A Customer Is Always Right. Do You Agree With This Statement?

Nope. I was always taught that the customer is ALWAYS right. after working with customers for over 15 years I can tell you that they are NOT always right.

How about this?

The customer always THINKS they are right.

Years and years of sales and customer service roles taught be to bite my tongue, nod in the right places and then gently bend the customer's thoughts where needed.

The customer is always right...until they're wrong.

Customers are often not right, but you can learn a lot
more from unhappy customers than happy ones.

I've attended well over 11 customer service seminar / workshops in my lifetime and not once has any of the expert panel of speakers ever said the customer is always right.

Like Big Mike stated, the customer is always the customer. Though sometimes you have to fire the really unruly ones.

RoD "My-Coffee-Beans-Are-Always-Right!" Cortez

Here's another one...

the customer has the right to THINK they are right.

I like BigMike's one best though - it is too true. If a customer is paying you for a service, it is up to you to provide that service. If the customer is an ass, and it's within you to let that fly over your head, do so - and learn more about the customer, as it might turn them into the kind of customer you dream of.

Best to try hard to solve their problems

It is difficult to repair your damaged reputation

When a customer is been nasty and repeats this behavior ... try to end the conversation and relationship ASAP

Life is too short for a lot of stress

Best Regards

Customer is not always right for sure, but you need to find solution to avoid problems..

Those that say the customer is always right are the ones that don't deal with the customer. They just see profit margins

I own and run all aspects of my business and I've fired a few customers lol

travis

Burger King has already said it all - Have It Your Way.

Am sorry to dissappoint you but if you really want to make some money you have got to allow the customer **** on your face and what are you gona do - say sorry ofcourse for a crime you never commit.

Thou i hate to admit this, the quest for money has made use lose our pride. So be it.

Sometimes it might pay you NOT to get that customer.

For example I had one potential customer who insisted that I give him free services as he needed proof what I was offering would work for him. I explained that I have several customers in related industries (giving examples) and that's proof enough that it works. Demanding a free service (which would have cost me many hundreds of euro to demonstrate for him) was not something I was prepared to do. Of course there was the promise of bigger and more work etc but I had to make the call that if this is how I am being treated from the start then this is one customer I could do without.

Every customer has the right to conduct business in a manner which they feel works for them, but for me I build relationships and for that to happen we both have to be happy or both get a mutual benefit. So for me the customer is not always right, but is entitled to conduct affairs as they deem fit which may or may not work for me.

I am a writer, and no, I do not agree. I have the ability to say "no" to people if they are becoming overly complex because of the market (lots of customers).

Thanks.

A customer is always right until he hits the refund button.

Yes, its a very salesman approach. But it works.

I dont think that this statement is 100% true all the time. Its a way to remind you as a business owner to respect your customers, without them you would be out of business. There are ways to make a customer feel as if they are right without giving them everything they need or want. This is all part of being in the customer service business, if you dont like it, get out!

That's funny, here in the USA I usually hear that from customers that want me to do something I don't want to do. About the only ones who ever say it are customers that want something besides what they have.

"I know I bought this three years ago and it looks like I dragged it here behind my truck, but I want a refund and the customer is always right..."

"I know I ate all but a few bites of this dinner, but I think you should comp it for me because I'm the customer and the customer is always right..."

I've never heard that line from a happy customer.

My wife works at WalMart. After a few months, they promoted her to working the Customer Service desk. A couple of months later, she asked to move back to cashier due to the number of nasty "customers" who took things out on her. Most of them pulled out the "customer is always right" line and then got abusive. The same people turned meek as lambs when faced with a manager or supervisor. So easy to bark at someone when you know they can't bark back, much less bite.

Over the years, I've found I get a better class of customers when I hear them out, stand my ground, and try to work out a reasonable solution. Maybe all it takes is an explanation. Maybe a refund or adjustment. And sometimes it's an agreement that someone else may meet their needs better.

Sometimes the customer is right and I'm wrong. I can't prove it, but I've been told it has happened a couple of times...

