Refund Policy SOP Template
Ensure every refund request is handled consistently, within policy, and documented — regardless of which agent processes it.
Scope
Applies to all support agents and billing team members processing refund requests.
Step-by-Step Procedure
- 1
Receive and acknowledge the refund request
Confirm receipt within SLA. Use empathetic language. Verify the customer's identity and locate their account/order.
- 2
Check eligibility against refund policy
Review the refund policy criteria: Is the request within the refund window? Does the reason qualify? Has this customer requested refunds before? Document eligibility decision.
- 3
If eligible: process the refund
Process via your billing system. Confirm the amount, method (original payment method), and expected timeline (3-5 business days). Send confirmation to customer.
- 4
If not eligible: explain clearly and offer alternatives
Explain why the request doesn't qualify. Offer alternatives: credit, extension, downgrade, or feature walkthrough. Escalate if the customer insists.
- 5
Document the outcome
Update the ticket with: decision (approved/denied), reason, amount, date processed. Tag for reporting.
- 6
Follow up within 5 business days
Confirm the refund appeared in the customer's account. If not, investigate with the billing provider.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ✗ Processing refunds without checking eligibility criteria first
- ✗ Not documenting the reason for approval or denial
- ✗ Making exceptions without manager approval — creating inconsistency
- ✗ Forgetting to follow up to confirm the refund was received
- ✗ Using different refund rules than what's documented (tribal knowledge)
Checklist
- Customer identity verified
- Refund eligibility checked against current policy
- Decision documented with reasoning
- Refund processed (if eligible) or alternative offered
- Confirmation sent to customer
- Follow-up scheduled within 5 business days
- Ticket tagged and closed
Knowledge Check
Test your understanding of this SOP:
Q1. A customer requests a refund 45 days after purchase. Your policy allows refunds within 30 days. What do you do?
- Ignore the request
- Process the refund anyway to keep the customer happy
- Explain the policy, deny the refund, and offer alternatives like account credit
- Tell them to dispute the charge with their bank
Q2. Who should approve exceptions to the standard refund policy?
- The customer decides
- Any agent can make exceptions
- Exceptions are never allowed
- A manager or team lead, as documented in the escalation process
Q3. Why is it important to document refund decisions?
- It's only needed for legal reasons
- Only denied refunds need documentation
- To ensure consistency, enable auditing, and track patterns
- Documentation is optional for small refunds
Want interactive quizzes with scoring and tracking? Try DeltaLearn
This SOP will change. Will your team keep up?
SOPs go stale every time a policy updates, a tool changes, or a process evolves. DeltaLearn turns this SOP into a versioned microcourse — video, checklist, and quiz — and tracks who's completed each version.