The Customer Is Always Right. (Or Are They?)
Table of contents
It feels like the phrase – “the customer is always right” has been around forever. It sounds like the kind of advice your grandfather would give you on the first day of your job in retail. Just me? Ok.
So why exactly has the phrase stuck around? Does it hold any real merit? Is the customer always right?
Let’s discuss.
Table of Contents
- Where did the phrase The Customer Is Always Right” originate?
- Why should you cultivate a ‘The Customer Is Always Right’ mindset?
- How to become a customer-centric company
- The Final Word
Where did the phrase The Customer Is Always Right” originate?
The phrase – “the customer is always right” was first introduced by American retail pioneer Marshall Field when he founded Chicago’s first department store – Marshall Field’s in the year 1893.
Around a similar time, Harry Gordon Selfridge founded the department store Selfridges in London and embraced the idea.
Another person who popularized the idea at the time was Swiss hotelier César Ritz who was famous for the Ritz hotel in Paris and the Carlton in London.
César said – “Le client n’a jamais tort” which means “the customer is never wrong”.
Personally, I quite like this version because of the message behind it. It means whether the customer is right or not is irrelevant. What’s more important is that you try and figure out how you can best satisfy your customer. It’s about understanding why your customer reached out to you – maybe they’re facing some trouble with your product or maybe they have a suggestion, and responding to them with empathy and positivity.
For example, let’s say a customer has complained saying that a product they ordered arrived in the wrong color. Even if the order details show the correct color was shipped, the best course of action is not to point that out to the customer. Instead you could offer an easy return or exchange. You’ve given the customer what they wanted and you’ve shown that you can be trusted. A win in all accounts.
The main message here is that you’re not concerned about the legitimacy of the customer’s complaints. You should spend your time on troubleshooting their issues and figuring out how you can best convert their complaints into a positive experience.
Why should you cultivate a ‘The Customer Is Always Right’ mindset?
So we’ve established that it’s not important whether or not the customer is right, it’s more about cultivating a mindset of helping your customer achieve their desired outcome no matter what.
Let’s look at why this timeless mantra is important and its current significance.
1. Gives you an edge over your competitors and helps you stand out
The modern customer won’t hesitate to switch to one of your competitors if they are dissatisfied with your product/service or the quality of customer service they receive.
I think some of it has to do with the sheer number of options available in the market today. With more and more businesses popping up, differentiating yourself and standing out has never been harder.
Don’t take my word for it. According to Hiver’s ‘State of Customer Support’ report, 72% of customers will switch to a competitor after a single negative experience with a brand. So there’s no room for messing around.
When you meet your customers’ standards and go above their expectations, you’ll win their trust. You’ll establish yourself as a brand that takes care of its customers. And that’s how you get customers to come back. Not by arguing over a technicality and pinning the blame on the customer.
2. Helps you attract new customers
When you take care of your customers, you not only improve your retention rates. These customers also become staunch advocates of your brand. Almost to the point where they rep your brand like fans rep their favorite sports franchises.
When a business consistently delivers exceptional customer service, it creates a sense of loyalty that goes beyond mere transactions. Customers begin to feel connected to the brand, and they’re more likely to support and promote it as if it were a part of their identity.
How often do you find yourself raving about the brand that went above and beyond for you, to your friends and family? Think about it. When a company surprises you with great service, you don’t just forget about it. You’re likely to tell those around you, either through conversations, social media posts, or reviews. These personal endorsements carry immense weight because people trust recommendations from those they know.
Take, for instance, the barista that offered to replace your coffee for free when you dropped it. It’s a small gesture, but it leaves a lasting impression.
It was your fault for dropping the coffee, the barista did not technically owe you anything. They went above and beyond rather than ignoring the customer’s plight. You’ll remember that moment, and when someone asks for a coffee shop recommendation, you’ll be quick to mention it.
Recommended read: 5 Real-Life Scenarios of Legendary Customer Service
3. Helps you identify areas for improvement
Another overlooked benefit of adopting the ‘customer is always right’ mentality is that you actually hear your customers out instead of dismissing their complaints as their fault.