No they are not always right

Just let your customer think they are right while you know they are wrong, enjoy that inner knowledge.

you know what? ..when it comes to LOGO-DESIGN, almost 70% of the clients are *never* right.. lol, really. they always choose the ugliest/least professional designs, just because they simply don't have a clue what makes a good logo.

We price our product so that when we have a problem customer we can refund the money, remove them from our list and have nothing to do with them again.

I don't believe the customer is always right, truth be told,for the most part customers are complete idiots...they wouldn't know right if it smacked them across the chops with a baseball bat.

This whole idea that "the customer is always right" is the one truly damaging motto that harms everyone, when are people ever going to take responsibility for their own actions?

I've heard that one of the little joys of police work is that the customer is always wrong.

When I'm the customer, the customer is always Wright, other than that this issue needs to be settled case by case.

George Wright

For IM people, we usually think about that when someone asks for a refund.

Speaking for myself, I ALWAYS issue the refund immediately and ask questions later. In fact, I don't even ask questions later. Takes too much time. Time=money. Money=success and happiness. Aha!

Mr Krabs from Sponge Bob says:

"The Money's Always Right!"

=)

Nobody is ever always right...

Even i was wrong once... 1967 I think it was

Customers can often be wrong, but they should always be treated professionally regardless.

For example, you may sell a technical product that a customer has not understood or has misused, and they may come to you complaining of a broken product.

It is then your responsibility to professionally explain to them how to use the product correctly.

If you just assume they are right, you can never get them to make use of what they have purchased from you.

You need only be fair, even, honest, unemotional (when dealing with issues) and whether they are right or wrong will often become irrelevant.

This approach is best not only for the customer, but for you as well.

Yes they are.

No,
The customer is not always right.
I have turned down plenty who would not accept an apology.
However if you want repeat business then yes they are always right!

NOPE NOPE NOPE

The Customer is NOT always right but the Customer IS ALWAYS THE CUSTOMER...

Gavin

The customers are always right.. but not all of them are profitable...

Unless a customer turns really abusive and becomes completely irrational, it's best to treat him as if he's right. While you could expend a lot of energy and time in "proving" and demonstrating that you are right, in many cases it will not benefit you materially in any way, i.e. you are not going to see increased profits or tangible business benefits of any kind, and furthermore arguing and standing your ground usually causes some (or a lot) of damage to your reputation and name, which means a lot in the online world. While you may get some trivial emotional satisfaction from proving that you were right all along, in many cases it's better to just go along with the customer's wishes and focus on bigger and better things down the road.

that really depends on the situation. Most of the time, customers abused this statement..

To some extent yeah but if my customer will try to get on my nerves, I will just dump him and move on to the next one

If you view it properly.

You can never tell a customer he is wrong.

Your customer will, of course, be wrong now and then - but you can't say that. You have to find a way that you can get from where you are to where you're going WITHOUT saying or implying in any way that the customer is wrong.

Imagine that your customer is about to buy a television antenna from you, and says "Will I be able to get cable with this?"

So you explain exactly what the customer can and cannot get with an antenna, and that if he wants cable he will need to call the cable company, and ultimately he's happy and buys the antenna.

Two hours later, he's back and complaining that he can't get the same quality of picture that his neighbours get with cable. What he really wanted to know wasn't whether he could get cable channels, but whether he would get cable quality in his area.

Not knowing how to say it, his questions were confusing. And he swears that you told him he would get cable quality from an antenna.

You didn't, of course. But you can't say that. You have to find some way to tell the customer that everything he has just said is 100% correct, and still find a way to fix his problem.

When I worked at Radio Shack, we solved this by switching off. I'd go get another sales rep, tell him what was going on, and then we'd come back so the sales rep could explain TO ME that what I had told the customer was wrong, and what I should have said. Then I would apologise all over the place and the "senior" rep would send me to the back so he could fix the problem.

Did the customer think I was an idiot? Nope. The customer was so happy that someone fixed his problem, he would come back in another time and tell me all about the idiot he talked to last time when that idiot was me.

