September 21; How Can a Business Care About People More Than Money? MANAGEMENT BY THE BOOK: 365 Daily Bible Verse & One-Minute Management Lessons For The Busy Faithful
Chapter Nine: Finance; September 21
If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites
in any of the towns of the land the LORD your God is giving you,
do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them.
Deuteronomy 15:7
| How Can a Business Care About People More Than Money? |
Budget
The new truck battery was heavy. The customer carried it out to his pick-up in the parking lot. He refused to have mechanics install it and was a jerk about it. (Men can sometimes get irrational about their rides and their women.)
The battery slipped out of his hands and cracked open in the parking lot. He stormed back into the garage and demanded his money back.
“Why?” the Service Advisor asked.
“Because I’m not happy.”
We stared at him.
His face was getting red. “I want my money back,” as he pointed to the motto painted above the door.
“Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back,” was stenciled over the Sears, Roebuck & Company entrance.
He got his money.
Your Business Professor once had Sears as a National Account. This means that I was a sales guy whose only customer was Sears.
Every business consultant and academic will preach that we should love our customers and treat them like family and friends. Business as a force for good communicates that, “I Care.”
Julius Rosenwald was Chairman of Sears until his death in 1932. He earned his company widespread trust selling through a mail order catalog to remote, rural customers. He said to, “Treat people fairly and honestly and generously and their response will be fair and honest and generous.”
Rosenwald insisted that the company’s primary goal must be responsibility to the customer. He established the “satisfaction guaranteed or your money back” pledge and conducted his business dealings by the creed “Sell honest merchandise for less money and more people will buy.”
Under Rosenwald’s direction, the business positioned itself as a direct extension of the farmer’s eyes, ears and wallet, making purchasing decisions in the best interests of the farmer. (Sears 2014)
Sears had changed the way commerce was conducted and it had a surprising result. Management Guru Peter Drucker writes,
[T]he age-old concept of caveat emptor had to be changed to caveat vendor—…the Sears policy of “your money back and no questions asked.”
Customers, I am given to understand, actually return less merchandise to Sears than to most of the large American department stores—it’s the basic policy and what it expresses that makes the difference. (Drucker 1973)
Jack Welch would promote a similar concept in his book Gut, “I always tried to leave some goodwill on the table when the seller’s ongoing involvement was important to the company’s success.”
Goodwill is hard to measure on financial statements; it is even harder to measure in a budget.
Drucker reminds us of the challenge,
The late Nicholas Dreystadt, head of Cadillac and one of the wisest managers I have ever met, said to me once: “Any fool can learn to stay within his budget. But I have seen only a handful of managers in my life who can draw up a budget that is worth staying within.” (Drucker 1954)
A worthwhile budget has to have a heart. Business writer Joan Magretta, records that Robert McNamara was the consummate facts and figures man. He was Secretary of Defense during the Viet Nam War. Before that disaster he,
…led a team of Whiz Kids who “brought a management-by-the-numbers approach to the Ford Motor Company.” This form of finance was conducted by bean counters; a derisive term that “has become a permanent part of our language, referring to those who use numbers without understanding their significance.” What Management Is: How it Works and Why It’s Everyone’s Business, (Magretta 2002)
A budget must include care. The poor customer is like family who is enriched by our company.
The customer may not always be “right” but the customer must always be happy.
If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Deuteronomy 15:7
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From my point of view, I believe that employees must care about customers and ensure their satisfaction. If a customer is not satisfied with a product, the employee has to do anything possible to regain the customer’s trust. I agree with the statement that urges employees to treat customers as family because eventually those customers would provide reviews about the quality of customer service and how satisfied they are. Those reviews impact the growth of small businesses drastically and if they are not positive, the employer would have to examine the environment of his employees and advises them to steer clear of making the same mistakes again. If someone wants to be a great employee, he or she has to work hard and always guarantee that the customer is happy.
