In the world of retail, there’s one motto that every business owner swears by: “Customers are always right.”It’s a saying that started from the need of every business to make their customers happy and satisfied. Some even take it too far by using it as the cornerstone of their business. But over the years, this blanket statement has caused reflexive cringe among sales staff and business owners because of their fair share of encounters with difficult customers.
Customer experience can make or break a business. Providing exceptional customer service ensures higher customer retention and brand loyalty. In other words, the better the customer experience, the more likely customers will buy from you.
This explains why many business leaders are serious about providing efficient customer service. They invest in quality call center phone systems to enhance communication flow with their clients and increase customer conversion. Some even have a customer service platform to streamline customer management and save agents time.
Sometimes, the best way to provide quality customer service is doing what you know is right. The truth is, this age-old saying is prone to several malpractices that can cost a business its time, money, effort, and even company morale. In this article, we’ll talk about the reasons why customers aren’t always right.
It drains more time and money
Rude customers are a fact of life in the business world. Believing they’re always right can hurt your business. If there’s one truth that all companies should learn to accept, it’s that there will be customers who aren’t a great fit for your brand. You won’t realize this until you understand that customers aren’t always right. Allowing rude customers to turn away from your brand means preventing them from eating up all your resources and mental bandwidth.
Feedback is still critical to a company’s success and growth, but you have to accept that your business is better off without rude customers. If you encounter customers who nag and abuse employees or cause inappropriate actions that drain all your time and money, they’re not worth your effort at all.
Time is a valuable element in business, but it is often overlooked when handling customers. Unreasonable customers who love to micromanage are notorious for draining company resources, causing you to lose traction on loyal customers.
It affects employees’ happiness
Besides customers, employees are what keep a business running. Without them, you have no company to operate and no product or service to offer. Prioritizing their welfare and putting faith in their abilities and judgment increases their chances of providing efficient service to your customers.
Assuming the customer is always right is an unconscious way of choosing the customer over your employee. Making this approach will cause friction and fuel employees’ resentment towards your company if you value the opinion of your customers instead of their welfare. Remember, when you put employees first, they will also do the same to your customers. In other words, make employees happy, and everything will follow.
Another technique is to demonstrate your employees’ expertise. Tell your customers that your staff spent months or years to develop the product or service they patronize. This will increase the confidence of your employees and the trust of your customers.
It prevents innovation
Have you ever noticed when an internationally known brand changes a particular aspect of their product and how loyal customers respond? In 2016, Toblerone upset millions of its fans after changing their iconic triangle chocolate bar. Although the change wasn’t bad, the customer backlash forced Toblerone to revert the product to its original shape.
Customers hate changes and want businesses to maintain their norms. Change is good for the company but letting customers dictate your business strategy hinders necessary developments. Adopting the belief that ‘customers are always right’ prevents healthy improvements for your business.
Entrepreneurs should focus on improving their products, services, productivity, and other aspects of the business. Remember, stagnation is the greatest enemy of company growth. Although changes can initially cause inconveniences to customers, you have to believe that improvements will benefit them in the long run.
Every business owner should strive to provide quality customer service and make efforts to keep them happy and satisfied. Adopting the motto, “The customer is always right,” can cause negative consequences to your business. You’re slowing down innovation, killing employee morale, and empowering rude customers. At the end of the day, the best you can do is encourage employees to make the right choices. Empower them to achieve excellence without allowing rude customers to overpower them.
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