Comments on: Top 5 reasons why “The Customer Is Always Right” is wrong http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/ Make Yourself and Your Business Happy At Work Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:56:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: The DO’s and DON’TS of dining out « lakeviewlady http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-259979 The DO’s and DON’TS of dining out « lakeviewlady Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:44:27 +0000 http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-259979 [...] We know the old sane, “A costumer is always right,” but it doesn’t mean you can be a JERK! Just becuase your suppose to right, [...] [...] We know the old sane, “A costumer is always right,” but it doesn’t mean you can be a JERK! Just becuase your suppose to right, [...]

]]> By: Brad http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-259459 Brad Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:13:22 +0000 http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-259459 For all those above who think that 1st amendment rights of freedom of speech trump FAA rules, you are mistaken. "Freedom of speech" does not mean "freedom from responsibility." Just as one would be held accountable for the injuries and deaths associated with yelling "fire" in a crowded theater, the man and son with the hate speech on their clothing must take responsibility for their actions (of discomforting other passengers, not following the wishes of the flight attendant, etc.) The results of shouting "fire" in the movie house may end up being imprisonment. The father and son were lucky the results of their actions were only being ejected from a plane; they could have had the crap beaten out of them by fellow passengers. In other words, you are free to call Mike Tyson a "stupid ugly moron" to his face, but expect the consequences of a major pummeling in return. Companies have a right to refuse business to anyone (even if it is detrimental to business). The point of this article is companies *should* refuse to do business with customers that are unprofitable. For all those above who think that 1st amendment rights of freedom of speech trump FAA rules, you are mistaken. “Freedom of speech” does not mean “freedom from responsibility.” Just as one would be held accountable for the injuries and deaths associated with yelling “fire” in a crowded theater, the man and son with the hate speech on their clothing must take responsibility for their actions (of discomforting other passengers, not following the wishes of the flight attendant, etc.) The results of shouting “fire” in the movie house may end up being imprisonment. The father and son were lucky the results of their actions were only being ejected from a plane; they could have had the crap beaten out of them by fellow passengers. In other words, you are free to call Mike Tyson a “stupid ugly moron” to his face, but expect the consequences of a major pummeling in return.

Companies have a right to refuse business to anyone (even if it is detrimental to business). The point of this article is companies *should* refuse to do business with customers that are unprofitable.

]]> By: aaron http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-259386 aaron Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:28:26 +0000 http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-259386 one of the first things that i was taught in customer service is to never be afraid to "fire" a customer. i work in the bar and restaurant business and you get a lot of customers who try and take advantage of you and take up too much time, which is better served helping others. one of the first things that i was taught in customer service is to never be afraid to “fire” a customer. i work in the bar and restaurant business and you get a lot of customers who try and take advantage of you and take up too much time, which is better served helping others.

]]> By: Book Review: Malled: My Unintentional Career in Retail by Caitlin Kelly | The Peter Principle http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-259094 Book Review: Malled: My Unintentional Career in Retail by Caitlin Kelly | The Peter Principle Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:15:50 +0000 http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-259094 [...] and a message is communicated that it is ok to treat them however we choose. The article “Top 5 Reasons Why ‘The Customer Is Always Right’ Is Wrong” by ‘Chief Happiness Officer’ Alexander Kjerulf highlights that the “customer is [...] [...] and a message is communicated that it is ok to treat them however we choose. The article “Top 5 Reasons Why ‘The Customer Is Always Right’ Is Wrong” by ‘Chief Happiness Officer’ Alexander Kjerulf highlights that the “customer is [...]

]]> By: XonImmortal http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-258211 XonImmortal Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:44:13 +0000 http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-258211 @yogesh 1) Call the police to have the two non-paying gentlemen arrested. They are not customers. Customers pay for what they get. 2) While the police are hand-cuffing the two non-paying gentlemen, announce to the rest of the diners, "Our apologies for the disturbance, folks, somebody thought our food was so good they had to steal it." Everybody repeat after me: People who steal are not customers. It's time we start remembering that. @yogesh

1) Call the police to have the two non-paying gentlemen arrested. They are not customers. Customers pay for what they get.

