Dear Customers,

[Thumpalumpacus]

No doubt, but when a customer is rude and the manager takes the customers side in order to make the employee look like an ass, then the manager is an ass.  

First of all, whenever I had to deal with a customer issue, I took it to a sidebar. My personal policy was to never have that discussion with the associate in question present. For situations like these, as a manager, I had four key goals, in this order:

1) Shut up and listen. 95% of the time, I think, all the customer really wants is to be heard.

2) If it's an issue I can fix, I fix it. I don't degrade the employee by forcing him to backtrack publicly. If it's an issue I cannot fix, I apologize and commit to taking it up with my superiors to deliver what the customer wants if that is possible.

3) Even if it is the customer's fault, rather than turn it around on them and point out their flawed behavior, I work to correct unrealistic expectations.

4) Once all that is complete, I have a conversation with my associate to explain what they did, both right and wrong.

This obviously doesn't work all the time -- some people are bent on venting their unhappiness upon the hapless employees, others too demanding to be satisfied. But it's by-and-large proven to be very good at de-escalating any ill-will, retaining business, and at the same time working within guidelines laid down by those higher in my hierarchy. [Edited to add] Be it known -- there have been times I've told a customer, "I don't want your business. Please take it elswhere, and have a nice day." And I've also had to defend a couple of those times to my superiors. But I regard those times as failures.[/edit]

Customer service has gotten completely out of hand.  Customers need to be told NO.

Growing up, our parents tell us "no" all the time, and we grow up as better people because of it.  What happens when a child is constantly told "yes"?  He becomes spoiled, which is precisely what customer service is all about; ensuring that spoiled adults remained spoiled.

One thing I always told my employees was, "You've heard the old saying, 'the customer is always right'? Well, they aren't, you and I both know that. But our job is to have them leaving the store feeling right." There are many ways to say "no". I've only on a few occasions found "NO" to be the appropriate way.

As Pa Thump used to say, "tact is the ability to tell someone to go to Hell, and have them looking forward to the trip." It's something I always keep in mind when dealing with problem customers -- and yes, there's too goddamned many of them.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Note -- I edited the above post a little , and when complete, saw you'd kudosed it. You may wish to scroll back up -- I'll point out the edit.

[Foxaèr]

[Edited to add] Be it known -- there have been times I've told a customer, "I don't want your business. Please take it elswhere, and have a nice day." And I've also had to defend a couple of those times to my superiors. But I regard those times as failures.[/edit]

You were doing the right thing in those moments, at least the right thing in relation to correcting unnecessary and unwanted customer behavior.

The one thing I have learned through my sixteen years of service to the retail business is that customers are always stating "I'll never come back here", yet I saw those individuals in the store a few days later.

Customer complaints and outrages are only for them to get what they want. The company giving them what they want merely perpetuates the problem rather than solving it.

[Cato]

I guarantee that those bitching about unreasonable customers are incapable of recognizing the same trait in themselves when they are the customer; the same way everyone is a good driver and excellent in bed.

[Foxaèr]

I guarantee that those bitching about unreasonable customers are incapable of recognizing the same trait in themselves

Incorrect. I have spoken all the time with my fellow employees, and we all always agree that we never act that way when we are the customer. We recognize the problem from those with whom we daily deal, and that is why we act accordingly when we are the customer. It is always those who have never worked in retail who are the problem customers, because they have no clue what it is to be on the other side having to deal with dumbasses.

[Cato]

I can now guarantee that you are in the unenviable position of receiving complaints, but have nothng to do with delivery of service. It's the only way your situation makes sense and is a shit way to run a business. It's also demoralizing to those on the receiving end.

[Foxaèr]

I can honestly state that I have received zero customer complaints.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I guarantee that those bitching about unreasonable customers are incapable of recognizing the same trait in themselves when they are the customer; the same way everyone is a good driver and excellent in bed.

I've been that customer in the past, no doubt. The more experience I gained dealing with them myself, the more I learnt how to talk to employees who didn't deliver what I want as a customer.

There are two sides to every transaction.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Incorrect.  I have spoken all the time with my fellow employees, and we all always agree that we never act that way when we are the customer.  

Perhaps not you or your coworkers, but I've heard, often enough, "Well, I work in retail, and I think this is shitty", that I'll agree Cato's got a point. There are enough retailers who don't recognize the mirror-face they present.

[KevinM1]

Try your hand at being a web developer and needing to work collaboratively with a client. They don't know anything, all their input is shit, and they're indecisive. Specs constantly change on a whim, and because you're not telepathic, every rough design idea you spit at them is wrong because it's not up-to-date with their latest fever dream.

I actually had one go so far as to tell me that I had betrayed her, even though I had done everything according to the copious notes I took during a 3 hour, one-on-one meeting with her.

Retail is transaction based. Simple. Clean. You don't have to care beyond money and goods/services exchanging hands.

Clients? Clients are a relationship. Tricky. Messy. Needy. History and personality plays a big part. Home isn't a refuge because things can break, or they had a great new idea, or a bone to pick.