And I'd say "yeah, he doesn't work here anymore..."

Customers are rarely completely right.

In most cases you're more of an expert than they are when it comes to talking about the product or service that you're providing to them.

Having said that since customers are the source of your income they deserve:

# You to treat them with dignity and respect.

# You to take the time to listen to them and ask them questions so you can find out what it is they really want and need.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

If I'm not always right, no one is . I worked customer service in a rat hole company for about 3 years. Good experience though. It helped me to learn the art of tongue biting. Very useful when I got married.

yes,

the essence behind that statement is that you should customize your solution for the customer's thinking.. and needs

if it is not like that you would probably not make sales.. and whole buying and selling depends on your customer..

he is the decision maker.. so he is ALWAYS RIGHT! (even if he might be logically wrong)

got my point?

Customers aren't always right.

But as they have paid for a product, they have the right to express their opinion. That is their opinion and what they believe to be true.

As the product supplier, you have to take their opinion and deal with it because when they are a customer they have statutory rights. Those are the only rights you need to be concerned with.

Tony

"Happy customer, happy bank." Intercontinental Bank PLC, Nigeria.

If you want to be always happy as a marketer, make sure that your customer is always happy.

Even if you think that he's stupid, don't make him know or feel that you think so.

Don't you think that this phrase, 'The customer is always right' was dreamed up by some senior member of a large organisation who was attempting to distil the company's customer service policy into one, neat sentence?

After all, it's a fantastic place to start and given the task of educating hundreds of staff it is very effective.

However, like all blanket statements it has its flaws. As has been mentioned, it is impossible for the customer to ALWAYS be right, no-one is. Maybe in large organisations it is necessary to start with this premise but I personally haven't got the time, inclination or lack of personal self-worth to wholeheartedly embrace it.

I believe in building relationships. I will go out of my way to build and maintain relationships, but I won't compromise my belief system and personal integrity.

I want to build any business I'm involved in on my own integrity. I will never knowingly mislead a customer into thinking they are right, when they're plainly not. You never know if the next place they go to will convince them of the truth and bang goes your credibility.

If a customer is rude - I'll happily not take his money
If a customer is unnecessarily awkward and wastes a disproportionate amount of my time - I'll happily not take his money
If a customer is blatantly wrong and to agree with him would compromise my beliefs - I'll happily not take his money

I will not be rude. I will be civil. I will always attempt to part on good terms, but I refuse to believe that the customer is ALWAYS right.

I run my own business so I can make choices like this.


Peter

Here's something I've learned over the last few years after dealing with hundreds upon hundreds of customers from my IM business: The customer is NOT always right, plus there are some customers that are NOT worth having: they consume too much customer support resources (usually people who like to bitch and/or be hand held without having to switch their own brains on) to make their customership worth while the time+hassle.

So don't be afraid to push a problematic customer out of the door. Those people are not the core of your business yet they can bring home plenty of headaches!

Consider this...

If you're working for a company, and you spend ALL DAY trying to keep a customer happy - try telling your BOSS that the customer is always right, when that customer has only spent $10 on something, and isn't likely to become a repeat customer.

I don't think they'd be too happy.

"The customer is always right" is just a slogan. Common sense should be the overriding factor.

Do not spend your precious time and money on unprofitable ventures.

Is the customer always right?

Well if you want to be rich...Then yes.

If you want to be average...Then No.

So, All you really have to do is to give the customer the illusion that they are right even when they might be wrong. When they have your approval...You can have their money.

I have seen many businesses go out of business only because they thought customer isn't always right.

RULE OF BUSINESS -

1- The customer is always right.
2- Read point one again if you have doubts.

haha this thread made me laugh and I am sure we all have experienced the frustrations of customer service. However at the end of the day they are still the customer and it's your job to satisfy them even if they are wrong.

I learnt this from years spent working in a customer relations job, so glad im free of that now.

Anyway this is my first post in the WF, may I say its a pleasure to be here

Regards,
Pete.

