But, They Are Always the Customer

(One of the 83 quick and practical life & work lessons from Sh*t Sandwich: Quick & Practical Success Lessons for Practically Anyone.)

The Customer is Not Always Right

Let’s be very clear here: The customer is not always right, but they are always the customer.

Mainstream companies who truly believe that the customer is always right do not exist. Hint: they went out of business years ago. There simply is not enough gross margin in the retail environment to support constant capitulation in favor of the thieves and scammers that occupy the bodies of so many of today’s customers.

These people have made it impractical for the average business to always see things in favor of their customers, because it is impossible to accurately differentiate between the honest and the dishonest – the dishonest are just too good at being dishonest. Not to mention that the scumbags are just too numerous and too greedy. This forces well-run businesses to live by a different motto: The customer is not always right, but they are always the customer.

The shit sandwich here is that as much as you want to kick the living crap out this customer or that one, you cannot. Heck, even the store manager can’t tell the lady wearing the pajamas and carrying the small dog, that she needs to take her dog home and change before she can shop at your Walmart.

Makes you feel bad for the Walmart manager.

Say it with me: The customer is not always right, but they are always the customer.

When we understand and live by this, we can manage our day-to-day customer interactions better. We no longer have a need to prove we’re right to a customer, because it doesn’t matter who is right or wrong. They are the customer. They pay your salary and your boss’ salary. They are the reason you are here.

So, the next time you find yourself interacting with even the rudest customer, discover a way to not only like them, but to genuinely thank them, as well. Kill them with kindness, if you will.

You have the power to make yourself feel however you want to feel about everyone you encounter – including jerks. In fact, this is a power unique to you. Only you can make yourself feel inferior and only you can allow someone else to make you mad.

The customer is not always right, so stop letting them make you feel wrong.

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