The Customer Is Always Right

[Kanewpadle]

Years ago that phrase meant something. These days it's an excuse that people use to get what they want. It's no longer about service. It's about how can I get something for nothing. How can I get one over on you.

I realize that geography has much to do with it. Small town folks are much more willing to provide excellent service and their customers are willing to pay for it.

I deal with difficult people daily. They want what they want and expect me to deliver on their terms only. They are rude, obnoxious, and insulting. I don't take kindly to this type of behavior. And I don't let it slide. I remain professional. I tell them the truth. The facts. And when I tell them NO, they get upset. Now all of the sudden I'm the one that's rude.

I've been called every name in the book. Couple of guys took a swing at me and I've been threatened several times. I take it in stride.

I really feel bad for our receptionist/dispatcher. She is the sweetest little lady. Great on the phone. Professional and knowledgeable. But people, usual men treat her like dirt. Because she's a woman and men think she doesn't know anything. Men have called her the worst of names and hung up on her. Sometimes they make the mistake of walking through front door a day or two later. Then they deal me. And suddenly they're not so tough.

I grew up in a small town. After all the years I've been doing this I still don't understand why people act the way they do. And they are so busy acting stupid that they don't realize that the item they just purchased cost them just a bit more than normal.

I almost always get the last laugh.

Sorry for the rant. Long day today.

 

[gman51]

Rule number one...customer is always right. Rule number two.........see rule number one.
I always thought both those rules were such a crock of feathers. Quite often customers use those rules to trash the employee to management when the employee did nothing wrong except not let the customer rip them off. Remember rule number one. Management often I guess because of rule number one isn't interested in hearing the employees side of what happened.
Until a person works with the public they have no idea how hard dealing with the public can be. Like a training instructor said...if they can steal it from you they will try. I have caught many that tried doing that. Now where is rule number one in that instance?

 

[Sikiguya]

I agree with you a 1000%. My philosophy is the customer is always the customer. They should be treated as such. However, they are not always right.


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[pawngal]

Try being a female in a male dominated profession! My pet peeve is the guy that wants to buy a handgun for his wife/girl friend.

And the guys that brag to me about all the guns they own and how good a shot they are. They usually shut up when I ask them how many .41 mag and .45LC they have. Or I point out the small set of antlers on the wall, I got the deer at 85 yards with a 20ga, 870 with iron sights.

Good thing I wear boots to work most of the time, the BS gets deep!

And I've been called everything in the book that can't be said here.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I worked for a housing company that was a non-profit. To live there and get the subsidized rent, you had to be mentally ill! Some of the customers took this to mean they could do or say anything!

One day a long term resident came to the lobby, and tore the receptionist a new opening, then said that he would rape her and slit her throat! He did this every few months. I found him 2 days later and explained that if he ever did this again I would pound him into the sidewalk, "but I never said this". He threw a minor fit and said I couldn't talk to him like that! I told him "That's the beauty of it!" "What is?" "I never said anything!, The next time you come to the office, remember this little conversation, that we didn't have!"

When I left the company a little over a year later, he had remained a perfect gentleman.

People often don't remember that their Right to Free Speech really means they should remain silent! Or as a mentor of mine use to say, "You are entitled to an opinion you don't express!"

Ivan

 

[vt_shooter]

Dealing with the public is tough work. Even if 90% of people are nice people, the remaining 10% have the ability to ruin a disproportionate chunk of the day.

 

[NYlakesider]

After I retired from my trade union I went to work for a outfit that I delivered to peoples houses.

My new employer questioned me on my philosophy as I never worked with the public. He asked a question and I answered it by replying "the customer is always right--- (a pregnant pause)--- and then I continued with most times."

He laughed and said you will do fine!

 

[Skeet 028]

I had a customer that called about the cost of reloading items. I gave him the price over the phone and told him I would be in the shop at about 3 PM...I was off picking up a couple tons of shot. Well he came to the shop at about noon and since he was known to my wife she provided him with the shot powder etc etc. He told her I had quoted her a dollar a bag of shot less than my quote. She knew the price but he argued with her a bit and rather than argue she agreed to what he said and he even asked for help loading 8 bags of shot. Being a farm gal she complied. He had been a bit nasty. Over the next 5 years he never paid the prevailing price for anything..it was always just a little bit more. The 8 dollars he "saved" that one time literally cost him a few hundred dollars and I also made sure he never bought anything when I wasn't in the shop as If I wasn't there the place was closed...at least to him. Sometimes the customer is wrong even if they don't think so. I am pretty certain he compared prices with some of my other customers he knew. The shooting world is kind of small

 

[glenwolde]

I take "The Customer is Always Right" to mean that a draw goes to the customer. If they had a reasonable point, even if I had a better one, an accomodation was made. But if they refused to debate the problem and stood on "The Customer is Always Right" then we didn't have a problem...because they weren't a customer anymore.

