The phrase the customer is always right was originally coined by Harry Gordon, the founder of the UK’s Selfridge’s department store in 1909. Chances are that the goodly Mr Gordon meant it to be his rallying cry to his employees to rack up sales and build his then burgeoning business. Today, we are eons away from that point in time and I think many of us will agree that a few businesses would be better off, if instead of agreeing with that mantra, they fired that noisy customer because there are times when the customer is not always right.

So, when are those times that the customer is not always right? There was an era in my working life when, if I were to create my personal logo, it would consist of an indignantly shaking fist, emblazoned with the words, “I want to speak with your manager!” I am sure I speak for many of us who have found ourselves stymied by a ‘lower level” customer service agent who we feel does not have the necessary clout to give us what we want, whether we are purchasing goods or services and are dissatisfied with some aspect of its delivery.

So, here we stand in the store, goods in hand, wanting to urgently speak with, not the Manager or the CEO of the company, but preferably, the Chairman of the Board, if needs be, who we feel can right the dastardly wrong. On occasion our stance is justified and sometimes it is not and gentlefolks, there is a point at which it becomes ridiculous. For example, if you are buying a product or service valued at under $1000, I am not sure how far we can sensibly push this penny if you are a dissatisfied customer. Sometimes it is best to let it go, step away from the cash register clutching your few dollars and move it along to the next store. I know there are persons who will disagree with this and will feel that even if they are spending even a measly ten cents in your business, they are justified in their demands. Circumstances, they say alter cases, but I do not agree. Barring the fact that you might be encountering a rude customer service representative, I do believe that if your expenditure is so low, then the company can definitely stand to lose your business. Yes, I realise the impact of the multiplier effect of a bad customer review, but there are those very few times when it might be a good idea to fire that one customer.

How much value do you place on your employees? If you have that one renegade customer who frequently terrorises your valued employees with unreasonable service demands on, you will find that you should consider letting that customer go. There are times when you have to weigh the investments you have made into your employees (who you may lose) against the value that, a troublesome customer will bring to your business. There are many times when you will look at the scale and it is tipped in favour of the investments you have made in your employee(s) and so you are justified in firing the customer and keeping that valued employee.

There are in fact those rare times when you will have that really, really very unreasonable customer who has set out to get a ‘freebie’ from your company come hell or high water. They are easy to spot. We have all met him, you know, that rebel without a cause (except for the cause of getting his own freeness) who will show up in your shop and build up some real or imagined wrong that was committed because he wants a discount or else he wants you to throw him a freebie. The first thing to do is to assess the situation and thus the cut of the jib of said customer, who we shall call, oh, I don’t know, let’s say “Idle Jubie”. I think as a manger or supervisor, this is one of those times when you have to make the snap decision that the customer is wrong. You do not need him to squander anymore of your employees’ and company’s time and energy. Do not carry these kinds of customers forward. Relenting will be at your peril. If you cave in and the customer’s case is not justifiable, the customer (or his friend’s friend) will let some time elapse and the come back and try to bilk you again. Fire him, immediately. That customer is just wrong.

I know it is hard to see any revenue walk out of your door and from your cash register, but believe me your business will do better without the customers who could potentially be a drain. Cut them loose.

Yvonne Grinam-Nicholson, (MBA, ABC) is a Business Communications Consultant with RO Communications Jamaica, specialising in business communications and financial publications. She can be contacted at: yvonne@rocommunications.com. Visit her website at www.rocommunications.com and post your comments.