"The Customer Is Always Right"

[BookTenTiger]

This thread just reminded me of another roommate of mine from college. On weekends and evenings he worked in a movie theater. He was ripping tickets when some guy said to his son, "That's why you should stay in college..."

It shows that you literally do not know the story of the person you are interacting with.

 

[Corinnguard]

I think there’s a fine line between having expectations and expecting to be treated fairly and with respect.

This is true for both the customer and the employee. It's a two-way street.

part of being treated fairly and with respect is being prompt in your resolutions. Not having me wait in a checkout line and then sending me to a customer service line to wait in another line. Not making me wait 10 mins on a manager in order to obtain a refund after the restaurant screwed up my order. Etc.

Agreed. Any employee who interacts directly with a customer has to do their best at treating the customers fairly and with respect. As for waiting, it happens for a number of reasons that are beyond an employee's immediate control. It can take an employee several minutes to figure out how to solve a customer's problem, and most customers are patient and will wait it out. When that employee can't figure out their problem, then they turn to their supervisors/managers for help. If they can't figure it out, they'll call the help line. But we will find a solution and hope that the customer leaves in a good mood.

Who the heck’s job is it to know that? I mean seriously? If it’s not in your job description, it should be, or at least you should have a process that you can promptly refer to someone who is responsible for knowing that. That’s not an unreasonable customer question.

It should be the employees. As for having a process that can be promptly followed, see above.

You also never know what all hoops the customer has already jumped through to try and fix the issue.

True.

 

[FrogReaver]

This is true for both the customer and the employee. It's a two-way street.

Of course.

Agreed. Any employee who interacts directly with a customer has to do their best at treating the customers fairly and with respect. As for waiting, it happens for a number of reasons that are beyond an employee's immediate control. It can take an employee several minutes to figure out how to solve a customer's problem, and most customers are patient and will wait it out. When that employee can't figure out their problem, then they turn to their supervisors/managers for help. If they can't figure it out, they'll call the help line. But we will find a solution and hope that the customer leaves in a good mood.

But not usually beyond the companies control. Either because planned understaffing, engineered processes to make the customer give up in frustration, terrible training, etc. ‘Your lack of planning…’

And let’s be real, how much waiting and customer time wasting is fair before some kind of additional compensation by the store should factor in?

 

[Corinnguard]

But not usually beyond the companies control. Either because planned understaffing, engineered processes to make the customer give up in frustration, terrible training, etc. ‘Your lack of planning…’

Pretty much. Being asked to do more with less resources at hand, all in the name of cost-cutting.

And let’s be real, how much waiting and customer time wasting is fair before some kind of additional compensation by the store should factor in?

ASAP. As Short As Possible.

 

[BookTenTiger]

Of course.



But not usually beyond the companies control. Either because planned understaffing, engineered processes to make the customer give up in frustration, terrible training, etc. ‘Your lack of planning…’

And let’s be real, how much waiting and customer time wasting is fair before some kind of additional compensation by the store should factor in?

Even still, none of that justifies treating a worker rudely.

 

[FrogReaver]

Even still, none of that justifies treating a worker rudely.

Depends on what you mean by rudely. If you mean cussing them and demeaning them then I agree.

Most people seem to lump a lot more into rudely than that though. Like not accepting the B.S. they try to tell you isn’t being rude. Or not simply acquiescing to one of their requests when it doesn’t make sense.

My favorite example is when the fast food place asks you to pull forward past the window cause your food isn’t done, by the time I finish asking them how long the wait will be, my food is quite often magically ready. Whereas if I pull up to the window I usually wait like 5 more mins, because once I’m out of that window I’m no longer a priority.

 

[BookTenTiger]

Depends on what you mean by rudely. If you mean cussing them and demeaning them then I agree.

Most people seem to lump a lot more into rudely than that though. Like not accepting the B.S. they try to tell you isn’t being rude. Or not simply acquiescing to one of their requests when it doesn’t make sense.

My favorite example is when the fast food place asks you to pull forward past the window cause your food isn’t done, by the time I finish asking them how long the wait will be, my food is quite often magically ready. Whereas if I pull up to the window I usually wait like 5 more mins, because once I’m out of that window I’m no longer a priority.

I think rude behavior is pretty easy to define and identify.

 

[FrogReaver]

I think rude behavior is pretty easy to define and identify.

Maybe you are right.

 

[aco175]

I blame social media and the removal of possibly getting punched in the face for being past rude. Things people say online knowing that they cannot be punched by going too far spills over to other parts of life.

 

[MNblockhead]

Yea, I don't want an involved conversation with a retail worker either, but I don't think thank you or good morning reaches that level.