{"id":3741,"date":"2014-02-14T06:14:39","date_gmt":"2014-02-14T12:14:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/?p=3741"},"modified":"2023-05-10T17:09:20","modified_gmt":"2023-05-10T22:09:20","slug":"the-customer-is-not-always-right","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/the-customer-is-not-always-right\/","title":{"rendered":"The Customer Is NOT Always Right"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div>\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3741\" class=\"elementor elementor-3741\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-a3f870e elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"a3f870e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-278067a\" data-id=\"278067a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ba3d8c7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-template\" data-id=\"ba3d8c7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"template.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-template\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"section\" data-elementor-id=\"12411\" class=\"elementor elementor-12411\" data-elementor-post-type=\"elementor_library\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1255d61 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-content-middle elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1255d61\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-66 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6264de3\" data-id=\"6264de3\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-61125fc elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"61125fc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Customer Is NOT Always Right<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c1117e elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"2c1117e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-fcfa45b elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/author\/lbwebmaster\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-far-user-circle\" viewBox=\"0 0 496 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M248 104c-53 0-96 43-96 96s43 96 96 96 96-43 96-96-43-96-96-96zm0 144c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48s21.5-48 48-48 48 21.5 48 48-21.5 48-48 48zm0-240C111 8 0 119 0 256s111 248 248 248 248-111 248-248S385 8 248 8zm0 448c-49.7 0-95.1-18.3-130.1-48.4 14.9-23 40.4-38.6 69.6-39.5 20.8 6.4 40.6 9.6 60.5 9.6s39.7-3.1 60.5-9.6c29.2 1 54.7 16.5 69.6 39.5-35 30.1-80.4 48.4-130.1 48.4zm162.7-84.1c-24.4-31.4-62.1-51.9-105.1-51.9-10.2 0-26 9.6-57.6 9.6-31.5 0-47.4-9.6-57.6-9.6-42.9 0-80.6 20.5-105.1 51.9C61.9 339.2 48 299.2 48 256c0-110.3 89.7-200 200-200s200 89.7 200 200c0 43.2-13.9 83.2-37.3 115.9z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTom Lemanski\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-64a3176 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/2014\/02\/14\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-calendar\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M12 192h424c6.6 0 12 5.4 12 12v260c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V204c0-6.6 5.4-12 12-12zm436-44v-36c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48h-48V12c0-6.6-5.4-12-12-12h-40c-6.6 0-12 5.4-12 12v52H160V12c0-6.6-5.4-12-12-12h-40c-6.6 0-12 5.4-12 12v52H48C21.5 64 0 85.5 0 112v36c0 6.6 5.4 12 12 12h424c6.6 0 12-5.4 12-12z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>February 14, 2014<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-9c8288a elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"commentCount\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/the-customer-is-not-always-right\/#respond\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-far-comment-dots\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M144 208c-17.7 0-32 14.3-32 32s14.3 32 32 32 32-14.3 32-32-14.3-32-32-32zm112 0c-17.7 0-32 14.3-32 32s14.3 32 32 32 32-14.3 32-32-14.3-32-32-32zm112 0c-17.7 0-32 14.3-32 32s14.3 32 32 32 32-14.3 32-32-14.3-32-32-32zM256 32C114.6 32 0 125.1 0 240c0 47.6 19.9 91.2 52.9 126.3C38 405.7 7 439.1 6.5 439.5c-6.6 7-8.4 17.2-4.6 26S14.4 480 24 480c61.5 0 110-25.7 139.1-46.3C192 442.8 223.2 448 256 448c141.4 0 256-93.1 256-208S397.4 32 256 32zm0 368c-26.7 0-53.1-4.1-78.4-12.1l-22.7-7.2-19.5 13.8c-14.3 10.1-33.9 21.4-57.5 29 7.3-12.1 14.4-25.7 19.9-40.2l10.6-28.1-20.6-21.8C69.7 314.1 48 282.2 48 240c0-88.2 93.3-160 208-160s208 71.8 208 160-93.3 160-208 160z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-comments\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNo Comments\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a17d19d elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"a17d19d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div style=\"text-align:center;\u201d>\r\n<span class=\"bsf-rt-reading-time\"><span class=\"bsf-rt-display-label\" prefix=\"Reading Time\">\n\t\t<\/span> <span class=\"bsf-rt-display-time\" reading_time=\"3\"><\/span> \n\t\t<span class=\"bsf-rt-display-postfix\" postfix=\"mins\"><\/span><\/span>\r\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-70a0327\" data-id=\"70a0327\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-228f411 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"228f411\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-featured-image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/elementor\/thumbs\/customer_love350-qon9ide0h8gg8qp94ke3gcqa67c8tgoaajkcql65ts.png\" title=\"customer_love350\" alt=\"Love Your Customers\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-28bd5f98 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"28bd5f98\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-50c9665c\" data-id=\"50c9665c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c7cfef4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2c7cfef4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Conventional Wisdom<\/h3>\nHow often do we see companies who live by the noble creed:\n<blockquote><strong><em>The Customer is ALWAYS right?<\/em><\/strong><\/blockquote>\nIs it possible that this approach could be self-defeating by ultimately damaging the commitment of the very customer service people who they hope to inspire?\n<h3><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-7976 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/pope-cc.