Alex Kjerulf articulates why customers can’t always come first.
Let me get this straight: The company will side with petulant, unreasonable, angry, demanding customers instead of with me, its loyal employee? And this is meant to lead to better customer service?
Everyone says “put customers first.” They pay the bills, they’re who the company exists to serve, they’re the ones who must be satisfied, in their hands rests word-of-mouth, the most powerful force of marketing.
But what about employees? The ones who you’d like to be motivated to serve these customers, day in and day out. Where do they fit in the customer service model? When it comes down to employee happiness versus customer happiness, what do you do? And yes, it can come down to it.
Some customers are so poisonous to your poor employees that it’s your duty to get rid of them. Some you should wish on your competitors. Sometimes the customer isn’t right.
Maybe 1% of your customers are problematic, but they’re a vocal and time-sucking and morale-draining 1%. Is 1% more business worth it?
