Customers are the key to your business’s success
“A business without customers is just a group of people pitching a product to deaf ears.” (Masterson, 2019)
Harry Gordon Selfridge, of Selfridges department store fame, coined the term “the customer is always right” in the early 1900s and the rest is history. Without customers, where would your business be? Your customers should be your raving fans. Putting the customer’s needs before your own, increases the chance of repeat business, glowing feedback, and referrals. If you don’t prioritise your customer, your competitors will, and you risk missing out on sales.
If a customer walks into a dealership to be greeted by a sour faced salesman displaying as much enthusiasm as Richard Hammond stuck in the Bolivian rainforest (remember that Top Gear Special?), their immediate reaction would be never to return, or worse, to submit a negative review. Be enthusiastic as a business: You can’t light a fire with a wet match. Treat your customers the way you want to be treated.
It Sets a Standard
Encouraging the mantra “the customer is always right” creates a benchmark for excellent customer service within a business. Frankly, if a customer thinks that something is wrong with a product or service that they have received, you should accept that something is wrong and address the issue, regardless of what you believe. Debating with customers, regardless of the rights or wrongs of a position, is only going to damage your business in the long run, and you are likely to lose that all important sale at the same time. Accepting a customer’s position and addressing it to their satisfaction could result in you creating a long term, profitable relationship in the future.
Happy Customers Multiply
Positivity is contagious. One satisfied customer can have a domino effect and encourage a whole host of positive promoters. Happy customers are also more likely to refer your business to friends and family.
Customer resentment is risky
One unhappy customer can lead to many more dissatisfied customers. A successful business prioritizes loyalty. If one customer feels rejected, they could share this negative experience with friends and family, leaving your business at the bottom of the pile.
The customer is always right in a digital world
The customer is always right can take on a new, trickier meaning in a digital-first world. Without face-to-face interaction with a customer, it is sometimes harder to really grasp a customer’s needs. Technology can present a challenge for some customers, and it is important to remain understanding as some consumers may find it harder to navigate the on-screen sales journey.
Ensuring all your colleagues are upholding the state of mind that the customer can do no wrong, will encourage staff members to exercise patience when dealing with customers on online channels, such as chatbot or social media.
Drilling in the concept that the customer is always right, will set a standard of excellence on all your digital platforms. It will encourage speedier responses to customer complaints and questions or queries. It also prompts constant availability, and numerous points of access across online communication channels. The result? Happy customers who feel acknowledged. Who knows, you might inspire some potential customer referrals after all that excellent customer service!
Is the Customer, in fact, always right?
Are there always exceptions to every rule? In some cases, maintaining the mantra the customer is always correct could strain the management-employee relationship and some customers may hurt your business. In some cases, if a customer continues to complain and perhaps fabricates complaints, you might want to sacrifice losing one customer to protect your employees. Whilst some could argue that the most customers you have the better for business, this isn’t true in all cases. Fewer, yet more loyal consumers could be better for business.
What does JudgeService say?
If your customer is dissatisfied with your service and thinks something is wrong, even if you don’t agree, you must deal with it as if it is true and accept it. After all, customers are your source of revenue for your business. The world’s made up of very different characters. Every individual customer will have their own views. Yet, we believe in treating each customer as an individual, who is always right, and to accept this at face value. By following the mantra, “the customer is always right” the customer will be happy and content, driving your sales up. Sounds good to us.
Bibliography
Masterson, K. (2019, June 10). 4 Reasons Why the Customer Is Always Right. Retrieved from Win the Customer: 4-reasons-customer-always-right/
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