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"The Customer is always right" - Truth or Bullshit?

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Bullshit.

I worked retail for 10 years.

While it's very important to treat your customers well, there are those out there who only want to rip you off, play games, etc to get an edge on you(the item/price/wait list).

It's a classic case of a "few bad apples ruining the bunch". You have to be very wary.

People switch signs, peel stickers off and replace them with lower priced stickers, argue sales flyer ads(that usually aren't in effect until the weekend), bring merchandise up to the register right off the floor trying to return it when they didn't buy it in the first place, etc...

If it's an honest store screw up, I'm fine with correcting the issue for the customer. However, if you're trying to scam me to get an edge, you can pound sand and I actually *DON'T* want anything to do with you or your money.
 
Of course it is nonsense. It is true that sometimes you'll have to act like the customer is right even when they are wrong so as not to ruffle feathers and drive the customer away, but at some point it just reaches the realm of the absurd.

For instance, I worked a customer support job recently, and we repeatedly had people who purchased our product from a third-party vendor such as Amazon. We did not sell the product to them directly. Some people were intelligent enough to make the connection and said they would go speak to Amazon about getting a return on their purchase after this was explained. Other people were less intelligent and would spend 40 minutes arguing with you about it, unable to conceive that if you buy a product from X location, you go to X location to get a return on that product and don't go running straight to the manufacturer who in this instance only profited indirectly from your purchase. These people were the ones who would end up threatening to report you to the Better Business Bureau for, I don't know, not giving them money for a product you never sold them.
 
The customer isn't always right - but you need to listen to them and try and help them without being a fuck.

Edit: wait, Mumei is mod again!?
 
Mumei said:
Of course it is nonsense. It is true that sometimes you'll have to act like the customer is right even when they are wrong so as not to ruffle feathers and drive the customer away, but at some point it just reaches the realm of the absurd.

For instance, I worked a customer support job recently, and we repeatedly had people who purchased our product from a third-party vendor such as Amazon. We did not sell the product to them directly. Some people were intelligent enough to make the connection and said they would go speak to Amazon about getting a return on their purchase after this was explained. Other people were less intelligent and would spend 40 minutes arguing with you about it, unable to conceive that if you buy a product from X location, you go to X location to get a return on that product and don't go running straight to the manufacturer who in this instance only profited indirectly from your purchase. These people were the ones who would end up threatening to report you to the Better Business Bureau for, I don't know, not giving them money for a product you never sold them.
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It's astounding how many people actually do this. I used to work for tech support/customer servce and used to get it quite often. Some just don't get it and are very stubborn.
 
i think it means right-handed, just in case you get into a fist-fight with them because they're being extremely obtuse.
 
Cyan said:
Quick, someone go GAF-TMZ!
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86965_0827b-tmz-livepromo-1.jpg
 
Effnine said:
Yeah, but I don't act like an entitled prima donna just to squeeze an extra buck out of someone.
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Me neither, but some people were making generalisations. Not every customer is an asshole, and not every customer is right.

To be honest though, I never understood why some people act like the biggest piece of shit ever, I'd feel guilty the instant I tried doing something like that.
 
RionaaM said:
Guys, you realise you're all customers too, right?
Click to expand...

I'm a customer that's always cool to the workers. If I go to buy something, I pull the one behind it forward so the shelf is still dressed down, and I don't leave shit on a random shelf if I change my mind, etc. I try and make it as easy as I wish people would make it for me.
 
bjork said:
I'm a customer that's always cool to the workers. If I go to buy something, I pull the one behind it forward so the shelf is still dressed down, and I don't leave shit on a random shelf if I change my mind, etc. I try and make it as easy as I wish people would make it for me.
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I love you.

If everybody shopped like you did, I would work retail for the rest of my life.
 
It's not about the customer being "right". It's about doing whatever it takes to please the customer in order to get their money. Not just on the day but in the future.

If you don't need their business, if kissing their ass isn't worth it, then fuck 'em.
 
I learned very quickly to never argue with a customer. It's just not worth it. If I could sense there was going to be a problem I just sent them directly to customer service / management.

On the other hand, I always gave customers the benefit of the doubt as well. Some co-workers took it upon themselves to be "company men" and try to deny any return / issue the customer had. I never did that stuff.
 
NotTheGuyYouKill said:
What do you guys think? Does the "Customer is always right" adage hold true?
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Is this a serious question?

1. All humans are fallible.
2. Customers are human.
3. Customers are fallible.

Wow. So difficult.

Now is it worth arguing with a customer who is absolutely in the wrong? That's a different question and the answer is dependent on numerous factors. Is that customer likely a repeat customer? If they speak poorly about your business how much sway will they have over other customers?
 
