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Plenty of people out there who use the old' the customer is always right' to justify their bad behavior or outrageous expectations and for those customers, we are generally happy to see them go. They can be a headache for someone else for a while (but in reality they usually come back sooner or later)
I know that many customers want something for nothing. but we are not talking about those. We are talking about when the customer is right and the business only sees it's immediate bottom line. Word of mouth is the best 'free' advertisement any business can have. When any business turns it's back on legitimate customer claims; it can cost that business over and over again for years. How much is half a lifetime of loyal customers worth? How many customers will a business loose because people would not recommend them to their worst enemy (well maybe)?
Right now online shopping is causing confusion. Many customers will go to the department store and insist that they get the same deal as what is offered online. But it looks like the store wants it that way. Many stores do not make it clear that the deal is only for online shoppers. Possibly some stores feel that, if they can get the customer in the door, that they can make a sale? In reality what this does is create anger. It is even hard for customers that just came in to buy because they get stuck behind these customers that want the 'deal'. Sometimes businesses just have to step back and look at the big picture.
I know that many customers want something for nothing. but we are not talking about those. We are talking about when the customer is right and the business only sees it's immediate bottom line. Word of mouth is the best 'free' advertisement any business can have. When any business turns it's back on legitimate customer claims; it can cost that business over and over again for years. How much is half a lifetime of loyal customers worth? How many customers will a business loose because people would not recommend them to their worst enemy (well maybe)?
Can you provide examples, because I seldom see stores that think this is a good idea. OP seemed to be talking about one offs, customers who have a bad experience because of a single incident, not the places that have policies that some customers may not like. I'm willing to bet that ninety percent of the time these are customers who want an exception to a company policy and not customers who were somehow treated unfairly to begin with, like the deli guy earlier.
Quote:
Originally Posted by fisheye
Right now online shopping is causing confusion. Many customers will go to the department store and insist that they get the same deal as what is offered online. But it looks like the store wants it that way. Many stores do not make it clear that the deal is only for online shoppers. Possibly some stores feel that, if they can get the customer in the door, that they can make a sale? In reality what this does is create anger. It is even hard for customers that just came in to buy because they get stuck behind these customers that want the 'deal'. Sometimes businesses just have to step back and look at the big picture.
I've seen you bring this up before and I'm sorry but I disagree. Some customers don't get it, most do. Most stores DO make it clear that online prices are not the same as store prices, most stores also make it clear that they have certain requirements for returning online purchases too. Unfortunately some people don't bother to read the online ads and they assume, and we all know assuming things usually isn't a good idea.
Just because a customer doesn't understand a policy doesn't mean that the customer is right and the store is wrong.
For example we get customers who don't understand that the sale of certain items are regulated by state and/or federal laws and I get the same argument from them.
We have had customers who get extremely upset because they sent someone in to buy a pack of cigarettes, or a phone card, or something of that type and the wrong item was purchased and we CANNOT refund or exchange those items. Signs are posted but they want an exception because "my wife, girlfriend, son, whoever didn't see that sign and now I'm stuck with this thing I can't use?" And they storm off cussing and calling us the wort place ever, because they simply don't understand and don't care, and we are just wrong, wrong, wrong with our 'horrible customer service' because we won't break the law for them. Or "Whadya mean I gotta have ID to purchase this cough medicine? This is a stupid store, I'm never shopping here again!" Yeahhhh, okay.
Can you provide examples, because I seldom see stores that think this is a good idea. OP seemed to be talking about one offs, customers who have a bad experience because of a single incident, not the places that have policies that some customers may not like. I'm willing to bet that ninety percent of the time these are customers who want an exception to a company policy and not customers who were somehow treated unfairly to begin with, like the deli guy earlier.
I've seen you bring this up before and I'm sorry but I disagree. Some customers don't get it, most do. Most stores DO make it clear that online prices are not the same as store prices, most stores also make it clear that they have certain requirements for returning online purchases too. Unfortunately some people don't bother to read the online ads and they assume, and we all know assuming things usually isn't a good idea.