@OP

they only say that to their "Employees." business owners do not think the same way they will be more assertive.

Right or wrong we have to remain reasonable and polite even if we lose that customer.

Word of mouth advertising travels much quicker, especially with the overall reach of the Internet, when people complain about you!!!

Right or wrong we have to treat them as if they are right....but we can certainly think what we want about them


Dave

Maybe I'm just a weirdo, but I like to treat my customers with respect, even if that means informing them that they're wrong.

I don't shout at them and belittle them. I don't drag them into the middle of the street, put them in the stocks whilst inviting passers-by to hurl rotten fruit at them - declaring them village idiots.

I don't patronise them by patting them on the head saying, "Of course you're right sir, the world IS flat and Mr Darwin didn't know what he was talking about."

No, if there's an opportunity I will educate. Not in a pompous, 'I know more than you' way, but a friendly, respectful way.

I have discovered that demonstrating respect builds a fantastic relationship based on... mutual respect.

A customer who respects you will spread the word on how much of a great guy you are. Better that than them discovering they've been lied to.

All this type of communication takes is a bit of practice and the ability to build rapport. However, if you feel that you lack those skills then maybe the best policy for your business is to adopt the mantra, TCIAR™ *.

Peter

EDIT: Notwithstanding, of course, my previous comments I made in this thread:

* TCIAR™ is (apparently) wholly owned by Karl Warren

Not always but still you have to consider that customer is always right.

Customers are ONLY RIGHT when there are enough of them with the same views to make a profitable and viable market.

A Customer may not always be Right. For that matter no one on earth can always be right.

But If you think your customer is always Right, You can deal with them much better and improve your business.

I think it's time for a little clarification here...

"The customer is always right"

Let's analyse that phrase:

The customer (someone who has paid you for a product/service) is entitled to have an opinion, that is their right... we all agree on this.

The customer may voice that opinion to you, their friends, your competitors, their family and complete strangers, that is their right... we all agree on this too.

The customer has various statutory rights when it comes to their purchase, i.e. specific rights regarding refunds, data protection, safety and liabilities etc... I HOPE we all agree on this.

Providing the customer receives the service/product they have paid for, and it is fit for that purpose - this is as far as the customer's RIGHTS extend. Anything offered in addition is at the discretion of the individual/business, i.e. ongoing support etc. Of course, if those are offered as part of the agreement, the customer has the right to receive them... if you do NOT agree with this, that is your right - but those are the facts!!!

I'd like to clear up some misconceptions I've seen in this thread...

A "lead" is not a "customer", they are a "potential customer".

Saying that the customer is not always right, is not the same as saying the customer is always wrong.

Saying that the customer is not always right, does not mean the the customer is treated like dirt. It is up to the individual/business to decide how they treat their customers in line with their own ethics and policies.

This thread has been an interesting read, especially as there are a lot of "cliche parrots" - a trend which is not only amusing, but sometimes damaging.

I'm sure I'll have lots more to say on the matter after a few more replies.

Here's an interesting question for you...

Is the customer always a RIGHT fit for your business?

I worked in face to face computer support for 19 years. The sales people always told me "The customer is always right" and I always replied, "No, many times they are simply uneducated, let me talk to them."

I built up a core of clients who loved me, and never wanted to see the sales people for one reason, I was the person they trusted to tell them the truth, and to show them a better direction. Sometimes it created tension between me and a client. There were times I flatly refused to do what they wanted, and they quit working with us. Almost every one of them was back within one or two years.

Most of them were very humble as they told me about all the troubles they had pursuing their choice.

Were these customers wrong? Absolutely. Just as I have been many times in making decisions to buy certain things, or to pursue a particular course. I'd rather have someone tell me where I am erring, and if I choose to go down a wrong track, then it was my decision, my responsibility. I will not hold the other person responsible, because they told me their beliefs.

So, Isn't it actually your responsibility to tell a client when they are wrong, so they can make an informed decision.

