I don't know much about business but I'm familiar with the quote; “The customer is always right”. I'm also aware of how important customer service and satisfaction is in business. And so, when rendering services, one must try as much as possible not to rudely disagree with a customer or infuriate them as it could crumble one's business reputation. That's probably why employees are often trained to be cordial and tactful in dealing with customers, especially when stuck between a rock and a hard place.
But are customers always right?
If you ask me, I'd say that quote is quite delusional and subjective. Yes, customers are fundamental to one's business. It is based on their demands, opinions and feedback that we efficiently render services and grow an enterprise. However, no one is all-knowing or infallible. Customers can be wrong, you know… they could miscalculate, overreact and even lie as well. Now, this reminds me of an encounter I once had with a customer who claimed to be right when in actual fact, he was a big fat liar.
So, it happened sometime last year… my mom owns a shop in the market where she sells variety of drinks in wholesale. On a norm, I barely go to the shop. I'd usually stay home to care for the house while my mom is at the shop with the salesperson. However, one day, my mom requested my presence at the shop since our salesperson had to go on an emergency leave. And for a few days, I became the makeshift salesgirl, helping my mom with the sales when she was away.
There was this regular customer who often came by to purchase a lot of drinks. I guess that's why my parents valued him a lot. According to him, we were the most efficient and affordable of all the other shops. Unfortunately, the relationship severed following his false accusations on me.
The first time he came by, my mom wasn't around. So I sold off the drinks to him myself. Also, I found him uncomfortable because he was extremely older, yet he kept hitting on me. He would keep pestering for my contact even after I'd politely refuse. I really wasn't interested in whatever “friendship” he wanted to have with me, neither would my parents allow that. Although, I couldn't tell them just yet because I knew the role the man played in the growth of the business, I didn't want to see that crumble because of me. Plus, I wanted to believe I could handle it.
Time and again, he'd keep pestering and harrasing me but I kept being adamant to the point of rudeness. I guess that got him mad that he decided to soil my name in front of my parents. Just because I left the shop for a minute to get something, he accused me of keeping him waiting for over an hour. Yelling on top of his voice, the man said that since I was put in charge, the services have become inefficient. He said I was too sluggish, disrespectful and inaccurate with prices.
I was taken aback because those were obviously false claims, it was just one time I was unsure of a carton price so I called my mom to confirm. He didn't complain then but he's complaining now because I refused to give him my contact?? Unbelievable! 🙄
The part that got me soo annoyed was when he said “who knows whether she's giving out drinks to that boyfriend she leaves the shop to see”… what??! 😠 Now, that was the height of it! Luckily, I have parents that trust me and wouldn't question my character. I explained everything and told them the truth in self-defense. I told my parents about how the man would harrass me every time to give out my contact. This made my dad really angry that it led to a big confrontation and tongue lashes with the man. As the only daughter, my dad doesn't joke with me 😅.
And since then my dear reader, he was no longer our customer 🙂.
So, you can see from my experience that not all customers are right. Some are there to frustrate you and if care is not taken, you'd be easily manipulated. The truth is, if my parents weren't the business owners, I would've probably been fired without a chance to explain myself. Oh yes, it happens. In addition, I think that in as much as customers are to be prioritized, the wellbeing of employees or business owners should be at best interest too. They are not bots afterall.
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