‘Are customers always right?’ is a query that will return a wide array of results that can completely overwhelm the researcher. You will always find various parties arguing for, and almost an equal number arguing against. This question is often asked by business owners and managers, sales, and customer service reps, especially after confrontational experiences with customers. This question is seldom asked when vindication rather than understanding is sought – either way, learning is achieved.

Many see ‘customers are always right’ as a myth. I say it can be a guide for carving and ensuring exceptional customer experience. Such experience is often the difference between businesses that succeed and those that fail.

Humans Are Not Always Right

Sometimes, very simple questions can look complex, no thanks to how they are structured. This explains why it can be difficult to answer questions such as the one being discussed. For example, imagine you said things you aren’t sure were okay after a spat with a colleague or friend, and you to seek the opinion of a mutual friend by asking “Who was wrong?”

By asking who was wrong, you make your mutual friend a judge, to acquit or condemn either of you. It might not be your intention but it sure looks like it, because you are putting the [mutual] friend you had a spat with on trial and in their absence. Nevertheless, it will be an entirely changed circumstance when you make yourself the main subject by asking “Do you think I did or said something wrong?” Your friend can easily give a verdict.

Now, instead of asking ‘are customers always right’, I ’ll reframe the question by asking, “Are humans always right?”

Customers being humans can’t be right every single time. This 2015 poll on the subject matter reveals a lot, but this is no excuse to treat a customer with disrespect or put customers through ridicule while resolving a dispute. Why? So long as the dispute is being resolved, anyone can be wrong, even you. This is why so many legal cases that looked like an easy win get thrown out after depositions. Resolutions take so many turns. You might turn out to be wrong. 

Although customers are not always right, it is wise to allow a customer to be right during the dispute. They may not be right about your product or service, but they are certainly right about how they feel or perceive your product or service. Acknowledge this and you are in a better position for an effective service recovery during resolution.

Always Treat Customers With Respect

Wondering why customers should not be disrespected under any circumstances?

Imagine a pupil or a student being flogged by their teacher because they failed a Math test. Should that student be flogged just because they didn’t get an ‘A’? The experience teachers create in classes is the experience students will take home, and it will probably define the rest of their day (same as customers in a retail store). Every teacher is like a customer service representative, and students are customers of the school. 

As a business manager, the greater responsibility rests on the shoulders of your business, and not on those of the customer. Customers act (including purchases) according to their mood which is driven by emotions. A customer who is having a bad day can easily get pissed off. There are so many stories out there, one example is a customer who picked a wrong item and got mad at the cashier upon checkout. This is why Aristotle famously said, “It is easy for anyone to be angry – but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time, and for the right reason, and in the right way – that is not within everybody’s power, that is not easy”. 

You should understand that any customer can get angry for any reason, and anything said intending to calm the customer, may either help or worsen the situation (if not done appropriately).

Customers should feel comfortable and assured whenever they are in your business place. Comfortable because they will be treated with the utmost respect, and assured that they will get answers, be valued and appreciated. 

Your business premise should not be where temper tantrums are thrown. Arguing with a customer on who is right or wrong will only make matters worse, and will rob other customers of comfort and safety. This is because every unmanaged dispute can easily escalate and become extremely hostile. You want your customers to have the best experience; you don’t want their kids to hear slurs and see adults trading punches. 

Arm Your Customer Service Team

Constantly training your employees on Customer Service and developing step by step guides (according to your business policy and consumer rights) on how to deal with confrontations and hostile customers will greatly benefit your business. This way, your customer service team will know what to do and will act in unison.

Customers are not always right, neither are you. You can be right when you have team meetings, but allow customers to be right – as a courtesy. In customer service, you don’t agree to disagree, you agree to agree. It’s not always easy, but it’s the job. It is why Customer Service Representatives are heroes – everyone expects them to fix it. Every time the sales and marketing team pisses off a customer, or every time a product fails, it is the customer service team that is relied upon to get it right – and they must.

Whatever you do, remember no one likes to be disrespected or disgraced. Allow a customer to leave your business place with more dignity than they arrived. Usually, they know they are in the wrong, you just don’t have to tell everyone – don’t rub it in their face.