“The customer is always right” is a phrase that was coined in the US and it would be hard to find in any other country. Why is that?
As every member of the service industry chimes in, the customer isn’t always right. A good amount of the time, they are wrong.
When companies grow and create chains/franchises, the want to ensure that their brand is protected. Especially a company that is across the nation and even international, they want to make sure that if you step into one store, you step into all of them. They create a handbook, a set of rules, that all business holding the same name will follow. Companies focus on the numbers so to ensure that their customers return, they need to create something to instill loyalty. “The customer is always right,” not only gives a sense of loyalty but entitlement as well.
The service industry is built on customers abusing the workers and getting away with it because of big business. There are dozens of stories across the internet about employees who work for big chains who have been abused by customers. The customers then said their favorite catchphrase, “I want to speak to a manager.” A good amount of the time, the manager folds and gives the customers whatever they want, for loyalty.
Here are some rules that you should follow so everyone has a pleasant experience when you go out:
1- Follow the Golden Rule. Treat others how you would want to be treated.
If something does go wrong when you go out to the store, restaurant, movie theater, or whatever, be nice to the person who is trying to help you. A majority of the time, a person is more likely to help you when you are nice to them. If you call the cashier an idiot, that “idiot” is going to make sure that you have a tough time.
2- Use a watch. Follow the stores business hours.
If a store opens at 10am, don’t go at 9:30am and try to open every door. If a store closes at 11pm and you get there at 11:30pm, don’t bang on the doors trying to get in. It’s simple.
3- Don’t complain about the prices.
Unless you go to a flea market or a garage sale, there is no haggling. That sales associate you are complaining to about the prices wasn’t in the meeting to set them. If you can’t afford it, don’t go.
4- Watch your kids
If you go out with your kids, keep them close by and make sure they behave. The job of your cashier is to ring in your items, not to look out for your kids. If your children is running around screaming, you are not only disturbing the other customers but the workers too. Don’t ignore them, the workers can’t and you are literally responsible for them.
5- Clean up after yourself and if you can’t ask for help.
Messes do happen, it is inevitable. If you need a shirt at the bottom of the pile, lift up the pile and take out the shirt. Don’t just pull from the bottom and knock over the whole thing. If you spill your popcorn and the mess is too big for you to clean, ask an usher for help. They will appreciate the heads up.
Service industry workers deal with a lot of people during one eight hour shift and usually get paid minimum wage for it. Don’t make their jobs harder by giving them a hard time. The customer is not always right and deep down we all know that.
To put it simply, just be nice and everyone will have a better time because of it.
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