Handle a refund request

Refunds are irreversible and they are a decision, not a task. This procedure gets everything needed onto one page so the decision takes a minute, and stops short of making it.

Establish the facts

1. What was charged: the amount, the date, the plan, and whether it was a renewal or a first payment. Pull it from the payment record rather than from what the customer remembers.
2. What they used. Sign-ins, requests, or whatever the product measures, for the period being disputed. "Charged for a year, used it twice" and "charged for a year, used it daily" are different requests with the same words.
3. What we said. The published refund terms, and anything promised in writing in the sales conversation or the support thread. Search the CRM and the support history before assuming the standard terms apply.
4. Why they are asking. A billing surprise, a product failure, a duplicate charge and a change of mind are four different cases. A duplicate charge is not a refund request, it is a mistake to correct, and it should be obvious from the payment history.
5. Whether a chargeback is already open. If it is, the decision changes completely and it belongs to whoever handles disputes, immediately.

Then

Write four lines: what happened, what they used, what we owe under the terms, and what you would do. Send it to whoever can approve refunds and wait.

Never

• Issue a refund, a partial refund, or a credit yourself. Every one of these is a destructive action against money and it needs a named person's decision, whatever the amount.
• Promise the customer a refund while asking. Tell them it is being reviewed and when they will hear.
• Cancel the subscription as part of the refund unless the decision said so.

Once it is approved

Issue exactly the amount approved, reply to the customer with the amount and the time it takes to appear, and record the reason on the account so the pattern is visible if it repeats.