Views expressed in opinion columns are the author’s own.
It was a stressful, sweltering peak hour at my part-time job when a seemingly friendly, middle-aged woman sporting a gargantuan purse and after-school program tee came to the front of the line. She looked at me and the cashier expectantly, waving a haphazardly written sheet of orders on a piece of notebook paper. “Maris, why did you choose to work in the food industry? You are not getting paid enough for this,” my truth-telling inner voice gnawed at me. The lady was here to pick up 12 orders she had placed online an hour ago. And to request 15 more in the heart of peak hour.
You may be thinking: What exactly is wrong with that? The customer is always right. The lady has every right to continue her order, especially since it was incomplete. Right? Wrong. These natural thoughts are the products of the “customer is always right” model — a business tradition that no longer belongs in today’s market.
This motto dates back to the early 20th century, claiming businesses should uphold premium customer service at all times — even if that means admitting the customer is always right. My job at the popular food place even wove this concept into its vision, making the restaurant’s future goals focused on pleasing the customer. There’s nothing wrong with providing great customer service. The woman who came in to order more despite seeing the long, snaking line — in fact—received excellent customer service. But just because customers must be given quality service, that doesn’t mean they can do what their heart desires — especially if it negatively affects the restaurant’s staff or the other customers in line.
This model remains problematic for several reasons. First, it pits the customers against employees, and employees against the administration. See the complicated, tangled mess that materializes when customers are deemed always right? Alexander Kjerulf, author of Happy Hour is 9 to 5, states favoring customers can inherently “lead to resentment among employees.” However, if employees are put first then, consequentially, they will put customers first. Similarly, Forbes warns, “If you’re lucky enough to have found employees who you trust and respect, don’t risk losing them by siding with the customer by default.” If restaurants and businesses want to ensure excellent customer service, they can begin with their workers.
In addition, customer expectations can often prove unreasonable. Even though there is a difference between having high expectations and being unrealistic, the “customer is always right” model blurs this boundary. It gives customers the privilege, and almost the right, to act impolitely toward service workers. Through this model, the customer who puts in blatantly unreasonable requests — arguably, the lady who ordered a feast in the bustle of peak hour — will be treated better than the customer who orders respectfully.
From a business viewpoint, this model eats away at resources that may have been used on loyal customers — the ones who came in happy and will likely come again. Vivek Patel, an author on the blog Startup Grind, notes sometimes it is best to just let go of the unruly customer. He explains impolite customers are roadblocks to a restaurant’s effort and time — effort that “could otherwise [be] spent on customers who appreciate the value you deliver and therefore benefit your business.” To top that off, the Harvard Business Review states the happy customer spends 140 percent more than others.
All customers should be treated with quality customer service. After all, they are the ones paying for a particular good or service. But in reality, the “customer is always right” model does not complement many businesses’ visions to create an atmosphere of positivity and growth. The customer isn’t always right, and we have to be able to admit that.
Maris Medina is a freshman journalism major. She can be reached at marismedina29@gmail.com.