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"304\" height=\"304\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/pope-cc.jpg 304w, https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/pope-cc-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/pope-cc-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 304px) 100vw, 304px\" \/>Who&#8217;s &#8216;Always Right&#8217;?<\/h3>\nThe Roman Catholic Church applies the <strong><em>always right<\/em><\/strong> or <strong><em>do no wrong<\/em><\/strong> concept to one living person, The Pope. By church doctrine, His Holiness is incapable of error in matters of faith and morals and is therefore <strong><em>infallible<\/em><\/strong>. History has shown that the infallibility of one person, no matter how qualified, can be difficult for some (like the Greek Orthodox) to embrace.\n\n<strong>Yet, how many businesses grant infallibility status to ANYONE who pays them?<\/strong>\n\nMakes your people wonder about what other <em>leaps of faith<\/em> that management might be requesting.\n<h3>What&#8217;s wrong with the &#8220;<em>always right&#8221;<\/em> belief in business?<\/h3>\nCustomer infallibility is founded on the noble assumption that when a customer is happy, everybody wins. The unfortunate reality is that this philosophy often invites customers to exploit this belief creating <strong>&#8220;win-lose&#8221; scenarios<\/strong>. We succumb to unreasonable demands or even abuse of the people serving them. The customer may be King. But monarchical loyalty has its limitations.\u00a0 Sometimes the emperor is naked.\n<h3>The King is Dead. Long Live the King.<\/h3>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-3742 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/customer_love.png\" alt=\"Customer Love\" width=\"160\" height=\"160\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/customer_love.png 160w, https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/customer_love-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\" \/>If customer infallibility is a myth, then how do we engage our people&#8217;s commitment to serve them? How about:\n<h3><strong>If you love your customers, they&#8217;ll love you back.<\/strong><\/h3>\nBut, isn&#8217;t this equally untrue? Perhaps not, if we can recognize the occasional need for <strong><em>tough love<\/em><\/strong>. When and how might we dare to demonstrate <em>tough love<\/em> with our customers? When our relationship has evolved into a <em><strong>win<\/strong> <\/em>for the customer and a consistent <em><strong>loser<\/strong> <\/em>for us, shouldn&#8217;t this situation be communicated and remedied? If a remedy can not be found, it&#8217;s sometimes more effective for <strong><em>tough love<\/em><\/strong> to take the form of <strong><em>strategic loss of sales<\/em><\/strong>.\n\nWho are your high-maintenance customers that repeatedly take more than they give? What if they became your competitor&#8217;s problem? If that happened, might you be better positioned to direct your limited resources toward those who do provide opportunities for mutual &#8220;win-win&#8221; relationships? Is it time for you to provide some tough love to your most exploiting customers?\n<h3>Strategic Loss of Sales<\/h3>\nDoes some <strong><em>strategic loss of sales<\/em><\/strong> make sense for you? With whom have you been<strong> <em>top-line wise<\/em><\/strong> and <strong><em>bottom line foolish?<\/em><\/strong> What is preventing you from cutting the cord?\n<h3>Before we take this too far&#8230;<\/h3>\nWhile the act of buying shouldn&#8217;t elevate anyone to <em>Papal status<\/em>, one critical fact remains.\n<blockquote><strong>If you don&#8217;t serve your customers with respect, empathy and even your love, they will seek someone else who will.<\/strong><\/blockquote>\nTo replace the infallibility mindset and still effectively fight the battle for customer loyalty, I suggest two alternative axioms.\n<ol>\n \t<li><strong>While the customer is NOT always right, we will always make the customer feel important.<\/strong><\/li>\n \t<li><strong>The Right Customer is a Profitable Customer<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\nPalatable precepts for practitioners of any denomination.\n\nHappy Valentine&#8217;s Day and as you serve your customers remember&#8230;\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>\u00a0&#8220;All you need is love&#8221;<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; The Beatles<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">Related Posts<\/h3>\n<ul>\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/a-new-customers-plea\/\">A New Customer\u2019s Final Plea<\/a><\/li>\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/customer-connectivity\/\">Customer Connectivity Contrast: Are You More Like Google or Zappos?<\/a><\/li>\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/under-promise-and-over-deliver\/\">Under Promise and Over Deliver<\/a><\/li>\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/overcoming-breakup-reluctance\/\">Overcoming \u201cBreakup Reluctance\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/avoiding-five-preventable-pitfalls-to-solid-client-relationships\/\">Avoiding Five Preventable Pitfalls to Solid Client Relationships<\/a><\/li>\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/who-moved-my-customers\/\">Who Moved My Customers?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How often do we see companies who live by the noble creed:  The Customer is ALWAYS right?  Is it possible that this approach could be self-defeating by ultimately damaging the commitment of the very customer service people who they hope to inspire?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7549,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"The Customer Is NOT Always Right: Two new rules to guide your customer relationships.   http:\/\/wp.me\/p1I2Yr-Yl","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[106,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-customer-attraction","category-leadership-development"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/customer_love350.png","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1I2Yr-Yl","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3741","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3741"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3741\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7549"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3741"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3741"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3741"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}