Just because a customer doesn't understand a policy doesn't mean that the customer is right and the store is wrong.
For example we get customers who don't understand that the sale of certain items are regulated by state and/or federal laws and I get the same argument from them.
We have had customers who get extremely upset because they sent someone in to buy a pack of cigarettes, or a phone card, or something of that type and the wrong item was purchased and we CANNOT refund or exchange those items. Signs are posted but they want an exception because "my wife, girlfriend, son, whoever didn't see that sign and now I'm stuck with this thing I can't use?" And they storm off cussing and calling us the wort place ever, because they simply don't understand and don't care, and we are just wrong, wrong, wrong with our 'horrible customer service' because we won't break the law for them. Or "Whadya mean I gotta have ID to purchase this cough medicine? This is a stupid store, I'm never shopping here again!" Yeahhhh, okay.
People seem to always say a store has bad customer service if they don't hear or get the resolution they want no matter what. That's what I've seen quite a lot.
Let me define poor customer service.
Denting my car during an oil change and pretending it was already there or just hoping I wouldn't notice.
Not bringing a menu to a table for 45 minutes.
Adding five dollars to my tab when I give you a five dollar coupon.
I don't think any of these things is "unreasonable."
Can you provide examples, because I seldom see stores that think this is a good idea. OP seemed to be talking about one offs, customers who have a bad experience because of a single incident, not the places that have policies that some customers may not like. I'm willing to bet that ninety percent of the time these are customers who want an exception to a company policy and not customers who were somehow treated unfairly to begin with, like the deli guy earlier.
I did provide examples. One was of the car dealer in the 1970's and one was of a service station 25 years ago - both I never went back to.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DubbleT
I've seen you bring this up before and I'm sorry but I disagree. Some customers don't get it, most do. Most stores DO make it clear that online prices are not the same as store prices, most stores also make it clear that they have certain requirements for returning online purchases too. Unfortunately some people don't bother to read the online ads and they assume, and we all know assuming things usually isn't a good idea.
Just because a customer doesn't understand a policy doesn't mean that the customer is right and the store is wrong.
For example we get customers who don't understand that the sale of certain items are regulated by state and/or federal laws and I get the same argument from them.
We have had customers who get extremely upset because they sent someone in to buy a pack of cigarettes, or a phone card, or something of that type and the wrong item was purchased and we CANNOT refund or exchange those items. Signs are posted but they want an exception because "my wife, girlfriend, son, whoever didn't see that sign and now I'm stuck with this thing I can't use?" And they storm off cussing and calling us the wort place ever, because they simply don't understand and don't care, and we are just wrong, wrong, wrong with our 'horrible customer service' because we won't break the law for them. Or "Whadya mean I gotta have ID to purchase this cough medicine? This is a stupid store, I'm never shopping here again!" Yeahhhh, okay.
I never said there were not bad customers - I also owned my own business many years ago. However; you cannot dismiss bad store decisions. Don't forget that some of those bad customers also own businesses. Both sides can make mistakes - the store is not always right. When you assume that attitude; you already lost the battle. If you get customers angry; they don't return and they do not recommend. There goes your 'free' advertisement. As far as signs pointing out return policies; perhaps a few seconds of explaining those return policies, when selling the item, would prevent those complaints? Go the extra mile and try to keep as many customers happy as you can - it will save you ad dollars and aggravation in the long run.
But I bet the store doesn't care if this was an isolated case.
An old saying in business states that if you please a customer, he might tell one of his friends to shop at your store. However, if you make a customer unhappy, he'll tell everyone he knows never to set foot in your store again.
Successful business owners definitely care for this exact reason.
Can you provide examples, because I seldom see stores that think this is a good idea. OP seemed to be talking about one offs, customers who have a bad experience because of a single incident, not the places that have policies that some customers may not like. I'm willing to bet that ninety percent of the time these are customers who want an exception to a company policy and not customers who were somehow treated unfairly to begin with, like the deli guy earlier.
