To ensure compliance with Amazon’s policies and to protect our account from penalties, it is crucial that our agents understand the restrictions on what they can and cannot say or do when handling customer interactions. Any breach of these policies may result in severe consequences, including a formal Zero Tolerance Policy (ZTP) warning letter.
The following document outlines the actions that agents are prohibited from taking and provides guidelines on alternative approaches to avoid violating Amazon’s rules.
Things Customer Experience Agents Cannot Do or Say (Prohibited Actions)
Agents must avoid the following in all forms of communication, including email, voicemail, and messaging platforms:
Do not mention specific phrases related to reviews, feedback, or claims. Prohibited phrases include:
- "Withdraw A-Z Claim/Negative Review/Negative Feedback"
- "Remove Negative Review/Negative Feedback"
- "Modify Negative Review/Negative Feedback"
- "Edit Negative Review/Negative Feedback"
- "Consider leaving a positive review"
Do not leave a voicemail or written message with sensitive keywords: Any voicemail or email containing the above-prohibited phrases may expose the company to penalties. Written records, including voicemail transcripts, could be used as evidence by the customer in disputes with Amazon.
Why is this prohibited?
These keywords create a risk by leaving a traceable record that customers could potentially report to Amazon. Amazon may view such communication as an attempt to manipulate customer feedback, which is against their terms of service.
What Customer Experience Agents Should Do (Recommended Actions)
Use Phone Calls for Sensitive Communications: If you need to ask a customer to withdraw, modify, or remove an A-Z claim, negative review, or negative feedback, call the customer directly instead of leaving a voicemail or sending a message. This minimizes the risk of leaving a record that could be submitted to Amazon.
Follow internal instructions and call customers when necessary: Even if an Operations Management (OM) leaves internal instructions (such as in Freshdesk) asking the agent to communicate with the customer to consider withdrawing or removing A-Z Claim/Negative Review/Negative Feedback, and it doesn’t specifically mention calling, agents should always opt for a phone call rather than written communication when discussing sensitive matters like reviews and feedback. Avoid any written communication that could violate Amazon's policy.
Use alternative language or approved scripts: When communicating via email or message, always use alternative phrasing and avoid any mention of direct requests to modify or remove feedback. Agents should refer to the approved script located in the file titled SCRIPT - New Negative Review and Feedback process.xlsx. If you do not have access to this file, please reach out to Farihah for assistance.
Note: If alternative words are needed for written communications, ensure the message focuses on resolving the customer’s concern without explicitly mentioning review removal.
Consequences of Non-Compliance
Any action that potentially breaches Amazon's policies will be treated with the utmost severity. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Leaving prohibited phrases in customer communications.
- Ignoring internal instructions to handle sensitive matters properly.
Violations will result in disciplinary measures under the Zero Tolerance Policy (ZTP), including a formal Warning Letter. Continued breaches could result in further penalties.
Final Note
Customer experience agents must always remain mindful of Amazon’s policies and avoid any communication that may be considered an attempt to manipulate customer reviews, feedback, or claims. Following these guidelines will help safeguard the company’s standing with Amazon and ensure continued success on the platform.
