3 reasons why customer reps who complain about their customers are crap

July 17, 2006 | Filed Under customer service, Fun, delayed gratification | 10 Comments 

I got inspired by these 5 reasons about why “The customer is always right” is wrong. I have thought about 3 reasons why customer service representatives who complain about their customers are crap.

1. You have failed to acknowledge your place in the system

Your job is to help the customer. Not to go around and think about how superior you are to them or that “if I just worked a little harder, I would not be there.” The customer is the boss, and he loves it when you are happy to understand and serve him.

2. The customer IS right

Customers would not bother to wait 50 minutes in a telephone to speak to you if they doubted they had a valid request or complaint.

 3. If you can not fullfil a request, do not be a jerk, explain!

Most customers are in fact quite sophisticated and intelligent. They know you have a boss, they know you are part of a big big greedy company. I would much rather have you say:

“Unfortunelately, because of the new regulations from the top management, I am not allowed to decide if you can get your money back for the stupid bike with three wheels. I am only paid $6 an hour and even though I am a sensible and intelligent person, they would not delegate such responsibility to me. Please let me refer you to my supervisor. Can you hold on please?” 

Than:

“Sorry, can’t do it. Just can’t do it. Gotta talk to my boss to do that.”

In the first example, anger and frustrations are transferred from you to the stupid company. You team up with your customer. In the second example you are just being a jerk.

Interesting blog posts about “The customer is always right”

Some common sense from Seth Godin

How hard is it to cancel AOL - The now famous customer service experience.

Excellent customer service experience delivered by American Apparel North America (but not the UK division, they do not even answer e-mails. Will blog about that another time.)

Funny look on life as a customer representative: “The customer is usually wrong”