Do You Think The Customer Is Always Right?

Question

I asked this previously but wanted to ask again in a diffrent way.
While 95% of the people I deal with are fair and reasonable, there is always those few who are not happy no matter what.
I'm not talking about someone with a valid complaint. Those I love because they help, not hurt by bringing it to my attention.
I think everyone in customer service has had them though. They get personal with you or your employees. They want something for nothing. Or maybe just like creating drama.
One time it got so bad I asked one customer to please take their business elsewere.
So I say the customer is almost always right. What say you?

The phrase “The customer is always right” was originally coined by Harry Gordon Selfridge, the founder of Selfridge’s department store in London in 1909.
Source: Don Burleson of Burleson Consulting

Answer 1

The customer is not always right.
People are different with different motives. Some have good motives for a complaint and some bad or wishing to take advantage of a business. You dont need the latter. If you keep these bilkers, it set you up for failure. Because the work gets out and you get more wishing to take advantage of you.

It happended to us in our first business a Convenience Store/Liquor Store. They saw a weekness in my husband because he is a lover of people and wishes to thing the best of everyone. They dove in and tried to bilk him at every possible point. And with time it only got worse.

They not only asked for credit (not credit cards but actual credit tab with no coladeral). He gave it freely and we got burned. Then they started using our business as a Pawn Shop. They would bring in every concievable piece of junk equipment and have my husband hold it while they got credit. Most of it was junk that was not even working. Do you think they ever paid us back for the money they owed no. They wanted more.

Finally, I put my foot down. I said no over and over. Little did that help, they waited until I was off work to see the boss, my husband. We lost thousands of dollars over the ten years there.
And we worked very hard and long hours for our money. My husband started getting harder and realizing not all customers were good. It took many years but he got the picture.

Is the customer allways right? No. And we should treat each incident separately. View each one and take action on the value of the complaint.
It is far better to send some customers walking that ruin your business. Keep those that are loyal and respect your business.

Answer 2

No Not always. It does take a skilled c.s. rep to be able to talk a customer down to keep them calm. If you never raise your voice even when they are this will hopefully bring them down a notch.

Some know the game of manipulation and control and when you try to calm them down they get even more bent out of shape.

The only thing that is a constant here is if you just don't let them bother you and make sure you are doing what is rght for your job and the company. Yes you are the first line of defense but play the game your way and from what I can tell you are. You seem to very pleasant with the customers . So don't let the rotten ones bring you down. You are doing the right thing. Just make sure you have all the confidence in the world in your abilities and you'll do fine.

Sometimes they are wrong and they are being even more wrong when they attack you personally. Just don't react to it and keep being the nice person you are. You do the right thing.

Answer 3

there are a lot of customers out there like this, and I'm not sure what there problem is. It's probably because they know the saying "the customers always right" and they think they can get whatever they want. At the same time customers do pay our paychecks. Without them (customers) the company we are working for wouldn't be able to continue their services.
Another thing I learned is to smile back at them, be friendly and courteous. That ticks them off more than anything. And the next time you see that customer it wont be a bad experience at all. Good luck.

Answer 4

Almost always sounds reasonable. But you also have to consider from a business stand point...regardless how much drama and/or how wrong that customer is. If that customer leaves unhappy for something that could've been remedied (even if the customer was at fault)..you might as well try your best to make them happy. if it's reasonable..why? because that customer will leave unhappy..making you lose business from that customer, in addition that customer if unhappy enough, will tell their friends and family, who will tell their friends and family...and then you lose lots and lots of potential business if only you could've just done such and such.
Then again many managers will weight out..how badly is this customer and their potential network for business needed? and then the manager usually decides to attempt to remedy the situation, or say sorry..we REFUSE YOUR BUSINESS...some people are just B*tches or @$$HOLES but, others are just having a bad day..most people can understand. I assume you work customer service, it's your job description, just work and be happy :).
~G

Answer 5

I am the manager and buyer for a boutique in a very affluent area near San Francisco...and the customer is definitley NOT always right!!! Don't get me wrong, I love my customers who are nice great people and like you, love to help those who really have a problem, however there are so many women (I deal mostly with women customers as it is a women's store) in this area who think they are better than everyone because of how much money they have, even if they are not spending it at our store.There are just some people out there who are mean, and they take it out by creating unnecesary scenes in public about some issue they create. So no, the customer is not always right.

Answer 6

While you are in the business of dealing with customers, you are always going to have that small percentage, that no matter what you do for them, you will not be able too please them, you were probably justified in telling the one customer to take their business elsewhere, sometimes there is no other choice.
When doing business, you can not do personal favors, if it is your own business, that is your livelihood and your means of making money, there are some FRIENDS out there who will take advantage of you just the same,of course you don't want those kind of friends hanging around.

Answer 7

The customer is not always right. I work in a small, rural vet clinic, and though the vet is a shy man who strongly dislikes conflict, he has banned some people from the practice; either they won`t pay or they are consistently difficult, or they don`t follow treatment plans and bring the animal back repeatedly with the same problem or he suspects they mistreat the animal (in which case he also reports them to the authorities). He will not deal with people who are rude and nasty to the staff.

Sorry for the run-on sentence.

Answer 8

The customer IS almost always right!
But, as you surely already know, we must always operate under the premise that the customer is always right, it is considered good business practice.
Another good business practice is knowing when to cut your losses. Every once in a while, as you've stated [kinda] we all get that customer who just isn't worth it to the cause [business]. Either by the virtue of "freebies" to appease, or lost productivity, that customer can and will cost the company money. Sometimes just the aggravation of dealing with certain people just isn't worth it. I say our customers are our bread and butter, and should be treated as such, but we still have the right to choose the customers who are right for us.

Answer 9

As a customer service representative on "the front lines," I can assure you that the customer is not always right. But a good salesperson never lets them know that. Instead, take the opportunity to teach them something they didn't know. It may take a few minutes, but in the long run, you'll gain a loyal customer.

Answer 10

They are defiantly not always right. A lot of times they are in bad moods and they take it out on anyone that comes in contact with them. Best thing to do is smile and be nice, and remember its not you that they are really mad at, just try and give them the best service and that is all you can do.