The Customer is Not Always Right
…But neither is the store owner. It sometimes takes all of my self-control not to get into a yelling match with a frustrating customer. Over time I have learned a few lessons the hard way to improve this delicate relationship.
The Challenge
photo by ClintJCL
Keep a store open long enough and one will inevitably run into The Difficult Ones. This is not referring to the customers that have questions about your products or needs a bit of help. Those are perfectly normal and reasonable requests. Problem comes when they demand much more than that.
The Difficult Ones exhibit one or more following characteristics:
- The you-owe-me attitude
- Quick to threaten or insult
- Refusal to read/follow instructions
- The unwanted business consultant
This is not meant to be a comprehensive list. It would take too much effort to put that list together. Focusing on how to handle each of these traits would be a better use of energy.
The Solutions
The you-owe-me attitude – These customers typically have a misunderstanding of what they’ve purchased. Some will demand you to go out of your way to customize their purchase to the heart’s content. This is not always out of malice or arrogance. They may simply underestimate the amount of work required to accomplish the task requested. This is a common problem issue for me since I am quite stingy with my time.
One way to handle this situation without wasting time is to simply explain that you lack the capacity to accommodate their request and refund the customer. Sometimes even showing the willingness to refund is enough to clarify the scope of their purchase.
| “It can be easy for the store owner to get offended even from well meaning constructive criticism.” |
Quick to threaten or insult – This is usually a sign of immaturity or poor character. Having put in so much effort into the products, it can be easy for the store owner to get offended even from well meaning constructive criticism. Be mindful in separating the two. Be quick to apologize when you do make a mistake.
The approach I tend to take when faced with unwarranted insults is to simply ignore the conversation. Even if it gets under my skin, I try my best to remain professional. If I haven’t done anything wrong, then there is no action for me to take.
Refusal to read/follow instructions – It is actually pretty normal for someone to ask you a question you’ve already answered in the instructions. It only becomes frustrating for me when they demand a one-on-one tutorial without even trying the slightest on their own.
The best way to avoid this altogether is to either make your product easier to use, or sell commonly understood products. If I’m honest with myself about how often I’ve skipped the instruction manual, it’s easy to see the other point of view.
The unwanted business consultant – Sometimes people like to express their opinions on how you should price your products or give away xyz for free. These guys are usually harmless. Only the very persistent ones get becomes troublesome or offensive.
Simply politely refuse and end the conversation. Try not to be rude or let it get under your skin.
Conclusion
Someone once said that the best customer service is the one you don’t have to give. Making products easy to understand and your policies clear will help save a lot of time in the long run.
-Todd
