The phrase "The customer is always right" is not only wrong but ridiculous, misleading and has led to the down fall of a lot of businesses while throwing professionalism into the gutter.

Many of us grew up with this phrase, some of us due to our work environments are made to promote this even when we do not believe in it and many innocent workers have been thrown into the unemployment market due to this phrase that is so wrong and unfortunately being promoted by even big organizations like banks and retail outlets all over the country.

No boby can always be right. The customer cannot and the service provider cannot.

Agreed, many businesses are simply interested in the bottom line which is the money and regardless of how these funds come in there is no problem as long as they keep coming in.

I have been in business since 2003 and I believe I have had enough experiences in relating with clients in the 2 businesses I own and run (Just Web Services and Just Alternative Power).

I will use some examples to demonstrate why the customer is not always right.

Web development

Over the years I have come to understand why many websites don't do well in Nigeria based on my interactions with a lot of clients. Some of these clients actually came my way after having one, two or more failed attempts at developing websites or software for their businesses.

The average customer will provide very scanty information on what the real features he/she really wants in a web project. Once the project takes off the customer begins to bring to the table very serious issues that should have been brought to the table before cost implications were decided and considering the importance of the features you will immediately realize that these features were neither afterthoughts nor initially forgotten. No, they were deliberately left out in the discussions because the customer knew that they would cost money to implement.

The problem then arises if the service provider has received part payment and still has a balance to collect. The customer will insist on having all the features implemented (including the new ones that were never quoted for) before making available the balance while the service provider who may have been boxed into a corner would have the option of implementing features that would ordinarily incur additional costs at no cost or abandon the project (in essence, forgetting about his balance). Either way there will be friction and unnecessary bad blood between the customer and the service provider.

Best approach:
For the web developer, written contracts should be adhered to and make it clear that you will abide by the terms of references in the contract. Also ask for 100% payment for web projects. Sounds difficult but works like magic especially if you can demonstrate to the customer that you have all it takes to web enable any business process.

For the customer, always state from the beginning all the features and functionality required in your web project. Bring up any issues you may have on time as doing so after payment is decided upon may most likely cause problems because some features may require programming and the time required to do this must be paid for. Insist on seeing past projects and once you are convinced that the developer can deliver come clean with what you want to do.

Inverter backup systems

It seems to me that for every single successful inverter backup project you have two or three unsuccessful installations.

Again, the customer cannot be held responsible fully for the bad installations as I am aware that there are a lot of inverter dealers out there that don't know how inverters work, have not used inverters, don't understand battery bank sizing let alone being able to advice customers on what they need to enjoy reliable inverter backup for their homes and offices.

That said, this piece is about the customers that are usually wrong but would be the first to remind the service provider that the customer is always right.

Customers are initially tempted to downplay the load they want to backup in inverter backup solutions thinking that once they get quotations based on a reduced load estimate (just to get a lower cost) everything will just pan out after the system is installed when they will unleash the full load they intended for the backup.

This line of thought has led to a lot of frustrations, disappointments and wasted investments because battery based backup systems will only deliver power based on the charge in the battery bank and nothing more. Put differently, a battery bank that would deliver 20hrs of backup with just 1 TV will deliver only 5hrs of backup with 4 TVs assuming same power rating.

In this case who do you blame? The easiest route would be to blame the service provider even when he may have done his/her calculations based on the information the customer provided.

Still on inverter backup systems, I have had issues with customers who know very little about electricity, wiring systems, inverters etc trying to direct you on what to do while telling you that they are graduates of some universities and that they read electrical/electronics engineering. Considering the fact that electricity is dangerous I usually do not waste time in telling them that they are indeed very wrong and I usually advice them to do some research to learn more because I will not risk the lives of customers just because I want to please a customer.

In most cases when they must have realized their mistakes they tell me that the way I tried to correct them was not good and that I should understand that they are my customers and as such I should not be arguing with them. Some will even threaten not to recommend other people to me and each time I hear this I will remind them that our contract really don't cover recommendations as I am simply interested in providing reliable services that have been duly paid for.

