If you have ever worked in the customer service line, you must have come across the famous saying, “The customer is always right”. The whole idea that the customer is always right is in all honesty, outdated.©
We need to get out of it and stop treating customer service agents in a demeaning way, just because everyone thinks the customer is always right. In fact, many businesses use the slogan to keep their customer service employees under constant pressure.
The one thing we love about Xfinity’s customer service is that if their internet connection is fine and yet a frustrated customer calls in, they know how to handle it without being quick to blame their connection. You can call Xfinity’s phone number today to see it for yourself!
In other words, “the customer is always right” should not be taken quite literally. Of course, it makes sense to say that the customer is always right, because, after all, they are the ones that bring business to you.
With their purchases, you get to pay your employees and create a brand name for your businesses. So, in a way, it does make sense to want to keep your customers happy. However, in the long term, the mindset of the customer is always right and is going to bring more harm than good to your business.
Therefore, in this article, we will be sharing four good reasons why the customer is not always right. Let’s get started!
It Should Not Be Taken Literally
There are one too many customer service philosophies, with most of them being untrue and rather ridiculous. The saying “the customer is always right”, was never meant to be taken literally.
In fact, it was a way for employees to understand that every customer has the right to share their unhappiness, and it is their duty as customer service agents, to show empathy and understanding towards them.
However, because of the highly advanced digital world we are living in, customers have more authority and power today. Customers have more choices today, so they don’t have to stick with your business if it makes them unhappy.
Therefore, if a customer is in the wrong, and unhappy, you don’t have to pressure yourself to please them out of the way, because the customer does not always have to be right.
It Discourages the Team
When the management keeps emphasizing the fact that customers can simply never be in the wrong, it puts the team of customer service representatives under pressure and in a rather awkward position.
This further discourages the team and frustrates them, because they will always worry about having to apologize for every little convenience the customer faces. In the long run, employees will eventually leave the company because it demoralizes them.
It is important to understand that even customer service reps have feelings and self-respect. It is unfair to always tell them that no matter how ridiculous a customer sounds, they are never in the wrong.
Leads Team to Failure
Let’s be real. Just because there’s a saying “The customer is always right”, it does make it true. Believe it or not, sometimes customers are just wrong. It makes it essential for businesses to train their employees on how to deal with such customers.
If there was no mistake on your side of service, taking accountability for it only sets unrealistic expectations. These unrealistic expectations simply lead teams towards failure. This is something no business wants.
For instance, if a customer comes in with a product they had purchased, does not like the quality, and demands a refund, the first thing a business might consider is to refund the unhappy customer.
However, although this might look like exceptional customer service, it only leads to more problems in the future. Will losing the customer be a huge revenue loss? Will it affect your job? It is important to consider these questions when a customer demands something that is not your fault.
Customer Opinion Does Not Always Affect the Business
Customer opinions do in a lot of ways affect a business and its reputation. That said, some customer’s opinions will not affect your business as it might not be the very best thing for your brand.
You might be making changes that will benefit your customers in the long run, but some customers might not agree with it. What matters is that you genuinely know that these changes will be of advantage to your customers.
Therefore, even if some customers make noise about the fact that these changes will not benefit them now, you need to remember that you are planning for the future.
All in All
The saying “The customer is always right” will remain for a long time. But that does not mean you need to put pressure on your employees, as it’s not always going to be true. Therefore, if you want the best for your business and its employees, we hope you agree with the four reasons we shared above, about why the customer is not always right.
