Many companies follow the belief that ‘the customer is always right’. Anyone who has ever worked in any profession that deals directly with customers can tell you that this isn’t always the case – the customer sometimes gets it wrong and blindly continuing to support them regardless can have negative consequences. Here are just some situations where the customer isn’t right and what you should do in such a scenario.
Some customers are crooks
There are some customers who will complain just to a get refund, even if the service was superb, just as there are some customers who go out of their way to set up lawsuits. Letting these customers get away with this behaviour can result in you losing money. Returning customer who constantly complain should be confronted if you are certain that there is nothing wrong with the service provided. In other cases, it could be worth looking into commercial law firms who can advise on legal action to take. CCTV can be useful for spotting false claims by customers (customers feigning to fall over is a common one) and you should always talk to your employees in such situations.
Some customer have unrealistic expectations
Some customers believe they are entitled to everything. Whilst there are times when you should go above and beyond, you need to draw the line somewhere as such customers can be time-consuming and can negatively affect employee morale by treating staff with little respect. Only ever do what is outlined in a contract and don’t be afraid to turn away customers who give early signs of being too demanding.
Some customers just aren’t nice people
You’re well in your right to turn away a customer who is abusive to your staff. Some clients will bully employees if they feel that they can get away with it, which could cause employees to leave if they feel they have no support. Of course, you should try your utmost to deal with their rudeness and aggression in a calm but firm manner – there’s never a good time to shout at customers and you’re better off ringing the police if you feel that they’re getting aggressive and could be a danger.
Some customers are just plain wrong
Some customers will make mistakes – they may make the wrong order or mishear information and then act upon it. There may be times when you’re able to rectify the mistake without implementing extra costs on yourself. However, there may be times when the mistake on their part is too costly for you to repair and you cannot fix it without losing money. Where possible you may be able to record information (some companies record phonecalls with permission from the client, whilst others may ensure that a contract is signed). Where this isn’t possible, you need to know when to stand your ground with a customer who is refusing to acknowledge that they made a mistake.
