it on the list. It's not on the list, what campaign was it really ordered? Specify a reason for the return. Create a "shipment". Create the UPS label, print it and pack up the box. Take it to the UPS store (great place by the way! UPS is wonderful).

Sometime during that process my mom had an accident and spent about five weeks in the hospital. Since the Avon orders are sent in two weeks in advance, she had orders for the next campaign already. So I had to coordinate the delivery of the current order so I could deliver the products to her customers. Send in the next order so her customers wouldn't be left without their gifts or whatever. And basically keep things running while she was away. For two campaigns she did not send in an order, but the manager kept her account active because of the situation and her longevity with the company.

Unfortunately, the returns continue to this day. Now it's not because she is making mistakes, but because customers change their mind or don't like what they order or ordered the wrong size. I'm sure this is all a normal part of dealing with retail merchandising but it's just not an area I'm interested in working in. Alas, I have no choice unless I want to abandon my mom in this quagmire. So at least once a month I have to get on that EZ-returns page and go through the entire process of creating a return and trucking it over to UPS.

The bright side is that UPS is only 2 blocks away, the folks are very nice and my mom is happy. Me? I just whine sometimes but I'll survive.