I am fairly certain the last bit of this is directed at me. Unsure if you agree with my actions or are attempting to say I was in the wrong. If you are saying I was in the wrong I will state the following three things.
1. If I purchase a reusable cup at your store that you advertise as getting reduced cost refills, you best damn well have a way for me to fill said cup. Had I known that in the future I would not be able to use this cup without being charged almost $3 for the foam cup I have to use to fill it every time I fill it, I would never bought it in the first place.
2. If I (or in this case the friend I was with) buy an expensive computer and it does not work, I do not expect to be charged a "restocking fee:" and yes, that was what the fee was for; upon return of this item. Firstly if it is broken/defective it had BETTER not be going right back onto the shelf, and secondly, it's defective, I am not paying a single dime for it, policy or no policy. I spend $700 and it doesn't work I expect to get every dime of that back.
3. Four pounds of lunchmeats/cheeses is really not a lot to begin with, especially seeing as how one pound of cheese I bought was the pre-sliced American and just needed weighed and bagged. If the store had been that busy that I thought my order would have held everyone up too long, I would have placed my order and said I would be back in 15 or 20 minutes and gone to a different store for that long to pick up other needed items while I waited, but again it was a fair order and there was nobody else in the store so snapping at me for having that size of an order. There is no policy written anywhere to call in for large orders even if I had made a large order.
If you were in agreement with my stance on these, I apologize for the rant, but if you disagree with my attitude for these situations, I don't know what else to say but the above.
It depends on the price and selection. Most people care about three things; low price, good quality, and good service. You can have two of the three. You can't have low prices, good quality, and good service. If you want low prices, you have to give up in the areas of quality or service. I would rather have low prices and good quality and put up with bad service, than have low prices and good service bud bad quality.
An old saying in business states that if you please a customer, he might tell one of his friends to shop at your store. However, if you make a customer unhappy, he'll tell everyone he knows never to set foot in your store again.
Successful business owners definitely care for this exact reason.
Agree. But some stores have almost monopoly in the neighborhood due to the absence of competitors (sort of like Verizon ). There is a large famous supermarket I know which is the only one in the location. Their price signs and the cash register-scanned prices are often inconsistent. Guess which one always gives the higher prices? Customers saw the low price marked at the shelf, thrilled about the good deal, but when paying, were charged a higher price, and were told the price on the sign was an error. Yet the "error" stays uncorrected indefinitely...
I am fairly certain the last bit of this is directed at me. Unsure if you agree with my actions or are attempting to say I was in the wrong.
Sorry, I meant to agree, kvetching about the fact you want to order a quantity of meat from a deli IS poor customer service, as is charging you for refills when what changed was the dispenser.
Not the same as a customer blowing a gasket over return policies or check acceptance or cash back or any of the other myriad things some customers get upset over because they can't be bothered with informing themselves about that kind of stuff.
Quote:
Originally Posted by fisheye
As far as signs pointing out return policies; perhaps a few seconds of explaining those return policies, when selling the item, would prevent those complaints? Go the extra mile and try to keep as many customers happy as you can - it will save you ad dollars and aggravation in the long run.
So you're saying I should ask every customer who buys a pack of cigarettes if they realize they aren't able to refund or exchange them?
For certain items there are signs at the mdse, signs at the register, the register display has a prompt reminding customers the items are non-refundable, and it prints on the receipt. If a customer doesn't fully understand perhaps they should ask before leaving the store?
Not to mention, who explains it to the customer doing a self checkout or online purchase?
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)? 
). There is a large famous supermarket I know which is the only one in the location. Their price signs and the cash register-scanned prices are often inconsistent. Guess which one always gives the higher prices? Customers saw the low price marked at the shelf, thrilled about the good deal, but when paying, were charged a higher price, and were told the price on the sign was an error. Yet the "error" stays uncorrected indefinitely...
