The motto “the customer is always right” was popularized by
retail pioneers Harry G. Selfridge, John Wanamaker and Marshall Field. It is a
phrase that irritates me to the bone because the customer isn’t always right. It
is a phrase that customer have used as the basis to walk into a business
demanding whatever they wish regardless of cost or ability to fulfill a
request. As early as 1914, there have been challenges to this statement and how
it is bad for business. In my retail experience, I’ve seen and heard customer
try and weasel their way to discounts or free items. I have three reasons why
this phrase should no longer be used: dishonesty, unrealistic expectations and
lowering employee morale.
First, customers can be dishonest. Some customers come in causing
a situation in order to get something discounted or even free. I’ve had
customers tell me that store X or store Y will fulfill a request, why can’t
you? Or store X has this so much cheaper, can you price match? This is usually
a ploy to get the employee to panic, thinking “I’ll lose this customer to
another store if I can’t make this happen.” It usually does not. I’ve seen
customers come in time and time again after swearing up and down that they
would never shop at a my store because we could not do what they wanted. I’ve
made such a claim better, when I’ve said that I would never shop or eat at a
business again, and I’ve kept that promise. I can name a few stores or restaurant
where my husband and I have not gone to for years because we were upset at our
experience.
Second, customer can have unrealistic expectations. I’ve had
customers come in with an agenda, determined to get something for nothing. For
instance, I used to work for a bakery and cakes can be pricy when you add all
the bells and whistles. For my bakery, there were some things we could not do
with cake because we did not have the equipment or the space especially when a
customer comes in wanting something seen on Ace of Cakes or the Cake Boss. One
customer came in with a ridiculous request that I apologize and told her that
we were not able to do. The style of cakes done on these shows take a great
deal of talent, planning and design that a simple in-store bakery just doesn’t
have. In most instances, the cake decorators have only on-the-job training and
did not go to a special school in order to decorate cakes.
Finally, it can hurt employee morale when managers
consistently bend the rules for customers because they are so afraid of losing
customers. They make the employee look like a fool when he or she was simply
following company policy. I’m not talking about customer who have legitimate
complaints or concerns. I’m talking about the customers who walk in the door
and you know will be trouble. Situations that make you feel like an idiot. An
employee is simple trying to follow company policy, as trained. It felt like if
the management doesn’t care about the corporate policy, then why should I? Now
imagine situations like this happening day-in and day-out. It can get very
draining that I understand why some employees simply stop caring about the job,
about the customers and about the business.
In conclusion, customer service is extremely important.
Happy customers mean better business and possibly more business because word of
mouth is important. However, there are customers who are so dishonest and have
an agenda that nothing, short of giving them something for free, will make them
happy. Keeping the customer happy does not mean allowing the employees to be
walked all over in order please one customer. A good management team should be
able to recognize when the customer is being dishonest for their gain as well
as being able to stand up and say “I’m sorry I can’t fulfill that request.” I
think the most important thing to remember is high employee morale equals good
customer service equals happy customers.
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