Is the customer ALWAYS right?

Question

have you been unfairly treated at work by a customer, but had to put up with it because of this principle?

Answer 1

The people that think the customer can be wrong are always those that do not own their own business. They always work for someone and have little invested in the business.

There is a good reason for this rule:

On average a satisfied customer will tell 1 - 3 people about your business and their good experience.

On average a dissatisfied customer will tell 10 about your business and their bad experience.

You don't have to be a Rocket Scientist to see that proving the customer wrong, to satisfy your own ego, will soon be devastating to your business.

One day I heard one of my plumbers bragging, to my Secretary, about how he would tell customers that standing nearby and watching would result in extra charges. I called him into my office and fired him on the spot. If a customer wants to stand and watch, then that is their privilege. Since they are paying for the service, my company works for them.

Answer 2

No, in the real world the customer is not always right. In the business world the customer is always right even if they are lying as soon as they open their mouth. Once you understand this it is a little easier to deal with people. Work for a company that supports your decision making skills as an employee. Do what you know you have to to make the customer happy or just go away without letting your personal emotions get involved. You don't have to be a pushover but be fair and disregard anything nasty they say to you. People that are rude are usually not aiming it at you but if they are you have to learn how to deal with it without messing your professionalism up.

Answer 3

I work in a convenience store. I'm treated like a dumb animal on a daily basis. But I put up with it because its part of the job. Not only do the customers treat me bad the company forces me to work 10 hours a day, no breaks, no lunch, 50 hours a week. No holidays no holiday pay, no insurance. So when you see an add in the news paper for a company with the letters CFM in them don't apply.

Answer 4

I know where you are coming from - As a customer I expect star treatment..I want them to kizz my backside if they want my cash.. But when the shoe is on the other foot - and you are the Business - you have to deal with customers who are just so demanding - like the ones who buy things - use the item for a couple of months and bring it back and demand a new item...(who hasn't done that ?) ..or the old dear who phones up and wants preferential treatment due to fact that she is 65.. You cant win..but we need the customer is always right principle or else dodgy stores & businesses would just rip it..and bump us..

Answer 5

In portraying a positive image of the company, the customer is always right. This does not mean that the sentence is true. The trick is to let the customer who is impossible to deal with yup away and just smile at them. They will feel so stupid they will treat you better. If you keep on interupting them, you will look like you are on the wrong.

Answer 6

Hey Sparkle,

Well that depends:

Yes! If you are the Customer....

No! If you are the Customer Service Agent!

It's that fine line that we all seem to cross. When we are the customer service agent (server, cashier, nurse) we have a tendency to think that the Customer is whacked! When we are the customer, we can't figure out why the agent won't help us!

We should always try to put on the other hat when we are in difficult situations, it might make our lives easier.

Great question!

James in San Diego

Answer 7

The customers seems to think they are, and unfortunately these days people have little or no patience. It is really all the fault of the fast pace we are all living at and then occasionally you get one of those people who are just plain arses no matter what you do. I think the trick of it is to think of the customer as a person who has only half a brain that you really have to pander to as they just don't understand. If you try to remove yourself from the personal side of it and just deal with them and laugh about it later. It is not easy but the bosses will appreciate a person capable of doing this. Oh and just occasionally the customer is right.

Answer 8

We are all imperfect and nobody is always right. The worst thing for a biusiness especially a small business is to have an irate customer at your business. Your goal should always be to make shopping or going to your place of business a pleasant experience so when that person leaves he or she will recommend your place of business to others. Business pay alot of money fior advertisement and stil one of the best advertisements is word of mouth recommendation by a friend. Sometimes we have to just swallow our pride and smile you never know maybe that person had a really bad day and unfortunately they are taking out on you.. I'm sure you are guilty of that yourself and you would be suprised how staying polite and friendly will change a persons attitude. Also the faster you get this person happy the less time you have to spend with them. In other words its not worth the aggrivation or stress to yourself to get upset. It could be worse when I work down at my dads aut shop people treat me with disrespect because they think I'm some bimbo he hired especially the business women. I someetimes just have to call them mam and of course say call my dad, dad in front of them and ther is a personal satisfaction you get from the look of embarassment on their faces because how they treated you and you did not deserve it or stoop to their level.

Answer 9

Customer Service: -
Rule 1 The customer is always right.
Rule 2 When the customer is wrong, reread Rule 1.

Answer 10

Unfortunately some customers use this principle to be totally unpleasant, because the assistants are not in a position to stand up for themseves as they would in a different environment.

Some wouldn't dare otherwise.