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Don’t Forget! You Saw it in the
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December 2023 #15293 Page #62
Is The Customer Always Right?
By Landon Boucher Director, Business Design
I
was taught early on in my career something referred to as the “Four Nevers of Customer Service”:
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Never Argue with The Customer.
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Never Make a Big Deal Out of a Complaint.
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Never Put The Customer on the Defense.
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Never Make Excuses.
I was also taught something called “The Golden Rules of Customer Service”: •
Rule #1: The customer is always right.
•
Rule #2: If by chance the customer is wrong, refer to rule #1.
The “Four Nevers of Customer Service” immediately made sense to me. The “Golden Rule” not so much. So, I asked for further explanation and it made a tremendous impact that lasts to this day. The point of the “Golden Rule” is to promote an inclination toward empathy. Or, maybe more simply put, understanding. It is not to be taken literally that customers can’t be misinformed, ill advised, dishonest, and so on. It’s to ensure that our first response to interactions with a customer is to understand where they’re coming from. Whether they are heaping praises upon us or tossing hot coals of discontent, our priority should be to understand. The customer is always right about their experience. Understanding how our business decisions affect their experience will give insight toward changes that ought to be considered in order to promote a more positive experience in the future.
A deeper dive into the “Four Nevers” Never Argue with The Customer How many times have you been in a scenario where the customer is just plain mad. It may not even be your fault, but you’re the one caught in the line of fire. As tempting as it can be to fire back, you’re likely only going to build a bigger fire, fanning those flames of distress. Instead, keep a cool head, listen, empathize, and determine best next steps. Best case, you find a workable solution that is equally beneficial for both parties. Worst case, the best next step is to part ways. Even in that worst case scenario, the customer should be left with a sense that you operate your business with sound judgement and integrity. Continued next page
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