Further more, I make it clear to them that friendship is completely optional in any business relationship. The customer demands reliable services or products that have been paid for while the service providers owe the customer the delivery of these reliable services and products.

Best approach:
For the service provider, always ask for a written list of appliances that the backup will support and insist on load separation to guarantee that only load designed for the system will be powered by the inverter.

For the customer, always provide complete list of appliances and state the required backup time expected. Check references and contact them directly if need be to ensure that other customers are not having problems using solutions from the service provider.

Unjust firing of bank staff

I have witnessed first hand, customers insulting bankers in the banking hall for no reasons, in the majority of the cases that I have witnessed, the customers actually based their insults on ignorance and/or lack of understanding of the issues they were interested in. Sometimes I am forced to intervene and point out to the customer where he/she may be missing the point. Even apologies to the bank staff cannot be enough to erase the pain felt for the simple fact that someone was raining abuses and curses for no reasons at all and because the bank believes that the customer is always right the banker cannot do anything.

Recently two people were fired in one of the most visible banks in Nigeria because the bank believes that the customer is always right and this particular incident is most unfortunate.

Gist has it that a customer of the bank made a transaction that was supposed to enable his family (living in another state) access funds but for some reasons the funds could not be accessed and for good reasons the customer went to the bank to find out why.

He first met the CSO of the branch who was on the phone and because he couldn't wait (probably felt that the phone should have been dropped regardless of the issues being discussed) and went to talk to a cashier who asked the customer to point out who received the payment so as to be able to figure out what may have gone wrong since it was not a regular deposit.

Not satisfied he went to see the ranking officer in the branch who resolved the problem.

Now, this customer sent an email to the CEO of the bank and expressed his dissatisfaction with the responses he got from the CSO and the cashier. Without any investigation and of course without giving the CSO and the cashier any opportunity to tell their stories top executives decided that the best course of action was to fire the two workers and as I write this piece these two people have been fired because someone knew someone that had the power to hire and fire at will.

Let us all remember that the customer, those that recommended sack without investigation and the CEO of the bank may have children and similar fate may befall them where ever they may be right now or in the future because we will surely reap whatever we sow if not now then certainly later.

Maybe poverty is rampant in the country, maybe we try to please people even when it is impossible to please everyone, maybe we are desperate to keep our jobs or maybe we simply accept policies or even make them even when we do not believe in them or understand them.

There are a lot of maybes but the fact remains that the customer is not always right and there are countless experiences and incidents to support this position.

Many businesses have crumbled trying to please everyone. Professionalism is almost non existent in Nigeria today because those who are ready to accept insults or lick boots would not mind doing so as long as they see the money. Where is the job satisfaction? What about integrity, credibility, dignity? Have we so freely forgotten about these things just for naira and kobo?

For those still in business and especially those going into business I want you to remember this; the most successful businesses in the world today actually place emphasis on the quality of products and services they render and in most cases you never get to even have direct contact with them.

They understand that the reliability of their products (in the midst of fierce competition and increasing sophistication of customers) will ultimately determine whether they will remain in business or not.

Always remember that the customer is only paying you for your services or products because the customer needs the products or services. Nobody will pay you because he/she likes your face otherwise the person could as well forget about the product or service and give you the cash just to prove that he/she really likes you.

All you need to do is to maintain the highest level of professional integrity and trust me serious customers will find you and when they do they will never give you stress neither will they insult you because they will be more interested in the products and services you may be delivering.

You might be right, but one thing a business owner should remember is not to play or undermine customer's service.

As a business owner, you might think that customers are at your mercy. But when customers stops coming, YOU go out of business, When you start to have trickle numbers of customers your profit goes down.

Hence customers are the soul of successful businesses, you must do everything to capture and keep them,I can only say that not every persons who came to your business place ought to be your customer.

publicview:

You might be right, but one thing a business owner should remember is not to play or undermine customer's service.