Here’s the thing. Customer complaints and feedback, even when they seem trivial or invalid at first glance, can offer valuable insights into areas where your product or service can be improved.
Often, customers will notice things that your team might overlook—whether it’s a minor feature they struggle with, an inefficiency in the user interface, or an issue with service delivery. By listening to their feedback, you can identify pain points and areas for growth that you might not have otherwise considered.
Meaning, even if the complaint seems to stem from user error, there may be an underlying opportunity to make your product more intuitive or improve customer communication.
For example, imagine a software company receiving multiple complaints from customers saying that a particular feature is too complicated to use. Initially, the company might think the customers are not using the product as intended. However, by taking this feedback seriously and investigating further, the team might realize that the interface isn’t as user-friendly as it should be. They could then simplify the feature or provide clearer instructions. As a result, they not only reduce the number of complaints but also improve the overall product, leading to higher customer satisfaction.
4. Creates a culture of customer-centricity in your organization
When you focus on how to best assist your customers as opposed to getting away with doing as little as possible for them because they’re wrong, you take a vital step in creating a customer-friendly culture in your organization.
What you ultimately want is to build a business where everyone from frontline support agents to product developers shares the same commitment to serving the customer.
In a customer-centric culture, decisions are made with the customer in mind. This means going beyond just resolving complaints; it involves understanding customers’ needs, anticipating potential challenges, and continuously improving how the company engages with them.
When everyone adopts this mindset, it creates a ripple effect where every department feels responsible for enhancing the customer experience. Whether it’s the marketing team crafting messaging, product teams refining features, or sales teams personalizing interactions, all actions are geared toward delivering the best value to customers.
This’ll also help you build a strong brand reputation from the inside out and set you up for long term success.
Recommended read: How to Create a Customer Service Philosophy (+ 4 Great Examples to Be Inspired By)
How to become a customer-centric company
It’s important that every decision is made with the customer in mind. Business success comes from ensuring your customers feel heard and addressing their concerns effectively. As I’ve mentioned before, fostering a customer-centric culture throughout your organization is key. Here’s a quick rundown on how you can achieve that:
- Start from the top: Leadership must champion customer-centricity. When executives prioritize the customer experience in their decisions, it sets a clear example for the rest of the organization. The commitment to customer satisfaction needs to be visible at every level of leadership, which will then cascade throughout the company.
- Empower your employees: Give your team the tools, training, and authority to make customer-focused decisions. This might involve granting front-line staff the freedom to resolve customer issues without needing managerial approval or equipping teams with the latest customer service technology. Empowered employees are more confident and motivated to deliver exceptional service.
- Listen to your customers: Encourage feedback loops between customers and your organization. Regularly survey customers, analyze their feedback, and use those insights to make meaningful improvements. Understanding your customers’ pain points and desires allows your team to refine the product or service in ways that truly matter.
- Foster cross-departmental collaboration: Create processes that allow different departments – like product development, sales, and customer service – to collaborate effectively. A unified approach ensures that customers’ needs are addressed at every stage of their journey, from initial contact to post-purchase support.
- Recognize and reward customer-first behavior: Highlight employees or teams that go the extra mile for customers. Whether through incentives, recognition programs, or team shout-outs, rewarding customer-focused actions reinforces the importance of customer service in your company culture.
- Make customer success a core metric: Align your performance metrics around customer success. Incorporate customer satisfaction scores (CSAT),net promoter scores (NPS),or customer retention rates into the organization’s key performance indicators (KPIs). When employees are evaluated based on how well they serve customers, it ensures everyone stays focused on providing the best possible experience.
The Final Word
Over a hundred years have passed since the phrase – “the customer is always right” was coined and popularized. And you can debate this as much as possible. But the sentiment behind it remains as relevant today as it was a century ago. If you want to keep your customers around and attract new ones, you’ll have to become a customer-first company. This begins with providing world class customer service.
You’ll want to equip your team with the best customer service tool and train them into a well-oiled machine that puts the customer’s happiness first, always.
