One probably has given or received a gift via Kakaotalk service at least once.

When one learns of someone's birthday via SNS such as Kakaostory or Band,  a cup of coffee or an ice cream cake is sent often due to its ease of use. The problem is that the coupon's expiration date is not long enough.  Also, too soon the expiration date has passed and causes an additional inconvenience of obtaining a refund after a certain percentage of fees deducted.

Recently I happen to open my Kakaotalk Gift Folder.  I found that a gift I sent a year ago had expired and the recipient had not gotten the refund.  On my phone "name unknown" was displayed, a possible signal that the recipient stopped Kakaotalk service.  I felt a rise of an embarrassment toward a person I could not know.  I thought to myself that if I needed to send a gift, I should have done it in person.  I tried hard to remember who that "name unknown" would be but with no avail since it was a year ago.

After some cumbersome steps I reached a Kakaotalk representative in charge of Kakaotalk Gift Service.  "Abiding by the law, that "Unknown" person's name cannot be revealed" he said. A permission was needed from the "Unknown" person that I want to obtain his/her name to which I declined.  Kakaotalk representative told me that "Unknown" person shall be contacted and will be advised to obtain the refund.  As a result of the call, an amount after deducting some fees was deposited into my bank account because the "unknown" gift recipient had refused the refund and agreed that the refund would be returned to me.  In sum, I still could not find out who that "Unknown" person was.  A feeling of embarrassment returned with the refund I received and still lingers on my mind.

I learned during talking with the Kakaotalk representative that at the time of the gift purchase, a sender can select to receive the refund after the expiration date.  However, from a person sending a gift, a very few would want a refund returned to oneself.  Although a small amount, in order to make such expenditure properly, a several steps of efforts were exerted.  If I had not seen the Kakaotalk Gift Folder unintentionally, the money that I paid to send a gift would have become the property of Kakaotalk after a period of time. 

The number of people who carelessly forget about the (Kakaotalk) gift received may be more than one can guess.  After leaving the Kakaotalk service, one who later remembers about the coupon would rather give up than to make a call to confirm, consoling oneself to "pretend that I drank that cup of coffee' and forget about the incident.  As in my case, in order to obtain the refund, some may have had to exert efforts to make several phone calls. 

Usually when one buys, a mindful ‘service’ is received.  However, when one requests a refund or cancellation, a difficulty and inconvenience must be endured.  I live on experiencing a treatment making me to feel as though I am some ‘troublemaker’.  Kakaotalk has brought innovation to a method of communication of sending and receiving text messages.  Then a series of new items were introduced.  Recently, even a taxi can be called, etc. that one never thought of in the past has now become a daily routine and has brought big changes in life.

Nevertheless, it is not very innovative on refund procedures and applies existing status quo.

If (Kakaotalk) inputs half of its efforts as they do in the series of innovative items introduced, I am certain that they could come up with a refund service not thought of in the past.  As (Kakaotalk) tries hard to sell the items, they should also try as much to ease the refund procedures.

This is not a light matter because this is dealing with a gift filled with one’s thoughtful feeling toward someone.  If (Kakaotalk) sends messages such as “Your gift sent to ABC has not been claimed by the recipient and needs a refund”, “Thank you for using our service and please request ABC to claim for a refund”, “Your gift sent to ABC has now been used” and so forth would make it easier for the service users and also would make one feel good in the process.

As in my situation to learn that “I did not send a gift for a whole year” and become embarrassed belatedly should not occur. Also, there should not be a link in a tiny printed letters to find in a corner, and having to read a lot of details of terms and conditions, but to explain the refund procedures in an easy to understand way.  When one has any questions and makes a call, one should not need to listen to a recorded explanation the whole time. Rather than to be connected to a live representative by making several calls, instead direct the user stating 'call this number', then a recorded message should direct what number to press, etc.” and also provide a written direction displayed in a section easy to find.

I ask whether (Kakaotalk) company can input efforts as they do in consumer’s purchases as well as to consumer’s refunds to make the consumer feel equal convenience. I want to stress and remind that the accumulated money spent on gifts are not the only issue.  Most of the consumers who spend do not do it only for the sake of spending but to provide in it life’s happiness; thus the whole process should be respected and considered.

By People Reporter Kwak, Hyun Hee, Special Advisor(kwaganny@gmail.com)
Translating Reporter Chang Kyong(globalwinner77@gmail.com)

Copyright @ Safetimes, Unauthorized distribution/reprints prohibited.