Treat your Customers like you treat your Parents
I disagree with the cliche’, ” The customer is always right” . If the customer is always right , then the employees will never be right, and this leads to poor employee morale which in the end create poor Customer Service.
Customers are not always right , many times they are wrong , however just like your parents who are not always right, you must practice respect and tolerance. Respect will allow you to listen to opinions and not create arguments with your customers ( or parents). “Proving your customer wrong will not make you a winner , it just might make you lose business and maybe your job” .
When you encounter a dispute and sincerely feel the customer is wrong , it’s best to speak about your company’s commitment to happy customers, the security of its employees and how profit is required to stay in business. Regardless of your position, customers usually respect service people who take ownership for their company’s success .
There might be times when you must walk away and not do business because the customer is wrong , however allow the customer to leave with an understanding of your organization’s vision, which is to make you Company , Customers and Suppliers win. Before you walk , express how all parties must be winners for harmony and continuing success. Always express remorse if you must walk away from the business relationship and share your hope of doing business in the future.
When trying to resolve disputes with customer avoid using words such as “you will have to”… replace this with ” I recommend…. Replace “this is our policy” with “For us both to win…. “
Empower and put employees and co-workers first and in return they will put customers first.
Happy employees make happy customers.
Lee Miler teaches the unique and valuable differences across cultures and ethnicity, and will share his experiences and encourage your staff to engage in interactive discussions. He will explain the do’s and don’ts of ‘Customer Service in a Diverse Community’.