Is The Customer Really Always Right?

If you do a quick search on the Internet to answer the question posed at the title of this article you will find yes and no answers. It seems confusing. If your goal is customer satisfaction then shouldn’t the point be to make sure the customer is satisfied? Most would agree yes. Then you take it a step further and ask if the customer should be satisfied at all costs? Then the area begins to gray.

Every company has a goal of customer satisfaction. While every company does not hit that mark, they do strive for it. Businesses provide services or products for customers and if they are not satisfied they may take their business elsewhere. With no customers, companies will not be able to sustain themselves. So where is the happy medium? How much customer service is enough?

When debating if the customer is always right, there is another school of thought: the customer may not always be right, but they are always the customer. With this focus it is easier to see your role as the service/product provider and how best to interact with the customers you encounter.

Here are some ideas:

• First and foremost you should follow the golden rule: treat others how you would like to be treated (or how you treat close friends and family).

• Repeat the customer’s issue back to them to show them that you heard and understood their problem.

• Put yourself in the shoes of the customer. Can you see why they are having a problem?

• Tell them that you will take care of their issue, and if you cannot then you will find someone who can.

• Show the customer that they are important to your business and specifically to you. Reduce/avoid distractions when you are talking with them.

• If the issue cannot be solved quickly then take down their information and let them know when you will be getting back to them. Don’t say “by the end of the week” this is too vague, instead tell them you will call them back in two days, and then call them back in two days.

• If you are working on a project with a deadline and you are not sure you will be able to finish by the deadline, let the client know as soon as possible. Some clients will extend the deadline, or give you some leeway because they will be able to make allowances for the extra time.

There are some customers that you will encounter that no matter what you do they will never be satisfied. If you have exhausted every avenue to remedy the situation and no matter what you’ve done they are not happy, then it will be time to let the customer go. You can thank them for their business and let them know that you do not feel you will be able to adequately service their needs in the future.

Some businesses feel that you must keep the customer no matter what, and do everything humanly possible to keep them happy. What they don’t understand is that the customer begins to take a toll on the business. Not only on the business, but also on everyone that interacts with that customer.

A great way to understand how best to treat the customer is to remember the times when you were a customer. What traits did the staff have that you appreciated? Was there a certain way the store was set up that made it more inviting? What stores will you never shop in again and why? What was your best customer service experience and what was your worst? You can use your insights as a way to guide your interactions with your customers.