As a business owner, you might think that customers are at your mercy. But when customers stops coming, YOU go out of business, When you start to have trickle numbers of customers your profit goes down.

Customer service is one thing, having a customer insult a service provider is another. No one is at the mercy of anyone and in reality both the service provider and customer need each other. Unfortunately, many of us have not realized this because many companies provide services that are not excellent so they are more than ready to pamper you when you say or do anything.

People will always patronize reliable products or services even at very high prices, this I can attest to first hand. I have provided services that are over 200% of what competitors charge and customers do not have problems paying even when they know the prices are high.

publicview:

Hence customers are the soul of successful businesses, you must do everything to capture and keep them,I can only say that not every persons who came to your business place ought to be your customer.

Do everything to capture them? Including tolerating lies, misinformation (that sometimes form the basis of disagreements) and insults? I disagree with your position above.

There are always enough customers for any reliable business out there.

As a business woman myself i totally understand how u feel, but to be honest with you, you need to develop a thick skin,
Let me share with what i do with you, just add and subtract, the nice customers are the ones you must think about when the rude customer is getting at you , it will help to take it better,
You need both Nice and Rude customers, they both are like children you cannot send either out,
It may harm all you have worked for,
I wish you the gbest in your business, keep being strong and pushing on,


N.B ;watch those thoughts too, the might be the cause of a rude customer, Try a book "The secrets" its amazing!
Look for it you will be glad you did, I PROMISE
Cheers

@dvonne,

Thanks for your comments.

Why wouldn't service providers concentrate on providing quality and reliable service while the customers concentrate on getting value for their money?

Personally, there is no reason in the world why a customer should insult a service provider or a service provider insult a customer.

The problem is poverty and the desperate desire to make money at all cost.

Remember, people pay for goods and services because they need them and they are paying to those that have them so in essence both the service provider and the customer need each other.

Customer's options to demand for the best service and products tend to be curtailed only when you have a niche service and products to offer. When it looks like you are calling the shots, Note your competitors are waiting in the wings.Compare MTN AND ECONET, now Zain when Glo jumped on board
Adios

publicview:

Customer's options to demand for the best service and products tend to be curtailed only when you have a niche service and products to offer. When it looks like you are calling the shots, Note your competitors are waiting in the wings.Compare MTN AND ECONET, now Zain when Glo jumped on board
Adios

When you see a customer complaining about your product and still uses that product it means that the customer has faith in the product.

I agree with you that it is more difficult for a customer when the service provider is providing services that are not common like selling recharge cards since recharge cards from any seller for any network is the same. Well, not so in the businesses I run, we build inverter backup systems and develop custom software and database driven applications and in these areas we maintain the highest level of professional integrity, may be that is why we do not waste time to call erring customers to order.

Off topic: Have you wondered why companies are selective when it comes to hiring their employees but businessmen and women are not selective when it comes to customers?

i agree with you, when a customer purchase a Cheap Video Camcorder, but he or she want the latest Video Camcorder's effect---

Afam:

I agree with you that it is more difficult for a customer when the service provider is providing services that are not common like selling recharge cards since recharge cards from any seller for any network is the same. Well, not so in the businesses I run, we build inverter backup systems and develop custom software and database driven applications and in these areas we maintain the highest level of professional integrity, may be that is why we do not waste time to call erring customers to order.

Am a guerilla marketing tactics expert, its high time i and my team prowl your neigborhood and spy on you, probably we will take away a chunk of bread from your mouth. Its time for you to be paranoid. Give me a clue where you re located at.

publicview:


Am a guerilla marketing tactics expert, its high time i and my team prowl your neigborhood and spy on you, probably we will take away a chunk of bread from your mouth. Its time for you to be paranoid. Give me a clue where you re located at.

