by Cody Hodge

Created on: October 05, 2009

They say that the customer is always right, and while that saying might apply to a lot of things, what exactly does that statement mean? If the customer came into the store and told me that the Earth was flat, they would be wrong right? Or would you assume that the Earth is flat because the customer said so, and the customer is always right? Obviously the customer isn't always right, so when do you get to tell them that they are wrong?

While you should always work with your customers, you should know when the line has been crossed. There are going to be customers who are going to try and scam you out of your money, and you should be able to say no to them. When a customer comes up to you with a receipt that they obviously found in the parking lot, and want a refund for a product they supposedly bought, but don't have, they should not be able to have a refund.

Remember there are certain laws when it comes to what you can do, and cannot do when it comes to pricing. If there is a tag on an item, and the customer believes that the price for that item is 99 cents, and the price really was $2.99, you need to give the customer what the price on the tag says. It is the law, and it makes sure that retailers don't pull any bait and switch tactics on customers.

However, when you see a customer move a product to another spot, and then tell you they found something there, you can say no. For example, if there is a fifty dollar cologne, and they move it to a spot where it says ten dollars, and they try to get you to give it to them for that price, you obviously are going to say no to that. It has to be in good faith that you are dealing with your customers.

The key to business is to deal in good faith with your customers. According to industry research, it can cost up to 400 dollars to attract new customers that you lose over price disputes. Is it worth it to lose 400 dollars, or the five dollars they might claim they were robbed of? The customer is only wrong when it costs money, and otherwise it isn't worth arguing with the customer.

So when is the customer wrong? The customer is wrong when it costs more money to deal with the customer than it takes to lose them. They are also wrong when they are ruining the image of the company, or are just stealing money from the company. The customer is usually right, but when they try to scam, extort, or get a good deal from you when they know they don't deserve it, that is when the customer is wrong.

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