by Prem Chadeesingh,
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on the net: http://www.mysilversands.com
UNITED KINGDOM, May 15 — When I was a teenager, I spent a few of my long summer school holidays working at my father’s business in Kingston, Jamaica. I know this sounds lame, but other jobs were scarce, and since I lived at home with my parents, my traveling to work costs were zero, making it the most favourable economic opportunity.
I have loads of memories from those summer jobs, but every time I hear “The customer is always right”, I remember one particular experience that really surprised me. All the employees behaved as though the incident never happened and graciously served him then and for a long time afterward
W
hen I was a teenager, I spent a few of my long summer school holidays working at my father’s business in Kingston, Jamaica. I know this sounds lame, but other jobs were scarce, and since I lived at home with my parents, my traveling to work costs were zero, making it the most favourable economic opportunity.
I have loads of memories from those summer jobs, but every time I hear “The customer is always right”, I remember one particular experience that really surprised me.
A repeat customer was at the factory outlet making his usual purchases when he became very angry with the employee serving him, and he embarked on a loud tirade of abuse and indecent language. My father happened to be passing by, and when he heard and saw what was going on, he went straight over to the customer. What did he do? Did he try to find out what was wrong and why the customer was so angry? Did he try to calm him down and perhaps get another employee to serve him?
No! None of the above. My father raised his voice above the customer’s and told him that he did not care what his problem was or what mistake his employee had made, that he would not stand by and allow anyone to treat his employees in that manner in his place of business. My father then invited the customer to leave immediately.
Shocked, the customer stormed out. My father did not say another word, but turned around and walked back to his office. As he disappeared in the distance, the other employees who had witnessed the scenario, burst into applause.
So much for “the customer is always right”! Did my father do the right thing? Well, his employees certainly thought so. And I certainly had a gut feeling that he did.
We are all customers sometimes. Customers are just people, and people are sometimes wrong. So customers cannot always be right, unless you sell out your dignity and integrity.
In the travel industry, more and more customers have taken on board this mantra that the customer is always right, and their complaints and demands have reached new heights of the ridiculous. Thus the Telegraph was prompted to feature this article: “20 Ridiculous Complaints Made by Holidaymakers”.
Here are some gems which I have experienced:
1. A customer reported, “The hike in the mountains was lovely with beautiful views, but the trail was too uneven and rocky. You really need to pave it.”
2. A couple complained that we should do something about the smell of smoke when a family staying in another villa two hundred yards away were enjoying a barbecue.
3. A customer given an on-the-spot gift of a free kayak rental decided he didn’t want it, and demanded to be compensated in cash.
Of course, many times the customer is right and shoddy customer service should be criticized with the offending company bearing the costs of their failures. But isn’t it time that customers realize they are not always right and that there are companies and employers who will stand up to them?
When a customer complains about an employee, employers should carefully evaluate the charges made by someone he does not know (the customer) with the character of the employee whom he does know. Clearly, the employer should place greater trust in the experience he has of his employee than a complete stranger who may just be having a bad day.
Proof that my father’s action was correct is the fact that the customer returned a few weeks later. He didn’t apologize outright but muttered something about being in a bad mood the last time he visited. All the employees behaved as though the incident never happened and graciously served him then and for a long time afterward. The customer did not ever behave badly again.
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