"The customer is always right"

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The notion of "the customer is always right", especially in regard to weighing testimony in disputes where a customer throws allegations about a worker, such is an excuse for calling bribery acceptable. It is where money is the deciding factor, rather than truth.

'The customer is always right' . . . unless the customer is myself, in which case the customer will be ganged up on, mocked and dismissed.

I always thought this was stupid. But I think it basically means treat the customer with respect even if they are being nasty with you and mean and even if they did silly complaints or acted stupid. I worked in a hotel and it's amazing what guests complain about and you can't even correct them or tell them if they tried seeing if the TV is plugged in or the coffee maker or why can't they just take the pen off the notepad before taking messages.

Hey if a customer asks for a fork when they have finger food, don't even tell them they don't need a fork to eat their hamburger and onion rings. You just give them a fork without questions asked.

Well, it's capitalism, and in that context money really is more important than the truth. (The same could be said of the courts, come to think of it...) I suspect that's why there are all those disgusting stories about not pissing off restaurant employees (spitting in your food and such).

I don't think many businesses follow this model - especially if they want to stay in business. Imagine walking onto a car lot and saying "You should sell me that car for $1. No arguing now, I'm the customer and I'm ALWAYS right!"

Most customer service models I've seen have documented limits as to what kind of special deals or perks they'll give customers.

Of course there are limits, when the thing the customer is arguing for is a particular financial detriment. However, a worker costs money and often employers are seeking excuses to get rid of their workers with some form of pretense anyhow, so if one complains at the right time it's practically a good deal for them. Then they can replace them with another for a lower wage and you also have the same basic effect of "respect by fear of punishment" instilled into those still employed that the Romans utilized by decimation.

I work in customer service, & there have been many times when a customer has flat out lied about things. It's actually funny when they get caught. Happens all the time where I work! I also just finished reading a book on giving good customer service that said customers are NOT always right. However, it goes on to say that the customers' feelings ARE always right. But even that isn't always true. I guess it's really a fine line. There's an awful lot of people who have an unrealistic view of certain entitlements. One of my co-workers put it best by saying, "you can't fix crazy." LOL I deal with crazy people pretty much every day. What really bugs me is how often these people get away with bad behavior. If I did that, I'd be called on the carpet.

That's true.

Unfortunately some customers have an innapropriate behaviour because they actually misinterpret the sentence. I'm pretty sure this sentence just means that you must respect the customer and agree with them as long as there is no way to contradict them (for example, if they claim something was cheaper than what you told them it was, you must agree with them unless you can prove it is not true). Now I see many people being rude on purpose, asking the employees to give them something they have forgotten on purpose somewhere, lying about prices... And when it comes to this, the customer shouldn't always be right.

People are always criticizing people who lack of social skills but they don't show their great social skills in some situation, it's quite annoying to hear someone tell you that you should go out and try to make casual talk to have a friend when you've just seen them yelling at a clerk because they were wrong.

Anyone who have studied law, knows that "the customer is almost always right"

The amount of crap you have to take from a customer depends on what your company policy is. If it is "Kiss ass", then... I had a good boss once, he said that "Every customer that causes us lots of problems, make sure to send them to our competitors" - Now, that's a good policy

As can be seen here, the customer isn't always right...

solidarity means the customer can be told they are wrong over and over again. Like the local coffee shop where this guy complains they burn his coffee. He was later barred from the establishment.

You reminded me of a line from a movie called Pandorum. Where the farmer-ninja dude is fighting with the survival-expert-botanist lady, and corporal Bower fires an energy weapon at the ceiling and says, "I know it seems like for so long that it has been "each to their own" but it's time we learned a little freaking solidarity!".

This thread makes me laugh. Whilst we all know the customer isn't always right, I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be taken literally. But then, this is an Aspergers forum so it was pretty inevitable really.

Since the economy is in such bad shape in many parts of the USA, expect to see more abusive customers who are looking for ways of venting their frustration. A good company will have policies that empower employers to say "no" when customers have ridiculous expectations.

Case in point: this customer was upset that she couldn't have McNuggets at 6:30am when only breakfast foods were being served.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOhYCwEQzik[/youtube]