Sean said:
The problem isn't with losing one customer, but the fact that they can then go on Yelp or whatever and trash your business.
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They can. They can also drive off customers by acting like heathens inside the store as well. If you're running a good shop but for one or two PITAs, then it should shine through in the overall rating.

ronito said:
I have an indian friend that uses Yelp and looks for the Indian restaurants with the worst reviews because he said those will serve the most authentic Indian food.
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Truff.
 
*Customer puts items on counter*

Me: Do you have our store's discount card? These items are on sale but only if you have one of these free cards.

Them: No

Me: You can sign up for one right here, all you need to do is enter a phone number

Them: No thanks

Me: Alright

*Rings up everything*

Them: BUT THIS WAS ON SALE
 
PartTimeWarrior said:
*Customer puts items on counter*

Me: Do you have our store's discount card? These items are on sale but only if you have one of these free cards.

Them: No

Me: You can sign up for one right here, all you need to do is enter a phone number

Them: No thanks

Me: Alright

*Rings up everything*

Them: BUT THIS WAS ON SALE
Click to expand...
This combined with your handle make for a very amusing combination. Fuck people like that, though.
 
PartTimeWarrior said:
*Customer puts items on counter*

Me: Do you have our store's discount card? These items are on sale but only if you have one of these free cards.

Them: No

Me: You can sign up for one right here, all you need to do is enter a phone number

Them: No thanks

Me: Alright

*Rings up everything*

Them: BUT THIS WAS ON SALE
Click to expand...

image.php


Hate people like that.
 
It's always bullshit though... we're just forced to deal with it to keep their stupid cretin faces happy long enough to survive another onslaught of soulless, zombified, opinionated, customers.

For example, someone would bring in a broken laptop. Actually throw it onto the counter. "It's broke because my son plays games on it! VideoGames break pcs, I know that." At that point I would always want to vindictively point my finger to the person and explain... Games don't break pcs nearly as much as you think lady. Maybe the way you use it as a damned battering ram in between facebook checks, and the way you use the screen for a sneeze guard whilst browsing through your collection of useless toolbars, spyware, and oh-so-many popups. Maybe it's from the way you take care of your pc, or apparent the lack of. Please educate yourself, so you can be a customer that is actually right.
And lastly, please don't needlessly argue. I understand issues arise and happen from time to time. Please let me or someone know if you think anything is wrong.. but do not argue in order to get off on some sort of power-trip and try to gain some sort of advantage or abuse the very system you are be a patron of.... all in order to get some feeling of superiority over that guy behind the counter, or that girl in a uniform HELPING you. Yes, we're not here to ruin your day, we're here to HELP you and make life easier for you.

I begrudgingly respect your woeful opinion, and I will defend your right to spew it out... But I want you to know... you're wrong.
 
This is specially false in the realm of design and software development. It's almost a rule to actually not listen to your customer.
 
Apparently where i work(Starbucks), they let go of that "policy" a few years ago. Customers can be so annoying and completely wrong but for the most part i keep calm.
 
Bullshit. The customer isn't always right. Some of them accept that they're wrong, some of them are self-entitled assholes.
 
The customer is rarely right. When someone goes to a restaurant or a store, its like they enter into a mindset where the entire world is there to do their bidding no questions asked, and they can behave like arrogant selfish twats with no repercussions. I have never met more unpleasant people than when I worked in service and retail jobs.
 
Mumei said:
Of course it is nonsense. It is true that sometimes you'll have to act like the customer is right even when they are wrong so as not to ruffle feathers and drive the customer away, but at some point it just reaches the realm of the absurd.

For instance, I worked a customer support job recently, and we repeatedly had people who purchased our product from a third-party vendor such as Amazon. We did not sell the product to them directly. Some people were intelligent enough to make the connection and said they would go speak to Amazon about getting a return on their purchase after this was explained. Other people were less intelligent and would spend 40 minutes arguing with you about it, unable to conceive that if you buy a product from X location, you go to X location to get a return on that product and don't go running straight to the manufacturer who in this instance only profited indirectly from your purchase. These people were the ones who would end up threatening to report you to the Better Business Bureau for, I don't know, not giving them money for a product you never sold them.
Click to expand...
How did you become a Mod again? Just curious.
 
Nope, customers can be wrong too. I've had to pull out my till and count it to make sure that people weren't short changed, but some people still demand I give them free stuff/ the money they thought I short changed them even after. Sorry, no. Customers can be refused service for any reason, I think some people forget that.
 
ronito said:
I have an indian friend that uses Yelp and looks for the Indian restaurants with the worst reviews because he said those will serve the most authentic Indian food.
Click to expand...

Similarly, my favorite sushi bars are run by older semi-retired (more traditional) Japanese chefs. They usually have lousy ratings because "the people are really loud and aggressive when you're ordering" and "they won't just make you a special roll if you ask for one." I bet for every traditional cuisine there's a specific type of bad Yelp review to look for when hunting for a good place.
 
Fuck the customer - they have an obligation to be courteous and respectful, as does the staff. If you don't like a store or service, don't go there again.
 
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