How many times you have heard the motto “the customer is always right”? I bet a lot.
What appears to be the first rule of customer satisfaction became popular thanks to successful retailers such as Harry Gordon Selfridge, John Wanamaker and Marshall Field.
The equivalent in French is “le client n’a jamais tort” and it was also the slogan of hotelier César Ritz according to whom if a customer complains about the food or the wine you should immediately replace it, no questions asked.
Those great and famous pioneers claimed that customers complaints should be treated very seriously. But can their motto be considered always recommended?
Of course the customer is not always right, but they always think they are right. What can you do in this cases?
Even if in wrong, the customer is always the customer. And you should satisfy your customers’ needs. Make them happy by treating them as if they’re right. That’s the key.
So hold back from screaming “You’re wrong! You’re so wrong!” and try to understand what they want and what they actually need.
It’s pointless to make it clear to the customer how imprecise their position is. Put yourself in their shoes and try to understand why they feel they’re right.
I like to think about the relationship with your customers like a relationship with a friend. At the end of day does it really matter who is right and who is wrong? The point in every relationship is to express what we think, listen what the other has to say and try to change our behavior to improve that relationship.