The phrase “The customer is always right” is not rightTake a deep breath and silently repeat to yourself, “The customer is always right”? This is a motto that’s drilled into every new business startups, and has somehow made its way into the psyches of established business owners. “The customer is always right” is a slogan which enhances and gives the highest priority to customer satisfaction. Harry Gordon Selfridge, the founder of Selfridge’s department store in London coined this phrase. Many businesses used this term to convince customers that they will get good service at their organization and ensures that customers should get good service.

But in today’s world, the businesses should abandon this phrase because sometimes it leads to bad customer service. This phrase says that customer is always right and he knows everything while you and your staff are the actual expert. Obviously the customer’s experience matters, but bending over backwards to give customers what they want instead of what they need doesn’t do either of you any favors. When you tell your employees “the customer is always right”, you immediately position them against the customer – and the customer always wins. If you want to keep your employees happy and effective, back them up. Prove to them that you respect their judgment and opinions, and when faced with siding with your employee or an unreasonable customer, always choose your employee.

Look at the bigger picture when dealing with consistently unreasonable customers or clients. Look at what’s really important, and ask yourself if repeatedly attempting to please an unpleasable customer is really the best business decision. It is time to take a disciplined approach to analyze which are the “right” customers and then you can treat them the right way. Let’s crown the customers who deserve to be kings and leave the rest to the competition.