The customer is always right, the most common phrase any business establishment would have. But, have you ever wondered where this phrase came from? Or have you ever asked yourself the question ‘Is the customer really always right?’?
The phrase ‘the customer is always right was originated on 1909 in London by Harry Gordon who was the founder of Selfridge’s Department Store. The phrase was intended for marketing purposes to make the guest think that once they step into the establishment they will be treated as top priority of every staff of the business. It is also used to convince the employees to give good customer service.
However, there are a lot who goes against this phrase. According to Alexander Kjerulf, founder and Chief Happiness Officer of Woohoo Inc. and one of the world’s leading experts on happiness at work. The phrase ‘the customer is always right’ should be abandoned by every business once and for all. Alexander also added that this phrase rather than to boost customer service however makes even worse customer service.
Here are the top five reasons why Alexander thinks it is better to abandon this phrase according to huffingtonpost.com/alexander-kjerulf/top-5-reasons-customer-service.
- It Makes Employees Unhappy
It balances employees and customers. The “always right” maxim squarely favors the customer which is a bad idea, because, it causes resentment among employees. That, in everything that they do, the customer should always be right no matter what. This leaves the employee hopeless when facing difficult customers to handle.
- It Gives Abusive Customers an Unfair Advantage
Abusive customers can demand just about anything and it makes the employees’ jobs that much harder when trying to rein them in. It also means that abusive people get better treatment and conditions than nice people and it makes much more sense to be nice to the nice customers to keep them coming back.
- Some Customers Are Bad for Business
Most businesses think that “the more customers the better”. But some customers are quite simply bad for business. A single rude customer is not a matter of a financial calculation. It is a simple matter of respect and dignity and of treating employees right because in one way or another, it is losing a potentially responsible employee in case.
- It Results in Worse Customer Service
CEO Hal Rosenbluth, Author of “Put the Customer Second – Put your people first and watch’em kick butt.” – (The Customer Comes Second: Put Your People First and Watch ’em Kick Butt Hardcover 2002) said “when you put the employees first, they put the customers first. Put employees first and they will be happy at work. Employees who are happy at work give better customer service.” when this attitude prevails, employees stop caring about service. At that point, genuinely good service is almost impossible.
- Some Customers Are Just Plain Wrong
The fact is that some customers are just plain wrong, that businesses are better off without them, and that managers siding with unreasonable customers over employees is a very bad idea, that results in worse customer service.
So any business needs to put its people first — and watch them put the customers first but in no circumstances that a customer be right all the time. It is a misconception that everybody must understand. It not that the customer is always right BUT the CUSTOMER SHOULD ALWAYS BE TREATED RIGHT – respected and served properly.
By: Mr. Wrence Nichols Y. Dizon | Instructor | Philippine Women’s University
