Must customers always be right?

CUSTOMERS ARE ALWAYS RIGHT

Have you heard of this saying before? I couldn’t come to term with this saying.

Why? Because in my perspectives, customers are also humans, the seller is also human. Human are not perfect. Human cannot be RIGHT all the time.

I found out:

Meaning

The trading policy that states a company's keenness to be seen to put the customer first.

The Origin

Several retail concern used this as a slogan from the early 20th century onward. In the USA it is particularly associated with Marshall Field's department store, Chicago (established in the late 19th century). The store is an icon of the city, although it is set to lose its name in 2006 when, following a takeover, it becomes renamed as Macy's. In the UK, Harry Gordon Selfridge (1857-1947) the founder of London's Selfridges store (opened in 1909), is credited with championing its use. The Wisconsin born Selfridge worked for Field from 1879 to 1901. Both men were dynamic and creative businessmen and it's highly likely that one of them coined the phrase, although we don't know which.

Of course, these entrepreneurs didn't intend to be taken literally. What they were attempting to do was to make the customer feel special by inculcating into their staff the disposition to behave as if the customer was right, even when they weren't.

[Taken from http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/106700.html.]

Working in my parents’ shop gave me first hand experiences. Of course, not all customers act this way. However, few customers do or think so. They are the ones who get on my nerve. They need not say ‘customer is always right’ policy but rather the way they talk or treat another. Sometimes they are rude and selfish. They used the power of money to belittle another. The vibe of arrogance and cockiness comes from their actions of treating another.  

I think these people had not truly grasped the meaning of the phrase and they had misused the phrase. This is how I look at the phrase 'Customers are always right' – we put customers first. We are service provider who goes out to look at the interest of the customer. We serve the customer at our best, but that doesn’t mean we give you the leeway to treat badly or belittle us. Through observation, I sometimes wondered what complexity this person has to be acting as such? A person who can’t accept to be wrong at times? I don’t know the person as a whole. But, I could sense the insecurity of the person even in a short encounter. 

Especially in the age of IT now, many thinks that the information found in IT is DEFINITELY RIGHT. Some of them come to the shop as a Mr/Ms Know-It-All. What is more valuable? Life experience of another person or the information you get from the internet? Which is tested? My family learned to let the person learnt from his/her mistakes. There’s no point to argue it out because the person is not even willing to listen and learn. We said what we need to say, then we leave it for the person to decide which information he/she deems right. 

Well, it’s not easy to work in the line where we provide service to people, because we meet all SORTS of people from different generations. Many may had lost the understanding what it really means by the phrase. They had taken to the extreme that they are RIGHT all the time and not willing to learn anymore.

When a person reaches that stage, the person is STUCK! Ears, heart and mind are totally closed to incoming information. A stuck person will not grow and learn. 

I am also not saying that we as the seller are ALWAYS RIGHT. We are all humans. We do make rights and wrongs. If we all decide to give each other the space to be right or wrong, then that already make a different. 

This applies to life as well. You and I can’t be RIGHT all the time! We are beings who learn throughout life. Mistakes. Wrong choices. When we made mistakes, we learned from it. We also need to have a listening heart and ears and minds that is open for criticism. The people who are around us see things at a different perspectives that we maybe can’t see. So, why not listen from their perspectives, understand it and learn from it? It’s perfectly fine if you still want to maintain your way. But, at least you made a different. You listen.

If one is right all the time, then there leaves no room for growth.

Breaking the society state of mind

One day, I was just sitting outside my parents' shop and just observing different ones that walked up and down the lane. My eyes caught sight of these two persons - aged lady on a wheelchair and man in his 40s pushing her. They looked like mother and son. They came up to the curb and had difficulties of getting over the curb. The auntie could stand and move her legs but it was painful. It seems like she got gout on her feet. She is also very big in size which didn't help her much.

Then, auntie decided to stand and try to get over the curb. The man could barely hold her to get over and trying to put the wheelchair as well to the other side. So, I decided to break the norm (Norm is Chinese would usually stand by and see from aside rather to get their hands dirty - this is what I observed so far). I went near them and asked whether they needed help.

They nodded graciously. I held the auntie's arm and got her over. She kept saying thank you. Then, after that the next challenge came that is to get into the clinic. There's a level of step to get into the clinic. The man and I tried to lift the wheelchair and her on it to get into the clinic, however we failed. We made the auntie fell out from her chair. I got hold of her arm. And a man standing by also decided to come and lend a hand. So, the auntie stood on her feet and with all her might took the step into the clinic. It was difficult for her but thankfully she made it successfully and safely into the clinic. I remember her face. She looked up to the man and I and said thank you. Her son was also grateful that we came and helped.

I guess sometimes breaking the norm of the society also helped changed people's mindset. Though they may not expressed it in words that they had changed the mindset about certain norm in the society, but at least I did my part to stand out to be different.

Changing the world is everyone's dream, but how many are willing to get your hands dirty?

Christ had first show us how much He love us. Would we not also reciprocate that kind of love He had?
He said in His words:

Matthew 25:35-36, 40

For I was hungry and you gave me somthing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.... 

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for me of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me. 

Count on your Friend!

To be accountable is to be responsible for the effects of one's actions and to be willing to explain or to be criticized for them.

1 Cor 1:8-9

He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be BLAMELESS on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. 

To have a friend that we can be GENUINE and can express ourselves is a GIFT from God. God has blessed us with friends that can walk alongside with us so we can be encourage in our walk with Him and help us to be accountable to Him in all we do! 

In any trials and temptation, God has promised that He will keep us STRONG and He is a FAITHFUL GOD.

I thanked God that I always have a friend who I can pour my heart out especially at moments I am all emotionally STRESSED inside. By saying it out, I also get to hear myself and also clear my mind on different issues. That also allow me to see things from a different perspectives. This friend of mine also checked on me from time to time (I thanked God for that) :)

Sometimes we need a friend to count on to journey in this life. :)  

Will you BE ACCOUNTABLE to someone today?

Into the mind of a different INDIVIDUAL

If you ever get your hands on the movie called ‘TEMPLE GRANDIN’, I encourage you to watch it!

The movie is based on the life of a young girl: Temple Grandin. She is diagnosed with autism at the age of four when her mother brought her to the doctor. The doctor even said she may never utter a word for her entire life. However, the MOTHER didn’t give up on her. Her mother taught her to read, manners, and rules and sends her to boarding school and even college. Her mother treats her like her other children. She grew up to be a young lady with a DISTINCT personality: A personality that is often not seen in our community.

It was not easy for her when she was growing up. She had been teased, disturbed and had been called names. People reject her for who she is, just because she is different. People around her laughed at her when she expressed herself.

Take a few seconds to think: Have I teased someone that is of different than the norm? I admit I did. I am such a fool to do so because I don’t take the extra steps and initiative to UNDERSTAND the other person better.

The make-up of her mind is so beautiful. She has a wonderful mind. Temple Grandin has the capacity to see things beyond for what it is. She is wonderful VISUALIZER. She sees and learns things (language, science and etc) through PICTURES!

She is a GREAT SCIENTIST. Her work is just remarkable. When I watched this movie, I am amazed at how she could create a system that benefits both the cattle and the slaughter business. She can walk through a plan in her mind examining every detail to calm the cattle.

In North America, over half the cattle are handled in humane systems she has designed.

In her words, I don’t want my thoughts to die with me. I want to have done something.

Autism there is no cure. But all they need is people to continue to cheer them on to go through the door and to take one step back to understand them for who they are.

She is different but not LESSER! –MRS. Grandin-

If ever your path crossed with this special people, remember to take one step back and understand them for who they are.