2) While the police are hand-cuffing the two non-paying gentlemen, announce to the rest of the diners, “Our apologies for the disturbance, folks, somebody thought our food was so good they had to steal it.”

Everybody repeat after me: People who steal are not customers.

It’s time we start remembering that.

]]> By: yogesh http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-258138 yogesh Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:03:18 +0000 http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-258138 Two gentlemen came to the restaurant under the influence of alcohol, they ordered a lot of food and had it. When they were to settle the bill they did not have money to pay. One of the gentlemen gave the credit card that unfortunately declined. He started arguing with the manager and said that their credit card machine is not working properly and that there should be no reason why his credit card should decline. Both of them did not have money to settle the bill. Keeping them in view of guests was not a good idea as they were creating a scene at peak business hour - dinner time. What would you do if you were the Manager with this situation to handle? Two gentlemen came to the restaurant under the influence of alcohol, they ordered a lot of food and had it. When they were to settle the bill they did not have money to pay. One of the gentlemen gave the credit card that unfortunately declined. He started arguing with the manager and said that their credit card machine is not working properly and that there should be no reason why his credit card should decline. Both of them did not have money to settle the bill. Keeping them in view of guests was not a good idea as they were creating a scene at peak business hour – dinner time.

What would you do if you were the Manager with this situation to handle?

]]> By: Frank Bowes http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-258058 Frank Bowes Sat, 19 Nov 2011 01:55:53 +0000 http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-258058 Haha, I wrote a similar article today. The trends I witnessed as a customer service manager spoke for themselves - the customer who believes they are always right, will milk you for everything you are worth. On my last day with a big multi-national company an agent asked me to take a complaint call. The customer called her stupid because she didn't immediately resolve her problem. The business was IT related, incidentally. So I took the call and the first thing I asked was, "What are your qualifications in IT?" The customer replied, "I don't have any." So I went on to chew them out for about ten minutes, asking them what qualified them to make such a brash statement, considering they had no formal IT qualifications. Needless to say the customer was stunned into silence - oh, and the agent was very appreciative of the support. Haha, I wrote a similar article today. The trends I witnessed as a customer service manager spoke for themselves – the customer who believes they are always right, will milk you for everything you are worth. On my last day with a big multi-national company an agent asked me to take a complaint call. The customer called her stupid because she didn’t immediately resolve her problem. The business was IT related, incidentally. So I took the call and the first thing I asked was, “What are your qualifications in IT?” The customer replied, “I don’t have any.” So I went on to chew them out for about ten minutes, asking them what qualified them to make such a brash statement, considering they had no formal IT qualifications. Needless to say the customer was stunned into silence – oh, and the agent was very appreciative of the support.

]]> By: Chelsea http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-257994 Chelsea Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:31:19 +0000 http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-257994 This article is such a breath of fresh air and poignant in regards to my current work environment. I work in property management, and often have to endure the onslaught of abuse from unreasonable, rude, and demanding tenants. Yesterday, due to a complaint about my customer service, I had to sit in on this meeting with the disgruntled tenant and my supervisor. The tenant was given the podium and proceeded to personally attack me, make up lies about the way in which I spoke to her, and attributed my "attitude and disrespect" to me "being an arrogant young person who must be on her period." I had to emotionally restrain myself throughout the meeting while my supervisor made me sit in the dunce chair, unable to comment on the situation. My supervisor essentially enabled that woman's false sense of entitlement and awful behavior. Needless to say, I'm shopping for a better job! If If I knew that constant customer absue was a part of this job when I applied, I would have at least asked for health insurance! This article is such a breath of fresh air and poignant in regards to my current work environment. I work in property management, and often have to endure the onslaught of abuse from unreasonable, rude, and demanding tenants. Yesterday, due to a complaint about my customer service, I had to sit in on this meeting with the disgruntled tenant and my supervisor. The tenant was given the podium and proceeded to personally attack me, make up lies about the way in which I spoke to her, and attributed my “attitude and disrespect” to me “being an arrogant young person who must be on her period.” I had to emotionally restrain myself throughout the meeting while my supervisor made me sit in the dunce chair, unable to comment on the situation. My supervisor essentially enabled that woman’s false sense of entitlement and awful behavior. Needless to say, I’m shopping for a better job! If If I knew that constant customer absue was a part of this job when I applied, I would have at least asked for health insurance!

