We’ve all heard of this phrase before. “The customer is always right,” I beg to differ.
I won’t disclose any personal information about myself but I will tell you this. I had a customer come into my workplace asking about a promotional deal that we supposedly have. I was unsure of how to answer that so then I asked my manager who was at the back of the store. She came out and asked the man what his question was. He rudely said, “She didn’t ask you,” referring to me. Already at this point, the man was giving off really negative vibes. He then proceeds to get angry because we were asking him to repeat his question and my manager was trying her best to answer his question. Mind you, he wasn’t speaking to just one of my team members, but to my manager. Not only does he have his voice raised unnecessarily, he then pulls out his phone to record and told us he was going to get us all fired because we couldn’t do our job correctly. Just before he left, he shouted, “Good luck making your $10 an hour!”
So… is the customer still always right?
In this situation, it was very unnecessary for him to pull out his phone and yell at us. But that’s just my opinion. He could’ve simply asked the question and leave.
I understand that as employees, we should do our best to give our guests what they need. Some people tend to forget that we are humans and probably won’t do everything perfectly.
Here are some gentle reminders when you encounter someone working in customer service:
1. Be Polite
We are all human beings. Those who work in customer service, like me, may make mistakes. Don’t belittle someone when that happens, but instead bring that to their attention so that they can fix it. Being respectful also never hurts anyone.
2. Show Kindness
You never know what another person is going through. Everyone has a battle that they are facing behind closed doors so it’s important to always treat others with kindness.
3. Acknowledge Their Assistance
Whether someone is ringing up your purchase or making your food, it’s important that you acknowledge their work when you get the chance. In my opinion, it makes my day so much better when someone says “thank you” or “have a great day.”
Many people may have different opinions about whether the customer is always right or not. It would totally depend on the situation. Regardless of that overused statement, as human beings, we should always treat each other with respect no matter where we go.