Is the customer "always" right?

[Location114]

So I work in a customer focused role and one question I would like to ask is the customer always right?

 

What I mean is if a customer was to complain and the complaint wasn't justified but you had the authority to over ride the legal obligation to the customer should you give the customer what they want or stick with what the law says you have to offer if that is what you feel is appropriate.

 

Basically as I said i work in a customer focused role and like any company we do get complaints now most of the customers will see both sides of the fence and work with you but some will not and they seem to believe they can bully the company to get what they want wether or not it is something they are legally obliged to.

 

Now I will work with any customers and will never fob anyone off but alot of customers seem to ask for something we cannot provide and when i advise i am unable to fill that request they will start quoting all sorts of rulings, and acts, etc now alot of companies i have worked with will instantly back down even if they have a plausible case that the customer is not being reasonable however i will not i will always be fair but i will not be bullied.

[WeX]

The customer is always right except when they are wrong and they are wrong most of the time.

 

I'm my experience a lot of customers who complain are ill informed cry babies who want more then they pay for. They will treat you with utmost contempt but demand total respect and courtesy from you. Never tell a customer No as many will translate that into being rude and complain.

 

I tell customers the truth and sometimes they don't like it, but I am never rude or discourteous to them. If they are wrong, they are told they are wrong. If they are asking for something we do not provide and are not contractually obliged to provide, I tell them. Over the years I have had my conversations with customers reviewed because of complaints. Not once has a complaint been upheld.

 

If you stick to the truth and don’t fob people off, are courteous and helpful you can never be seen as doing a bad job. Unless you work for some dodgy company and if they don’t like you telling people the truth and you are reprimanded for it. You can take them to an industrial tribunal and sue their ass off.

[PeteMorris]

No, the customer is most definitely not always right. The problem, and if you like, the tightrope that has to be walked is, you have to make them 'feel' like they are right, even if you have to be a bit slippery to do this!

 

However, some people are just plain obnoxious, and there's nothing you can do in that case. Personally, if someone's nice to me then I reciprocate, but if they're being deliberately obnoxious then I can'turn in Mr Obnoxious too!

[barleycorn]

If the customer is right and being polite about their complaint then give them what they are entitled too plus maybe an additional good will gesture.

If the customer is right and being an arse about it give them what they are entitled too.

If the customer is wrong and being polite about their complaint then some form of good wll gesture may be in order.

If the customer is wrong and being an arse about it then tell them to **** off.

 

jb

[Mr Bloke]

If the customer is right and being polite about their complaint then give them what they are entitled too plus maybe an additional good will gesture.

If the customer is right and being an arse about it give them what they are entitled too.

If the customer is wrong and being polite about their complaint then some form of good wll gesture may be in order.

If the customer is wrong and being an arse about it then tell them to **** off.

 

jb

Well that's quite eloquently put this thread to bed .... next one please!

[NightFlight]

If the customer is right and being polite about their complaint then give them what they are entitled too plus maybe an additional good will gesture.

If the customer is right and being an arse about it give them what they are entitled too.

If the customer is wrong and being polite about their complaint then some form of good wll gesture may be in order.

If the customer is wrong and being an arse about it then tell them to **** off.

 

^This. Otherwise known as the common sense approach.

 

But with regard to the original question, no, the customer is not always right and assuming the customer is randomly selected from the general population, is probably an idiot.

[WeX]

I still laugh at this from time to time:

 

 

Please not this link is to Youtube and has no age restrictions but it does contain some bad language.

[Badlittlepup]

You have to stand by your staff sometimes, if you know they've done nothing wrong and have taken a load of **** off a customer who is now demanding something over the odds I wouldn't give it.

 

If they were being polite but firm, maybe give them what they were after, but if they're giving staff unjustifiable crap then don't do it, don't let them think it pays, it gives your staff the message that you don't respect them.

[medusa]

If the customer is right and being polite about their complaint then give them what they are entitled too plus maybe an additional good will gesture.

If the customer is right and being an arse about it give them what they are entitled too.

If the customer is wrong and being polite about their complaint then some form of good wll gesture may be in order.

If the customer is wrong and being an arse about it then tell them to **** off.

 

jb

 

^^^What he says.

 

It also comes down to customer history. If someone is a bit of a git but spends hundreds in your store every month then it's worth putting up with a bit of a pain in the bum to keep their business, but most of the time there are far worse things than losing a single customer.

 

I'm a customer who believes in voting with my feet if things aren't resolved adequately and whilst I will remain respectful and polite with any problem, I'm not prepared to be messed around when it's clear that something is their problem and not mine.

[Location114]

Thanks for all your answers its been an interesting read basically some of work colleagues do not like my approach.

 

The way I work is if a customer comes in and is polite and pleasant i will do everything I can to give them the best possible outcome however if the customer comes in being really obnoxious telling me what I have to do according to which law they will quickly see that this approach has not worked this time.

 

I do believe as a colleague it is my duty to try and make all customers happy but I do not believe it is my job to be bullied by obnoxious people.

 

I work in the same respect I use when in other stores because I find it much more successful.

 

I go in and politely explain my problem I wait for there response and then no matter what the response is I will come to a suitable arrangement with the store. Ie if they say no cash refund ok no problems can I have credit note?.

 

I have never had any issues taking anything back it really is true when they say politeness goes a long way.