I agree with this article above as it is always important to keep the customer happy, but you also have to keep the boss happy as well in a business-like atmosphere. The importance of maintaining a budget can be very tricky within a business as well because you have to stay in that budget and not let any real numbers get out of hand from what the budget is ranged. I liked the one quote in the article that says it is easy to stay within a budget, but is rare for a good budget to be found that is worth staying within. The importance of this quote to me was that to be a good businessman you must be able to have care for everyone in it which means you need to divide up the money you have at a good healthy rate. You also in a business need to watch for those around you as customers will want to try and take advantage of a policy sometimes that will take you over the budget, but you cannot let the customers fool you and you need to have good operating standards as a business to remain as profitable as the owner wants the company to be.
Anyone who has ever worked in the service industry has at some point in their life heard the statement “the customer is always right.” This is a classic business motto in the service industry that has stuck around. I am a strong believer that this motto must be followed in order to make your customers happy. If a customer is happy with your business the more likely they are to be returning customers and that is what you should strive for as someone working in the industry. If a business doesn’t have returning customers then they will not be a business much longer. So I will end this by saying that if you want customers to return then treat them with respect and follow the statement “the customer is always right.”
Sam, The customer may not always be “right” but the customer must always be happy.
Jack
I also agree with this article and I think that a business’ primary goal should be to serve and meet the needs of a customer. The social status of a customer does not matter because everyone is equally important. This coincides with human dignity. It also applies to the “common good”. It is crucial for a company to look for the benefit of everybody, and keeping the customer happy is a win-win situation across the board. It also makes the company seem more trustworthy and may lead to an increase in customers.
After reading this article I believe that employees must care about the opinion of customers. With the opinion of customers companies are able to know what their customer’s want and are able too afford in what they need in marketing. When treating customers as family, the seller is able to have the consumer as close as possible and would be able to sell them more products. Also it helps to let the consumer who is closest to the seller know what the newest products are and would buy them at a higher rate than other consumers.Once these consumers feel like like family they would be able to write better reviews for the company, which would then lead to ore business for the company. Even if a consumer does a negative review on the company it would not be the end of the would because it could actually help a company improve on what is needed from them and after receiving that negative review the company would be able to impove upon it and make the company better for consumers.
I enjoyed reading this article because I once had a similar incident working at a hardware store. The customer was happy at the end of the day, but was most definitely wrong. I do think that there are flaws in the “satisfaction guaranteed or your money back” motto. In the situation above, it wasn’t the companies fault because the man dropped his battery, but it was his own fault. Now, I would be on the customers side if he had installed it and there was a problem with the battery. But instead he caused the problem by dropping it and cracking the battery. But if the customer is treated very well and helps handle all their problems, the customer will most likely return. I do agree that customers should always be treated as if they are always correct to maintain a relationship so they continue to come back.
I do believe that customers should be happy and that businesses should do everything they can to achieve that. In this day in age though we may run into the problem of people trying to take advantage of the “Keep the customer happy” motto. People may buy a product and use it once and try and return it because they claim they are unhappy with it, if this is the case and it becomes a regular issue than when do we stray from the motto of “Keep the customer happy.” If a business is operating normally like sears or most, then I do belive in the “Keep the customer happy” motto.
I do believe that customers should be happy and that businesses should do everything they can to achieve that. In this day in age though we may run into the problem of people trying to take advantage of the “Keep the customer happy” motto. People may buy a product and use it once and try and return it because they claim they are unhappy with it, if this is the case and it becomes a regular issue than when do we stray from the motto of “Keep the customer happy.” If a business is operating normally like sears or most, then I do believe in the “Keep the customer happy” motto.
I agree with this article in that a business’ primary focus is the satisfaction of the customer. It does not matter how rich or poor the customer is, everyone is equally important. The reason behind this is the CST principle the “common good”. In order to run a successful business and be satisfied the owner has to make sure that everybody involved with the company has to be happy (customers, employees, employers..). If somebody involved with the company is not satisfied with their experience, then something is going wrong.