Even if they are wrong in requesting a refund, you can tell them why they are wrong, and then you have a choice, do you still refund, or refuse to refund. Do you choose to ban them from buying, or do you invite them to try a different product which might suit their needs even more? You might even recommend a different teacher, or course which you have no affiliation with, if it fills their needs. You have built a relationship, which might not show fruits today, but may come back to pay you big in the future.

The online world is not any different than the offline world, it is all just people, and relationships.

Well, that's the impression u have to create even if they're not right. Your customer is your business.>>>

Hell no the customer is not always right.
People often abuse that right, especially online!
Chargebacks for the most ridiculous reasons ever...its kind of like a way to cheat the system.
Get a product online, do a chargeback....free product!

Somewhere in the back of my wardrobe lurks a red and white striped ra-ra skirt, a pair of lime green satin jeans and a pair of black platform dolly shoes, all bought while I was of sound mind and conclusive proof that The Customer has been known to be wrong. Very wrong.

It's my view that in a fair exchange of value (product in return for cash), neither party has a right to dictate terms and demand more than what the offer has already established. Where this usually all comes unstuck and who is 'right' becomes an issue is where boundaries were not set at the beginning. If dealing with irate customers forms a regular part of your daily routine then you should be looking at what you're offering to see where it's promising more than you are willing to deliver, or where it neglects to mention what you won't. Likewise, buyers who spend a lot of time complaining. Unless an offer specifically mentions the benefit or feature that they're seeking, the chances are that it isn't there. Failure to define their needs by asking before purchasing usually leads to parting with the cash on the off-chance and then kicking up a fuss later, just as failure on the part of the buyer to set their own financial boundaries can often lead to buyer remorse and a refund request or chargeback somewhere down the line.

Assuming you have made your boundaries clear and are supplying what you say you will, then it seems like madness to me to award someone the right to call all the shots just because they have money they're willing to spend with you. It amounts to awarding money priority over everything else (and being a doormat to customer service isn't usually cost effective anyway). However much we enjoy this, none of us are doing it just for the sake of it and time spent placating disatisfied customers is time better spent with family, friends or shopping for the next fashion disaster

NO NO NO!!! The customer is probably wrong more then they are right. They are jerks, rude, arrogant, and should be be charged a fee just for putting up with them. But its like someone else said, they are always the customer.

So its a balance of trying to give them quality and put up with them.

Bill Cosby says "I don't know what the key to success is, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone".

I work Retail in the US as a day job and some people really should be charged money just for putting up with them.

I agree with that statement whenever I am the customer.

Damn right!

The fact is that nobody is "always right", well.... except for my wife who continually tells me so.

king, no man is always right. there is also a saying that 'a fool is always right'.

The customer is always right? No they are not!
I feel that 'The Customer Always Comes First' Is a better slogan.

The customer is quite often confused, deluded, annoyed, argumentative, thinking your company is another company, uninformed, lazy, greedy, conniving, devious..... I could go on. In those circumstances the customer is wrong and a good salesperson will help them become right.

However how much work it takes depends on how much you really need the customer. The dream of every business owner is to be in a position to turn away all the wrong customers and just be able to work with all the fun, happy right ones.

In the 4 hour workweek we learn from Tim Ferris that 80% of the customers are wrong and that the remaining 20% are not only right, but are giving you most of your profit. At which point its safe to fire the 80%!

I personally am happy to always have a good refund policy in any business I run. If a customer becomes wrong for me or the product is wrong for the customer he gets a refund and I move on...

As an extra whilst setting up a business I needed extra cash so I helped run a marina where we rented paddle boats. Paddle boats have a weight limit or they sink. Occasionally we would get into arguments with customers when a family of 4 big big people wanted to all go in one boat. Safety rules dictate that the customer is wrong to want to go out in a boat.

However watching argumentative people sink right in front of a crowded dock and restaurant was so much fun that we would sometimes allow the customer to "always be right".

Cheers

Max

The customer only wants to fulfill his requirements but might be dont know about the easier and cost effective method. So being his provider we should make him correct time to time. I am not agree with that customer is always right but we have to make him right wherever he is wrong.