Is it logical to say the customer is always right?

One of the essential actions in communicating with customers and customer service is to fulfill their will as much as we can but not to think that the customer is always right. If what he asks for is not in our department, we can bring some convincing and logical reasons and give them some advice.

We have to remember that it’s not true to believe that the customer is always right. It can be different depending on the situation and the customer’s request.

I can’t agree when some people use “always” as an adverb in “is the customer always right?”
Now this question occurs to you that if the customer is not right, how should we treat him so that we don’t lose him?

proofs that show the customer is not always right

1- one person’s idea vs all our customers

The customer is always right is a wrong belief which some sellers have

For example, you have one thousand customers, and none of them has this particular idea and request that your current customer has. Here, we can say this customer is not right. It means if we want to change our way of work or product according to this customer’s idea, we lose our other one thousand customers. We can’t change something based on one person’s opinion. We have to see what the general customers are asking for. But if that one customer’s request is not harmful to the others, we can use it in our works. (of course, if we had promised something before, it’s a whole other story!)

2- Illegal and immoral request

Another time is when the customers want you to do something illegal, immoral or something that is against the common law of the area. For example, I saw a man in a bank once. The banker said they don’t do this job in their bank and he has to go to one of the other branches. He said no way and started shouting and raising his voice. The banker did what he asked then. It was the worst thing a bank could do because other customers realized their work would get done if they raise their voice and shout!

So if you can do something and the customer is right, do it and don’t bring excuses or bother the customers.
I always say that imagine your customer is one of your close relatives. Then how will you take care of the customer? Surely, the best way you can, no matter how hard it is for you.

3- harmful to the company

Another time that your customer is not right is when the request harms the company and employees.

what should we do when the customer is not right?

When you don’t think the customer is always right, explain them the reason

The first thing we have to do is to tell them why we can’t do it. We have to be careful that the reason should be logical because if it’s not, the customer will think we are making excuses.
Then, we have to tell them what they should do now.

For example, in that bank (of course it’s an example, and it can happen in other companies and organizations too), the banker had to tell him the reason why they can’t do it and what should he do now.
We can give them some tips and suggestions so that the customer doesn’t think we are getting rid of him. The customers have to know we respect them and it’s crucial for us to know they will get their job done. It’s correct that we can’t do anything, but we can guide them to someone or somewhere that can.

In some countries, there is no such thing as returning the product or the price which has two reasons:

1- it’s because there are no rivals. If the seller sees the competitors stealing their customers, they will try more to keep their own, but they know there is no rival out there, so they do whatever they want to the customer.

2- the sellers themselves. They don’t have a long-term perspective. They see the customer as someone who enters the store, buys something and leaves. It’s not true. We have to learn how to gain customer trust.

Don’t say the customer is always right and explain them why politely and kindly.

Many huge store chains have the guarantee for their merchandise. If you, as a buyer, didn’t like their product, they will return the money you purchased and take the product back.
Once a man came to a big mall and insisted on returning the product he has bought. They took it back, but when they were checking the records and reports, they say they have never sold that product.
The fact that they had this kind of guarantee made them famous.

When we are sure of our product and service, we will have a guarantee for it.
This way we can keep that customer and that buyer will even introduce us to others. This is what credibility means.