]]> By: FOTM hater http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-257990 FOTM hater Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:53:15 +0000 http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-257990 FOTM is sleeping with the "boss" >> Easy to burn both of them if you ask me. Get a little imaginative, and come up with some good blackmail material, they'll fall right into line after that. If you think this kinda stuff only happens in the movies, you'd be 100% wrong, and from what you wrote, I can almost gurantee they have "something" going on. Maybe they're both a little too ambitious?! Whatever the case, bust them with some hidden cam or something, send them both a discrete email from an anonymous email account with a clip of the video, and tell them both too cool it on EVERYONE (so they don't know who sent it), or the video just may end up in their superiors hands, or better yet, on youtube! That may work... Actually, it will! FOTM is sleeping with the “boss” >> Easy to burn both of them if you ask me. Get a little imaginative, and come up with some good blackmail material, they’ll fall right into line after that.

If you think this kinda stuff only happens in the movies, you’d be 100% wrong, and from what you wrote, I can almost gurantee they have “something” going on. Maybe they’re both a little too ambitious?! Whatever the case, bust them with some hidden cam or something, send them both a discrete email from an anonymous email account with a clip of the video, and tell them both too cool it on EVERYONE (so they don’t know who sent it), or the video just may end up in their superiors hands, or better yet, on youtube!

That may work… Actually, it will!

]]> By: Deborah http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-257844 Deborah Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:42:54 +0000 http://positivesharing.com/2006/07/why-the-customer-is-always-right-results-in-bad-customer-service/#comment-257844 Our new director now has his newest flavor-of-the (FOTM) month spying on me. She's came up behind me a few times when I'm on the computer and cranes her neck to see what I'm doing. All she's seen is spreadsheets and business related databases since I do not screw around at work but this is really ticking me off. FOTM has been a manager since August, I've been a manager for 25 years, my reviews have been excellent and I resent the implication that I'm a slacker since I generate good will in my community, give excellent service and have an excellent reputation in my field. The director has shown active hostility toward my fellow fossils--three of us in the office who have been there almost as long as me--and wants a hip organization. FOTM and the director are always in closed door meetings, going out to lunch and attending conferences together. FOTM is a sly lass who has already canned a subordinate after FOTM went dumpster diving in the company trash and found an unfiled invoice. I now feel like I'm in hell here but realize that the director is ambitious and won't be here long and FOTM will reap what she sows. In the meantime, any suggestions of how I can control myself enough not to wack FOTM in the eye. Anyone? Our new director now has his newest flavor-of-the (FOTM) month spying on me. She’s came up behind me a few times when I’m on the computer and cranes her neck to see what I’m doing. All she’s seen is spreadsheets and business related databases since I do not screw around at work but this is really ticking me off. FOTM has been a manager since August, I’ve been a manager for 25 years, my reviews have been excellent and I resent the implication that I’m a slacker since I generate good will in my community, give excellent service and have an excellent reputation in my field. The director has shown active hostility toward my fellow fossils–three of us in the office who have been there almost as long as me–and wants a hip organization. FOTM and the director are always in closed door meetings, going out to lunch and attending conferences together. FOTM is a sly lass who has already canned a subordinate after FOTM went dumpster diving in the company trash and found an unfiled invoice. I now feel like I’m in hell here but realize that the director is ambitious and won’t be here long and FOTM will reap what she sows. In the meantime, any suggestions of how I can control myself enough not to wack FOTM in the eye. Anyone?

]]>