At your service – is the Customer Always Right?

Working in the Customer Service Industry, and being a customer every single day, you always tend to come across, or even use the phrase – the customer is always right! However, when you stop and think about it – is the customer, are you as the customer, always right?

Back in the 1960s the idea of the customer being always right was introduced in the marketing world to highlight to companies and organisations the importance of connecting with their customers. Today in a world where the customer has found a voice across many mediums, most of which are public and free, like Social Media platforms, this saying has become a sort of shield being used by customers. However, did we ever consider that this phrase is sometimes a weapon too? I’m sure we have all come across situations where the customer is absolutely wrong, but because of the complaint or issue being voiced on Social media, we, as companies, have to take the mindful approach when faced with this customer is always right ‘attack’.

Here are some tips to organisations who want to deliver a customer centric service, and not see the ‘customer is always right’ as a weapon, even when the customer is not right!

1. Companies who adopt the phrase ‘customer is always right’, tend to get loyalty votes from their customers. And how is loyalty gained? Loyalty is gained through listening to your customers’ feedback, whether this be positive or negative, and using this feedback to continuously improve the customers’ experience
2. Once you listen to your customers, they start trusting your organisation. Build trust by making your customers feel important and part of your business.  When things go wrong, make customers feel important, understand their frustrations, and acknowledge their concerns.
3. State facts and be thoughtful in your approach – focus on getting problems resolved and not on defending what is right or wrong.

Centrecom has 30+ years’ experience in the Customer Service Industry, whether be it through a B2B or B2C approach.  Do you need help in keeping a balanced ‘customer is always right approach? Ready to Talk: Get in Touch.