But some people got "trained" to complain. We sometimes offered a discount for minor issues that did not warrant replacement. Guess what? Some customers started looking for things to complain about.

That lost them the right to a discount, we would only replace the unused portion. That never failed to stop it. They paid the same and it ended up being more work for them due to the logistics.

 

[gman51]

A friend and his wife had a tanning salon that his wife managed and worked most of the time. He was going to be working a Saturday and his wife warned him about one woman customer that was a total complainer about anything and everything had an appointment that Saturday.
The friend believed in the rule umber 1 and 2. Well the woman came in and she was ranting about something that was total rubbish. He asked her what her membership cost was. He gave her the membership cost she paid back to her and told her to find another salon to use because she was no longer a member there. She stormed off and wasn't seen again.
I don't believe people are stupid but some can sure act like they are.

 

[Bill Bates]

After 25 years in retail I can say that often the customer is wrong. I've learned that customers that come in with their teeth bared and fighting from the get go are much less likely to get what they want. If they come in meek mild and almost apologetic then they are much more likely to get worked with.

Lastly, the one threat that I hear and wish was true is, "I'll never shop here again!". They always come back no matter how much you wish they didn't.

 

[gman51]

Where I last worked we had two customers that when they came in our counter sales people went into hiding. Whomever didn't run got stuck waiting on them. They both always had BO so bad that it made your nose hairs curl up.
I so wanted to tell one about it but I figured she might complain that I was being rude so I didn't say anything to either of them. Customers have a right to stink I guess.

 

[pawncop]

More and more customer service is being replaced with customer appeasement.

We are seeing the effects of our entitlement culture in our everyday life experiences.

Customer satisfaction ratings are having a horrible impact in emergency medicine because they are penalized if they do what is needed, not what the customer wants.

I have been in a situation where we (our ER team) literally saved a life and were chastised because we did not get a blanket.

It is only going to get worse.

 

[Grayfox]

Try being a City Employee. If I had a nickle for every time some irate citizen said "I pay your salary! You work for me!"

Another thing that bothers me is a person who is rude or demanding to the servers at restaurants. They don't fix your food and they have no control over how long it takes. They're just trying to do their job.
If you're single and your date is rude to the waitress, dump them right then. If that person will act like that to a stranger, imagine what they're like when the get to know you.

 

[mtgianni]

I believe a business should be like a three legged stool. They need to have a balance between the owners/shareholders, the customers and the employees. If you neglect any of those three you will fall over.

 

[67tempest]

I've worked in the automotive service business my entire career. Had a customer who had never had his vehicle in the dealership before walk into my office with his wife saying he had a problem with his vehicle. I asked him to sit down so we could discuss it and his wife took off running. When I asked him why his wife took off, he replied that she doesn't like to be around when he started screaming. I explained to him that if he intended to start screaming he should leave right now and never come back. Told him that if he wanted to have a civil conversation regarding the issue he had with his vehicle I would be happy to do what I could for him.

He never screamed, we had a pleasant conversation and he became a regular customer at the dealership. I believe that a lot of these people believe that screaming is the only way they are going to get taken care of. You need to let them know as soon as they start that you won't tolerate that behavior and be willing to toss them out if they persist.

 

[Old Seabee]

Hook

My son is running a third generation auto repair garage that being said . I am here to help you .
My Dad lived by a saying called the hook , it goes a customer comes in with a problem if I accept his problem then he no longer has a problem and I cannot help them when they no longer have a problem.
When you work for the public after a while you can sense who's going to be a problem.
Cut it short or you will go from over the barrel to in it .

 

[The Big D]

Once had a guy say that to me...

...and replied: 'You cheap *******.!'

Be safe.

Try being a City Employee. If I had a nickle for every time some irate citizen said "I pay your salary! You work for me!" :rolleyes
...

 

[RobertJ.]

Quite obviously, a customer came up with that little gem!

I worked in restaurants for years, and will state from experience (as most people who have worked in the service industry can) that the customer is rarely right. However, it's something we had to live with.

In the service industry, I can think of one major exception to "the customer is always right"...

In a bar, the bartender is always right!

 

[GB]

"The customer is always right!" BUT "I get to decide who is a customer." A quote from a lady that used to manage a business in my town. She had no problems in 86ing anyone who chose to act stupid.