Almost everyone has asked a restaurant, bank, or other business to redress a particular grievance. It’s debatable whether the titular idiom of this post should be credited to Marshall Field or Harry Gordon Selfridge, but it is true nevertheless; the customer is always right. Indeed, businesses that depend on returning customers typically bend over backwards to keep them satisfied. However, they also understandably draw the line when it comes to unreasonable, abusive and/or unethical patrons. After all, businesses can refuse service to anyone.
The bottom line: Even though the customer is always right — it doesn’t give us a license to take advantage of the businesses we patronize.
Photo Credit: Aitor Calero
Great point there are some people who will complain just to get free food. For me if the service sucks and it is a service based business they are going to hear about it. If it is just Bleh and subpar I probably wont say anything.
I agree. Then talk with my feet. There are many places eager for our patronage.
I used to work in a grocery store and you’d be surprised how many people would come to us and try to get refunds — sans receipts, of course — on things that my store didn’t even carry. After I’d point out that little inconvenient fact to them, they’d insist they bought it at our place anyway.
That’s when we got to tell them to get lost. (With customers like that, who needs shoplifters?)
One, the customer is always right; and two, they must be punished for their arrogance – Dilbert
hee hee. I love it, Angela! (I think Dogbert from Human Resources actually said that.)
I think it really depends on the power dynamic. If the business needs the customer or vice versa, then one has power over the other and can act as such. Look at the telecoms, customers are locked into long term contracts with very few rights and an industy they’re often rated the low in customer satisfaction. Similarly airlines or power companies are organized to have power over the consumer and are the source of frequent complaints.
I agree, but if a phone company or airline company decides to step up their game they are often significantly recognized and therefore have a reason to continue giving great service. Just look at Southwest Airlines. If I need to travel (rare) I try my best to patronize Southwest because they really make that extra effort in the customer service department. Even if I end up paying $50-$100 more it’s worth it in the end!
Agreed, csdx. The customer definitely has the upper hand with businesses that depend on repeat customers. But there are plenty of other businesses where the customer has a lot less leverage.
Wow. In today’s dollars that’s $55,000! — but it makes total sense to me.
As usual, “modern times” (Charlie Chaplin) continue to overtake us.
Amazon.com uses algorithms to sort out the abusers among its millions of online customers and terminates their patronage.
Our company saying was “The customer is not always right. But the customer is the customer”, i.e. to the extent possible treat them with respect, speak the truth (with love). You want to retain them w/o being taken advantage of. But some companies take it on the chin as policy, figuring they will make out better in the long run- Lands End for example. There was a long article about their return policy some years back, interesting. Folk were dumpster diving, flea markets, etc. to obtain LE clothing free or cheap, then to taking them back for store credit. Sad but true.