Obviously, your marketing tactics don't work otherwise you won't be needing a team to spy on me. When you develop to the extent of looking at a contract worth hundreds of millions of naira and you say no to it based on principles when all you needed to do to get the money was sign the contract papers before you then I may engage you in any business related issue. Until then keep posting your "I love my customer till death sermon".

How To Handle Difficult Customers

In your previous Success Marketing Strategy email I talked
about that to be successful as a Customer Service Diplomat
we deal with situations and people that in our opinion do
not behave as they should.

Here are the steps you should follow in dealing with these
difficult people

#1: Never argue with a customer. There is an old saying
you never win an argument with a customer because the
customer has the ultimate final word taking his business
elsewhere forever.

Also the customer, even if his complaint is unreasonable,
has options of filing complaints with entities like the
Better Business Bureau, Consumer Action Line Service
affiliated with local newspapers and TV stations, even the
attorney general's offices.

Responding to the resulting inquiries from the inanities
can be time consuming, costly and embarrassing to your
company. Being involved in such an out-of-control
situation won't do you any good either. Arguing with a
customer will almost always increase the customer's anger.
In war talking will lead to the escalation of hostilities
and you'll always wind up losing in that kind of
escalation.

Have you ever seen a mother get in a shouting match with a
little kid? She loses. She has let the kid bring her
down to the child level of combat. She has given up her
authority advantage, her maturity advantage, her role
advantage and her ultimate advantage which is a calm
attitude. You can't let a customer sucker you in to an
emotionally charged argument either. You have a role
advantage and you can have the advantage of a calm
attitude.

#2: Being right is a lot less important than being
successful. We must put desirable results ahead of all
other considerations. Particularly personal and emotional
considerations like pride or ego. In these situations the
desirable results are defusing the customer's anger –
resolving the problem and keeping the customer.

Making the customer feel foolish is no way to get these
desirable results. Demonstrating knowledge superior to
the customer is no way to get these desirable results.
You need to measure your success in these situations not
by, "Boy I sure showed him," but by attaining these
desirable results.

Here are a few quick tips to help you with success
guidelines #1 and #2. Good words are, "I understand your
complaint sir and I want you to know that I intend to help
you resolve this problem as best I can as quickly as I can
with no argument."

Note that you never said you agreed with his complaint
just that you understood it. It takes two to argue. An
irate customer will run out of wind for his sails all on
his own. His level of rage will decrease as he yells or
talks. Many customers work themselves into a
frenzy…angrier at the anticipated battle than at the
actual problem. If you don't provide the anticipated
resistance their anger has to dissipate.

In the next Success Marketing Strategy email we'll pick up
with steps 3 through 5 of dealing with complaining
customers in a difficult situation.

Dedicated To Multiplying Your 1ncome

Dan Kennedy

See the profit producing, wealth attraction resources
at http://www.dankennedy.com/products.html

************ Today's Featured Success Tool ************

What If you could learn all of the insider secrets to
finally create the lifestyle you have always dreamed of
but never seem to reach?

http://www.DanKennedyFinancialFreedom.com

Dan Kennedy is often referred to as the "Millionaire
Maker" for his uncanny ability to help people achieve
their goals both financially and in their personal lives,
Dan himself has always done business under his terms and
was able to retire totally financially secure at the
tender age of 49. All of this without an MBA or any other
special privilege or head start.

http://www.DanKennedyFinancialFreedom.com

Yes, there are little known (often secret) behaviors and
philosophies that allow ordinary people with no special
advantage the ability to create maximum wealth in record
time.

http://www.DanKennedyFinancialFreedom.com

Get all of the systems you need to achieve your goals- at
a massive discount!

"The Financial-Freedom – Wealth Creation" MOTHER OF ALL OFFERS

http://www.DanKennedyFinancialFreedom.com

==================================

PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL - ALL QUESTIONS/COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO:

info@dankennedy.com

or

Glazer-Kennedy Inner Circle
407 W. Pennsylvania Ave.
Towson, MD 21204
Phone: (410) 951-0147