Customer satisfaction leads to trust and loyalty and should lead to better revenue and increased sales. The customers should be treated like family even if they may not always be right or difficult to satisfy. Therefore, I also agree that a budget should include care for the customers. Customers are what make a business functioning and able to survive. Without them, a business would cease to exist. Those companies out there that are seen as very successful by many can be seen with good customer service and satisfaction. Apple, Alaska Airlines, and Amazon are all on top of their class and have solid evidence of customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction can be difficult because it is not often something you can learn in school. Business school is meant for how to run a business, know accounting practices, and how to manage employees. Not often is there a chapter about how to succeed in customer satisfaction. It may not be the easy choice to do and may seem like a waste of time and money, but in the end it all pays off. Over time as a company grows bigger and more revenue is coming in, so should the increase in customer satisfaction.
I have always believed firmly that a company should at least put forth a good effort to form a solid relationship with the customers and should care about the opinions of their consumers. Good companies can use the opinions of the customers to not only better their product, but also better their advertising and hopefully increase the sales of the product. Salesmen should attempt to build a good bond with their consumers, as the consumers will be more likely to go back, post a positive review, or tell others about the good service that they received. Any positive review given, whether on a website or through word of mouth, the more likely you will be to bring in new customers and further increase sales.
The phrase “Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back” is a phrase that I have seen my whole life. I have seen in it diners, pizza parlors, hair salons, and body shops. While I have never used this phrase to my advantage I have seen people who have, either because they weren’t satisfied or want to take advantage of the company. While some managers are sympathetic and quick to give the money back, some managers get in arguments with the customers. Sometimes causing a scene on why they don’t deserve their money back. Many businesses use the phrase the customer is always right but not all employees agree with that. So when the manager argues back it isn’t a good look for the business. But when a whole business is on board for putting the customer first it can really flourish. Not just worrying about the income but the well-being of the customer is important in building a positive reputation in the market. Even if the customer is not always “right” it is important that customer is always happy.
My family is in the moving business and a lot of what is said above pertains to our business as well. A lot of what I have learned over the years watching my dad run his business is through his relationships with his customers. He has always told me that it is all about relationships. Making the customer feel like their business is valued is key. Through my encounters with business owners and successful businessmen, I have noticed they all have that similar trait. They all realize the importance of their customers and treat them accordingly. This creates a network of customers because that customer will tell other people how great their experience with that company was.
Whether it is buying a mower or a drying machine or moving your business or house, there are plenty of worries that go into both. These worries include cost, reliability, and trust. If the customer chooses a certain company they must believe that those three things will be fair.
Good companies such as Sears and the company in the story have assurances that will encourage the customer that they possess the qualities they want. Such as the satisfaction guaranteed or money back assurance. In the moving business we have claims systems and a claims team to work with customers with broken or missing items. Most of the time whether our fault or not, the claim is paid for the assured rate but this leaves the customer with a feeling of fairness and parting on a good note which is what any business owner wants.
“Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back” companies all around the country use that saying. This saying is used so often because customer satisfaction is one of the most important things in a business. A company can have a great business but it isn’t anything without its customers. In order for companies to keep their customers they always make sure they are satisfied. When a customer is satisfied with a company the odds of them coming back are very high and what keeps the company running. Even if the customer isn’t necessarily right, it is important to keep them happy.
I have always strongly believed that employees must care about customers and ensure that they are satisfied with their product and service. Employees must put good effort in building a good relationship with their customers. If one wants to be a good employee, one must first try their best to build a good relationship with customers in order that they are satisfied.
Without customers, there are no sales, which leads to no profits and leads companies to go out of business. I really liked the quote “ the customer does not have to be right but the customer always has to be happy.” There will always be times when a customer is not happy. Whether they are wrong or right you should admit that you are at fault and see what the customer would like you to do to fix the situation. This will save you an argument right off the bat and defuse the situation almost immediately. Once this has been established It is a good idea to ask the customer what you can do in the future to prevent a situation like this from happening again. This can help establish a sense of care and trust that something like this will never happen again. By doing these things and leaving the customer happy they are likely to make future purchases with your store instead of taking their business elsewhere. In the situation of “Satisfaction Guaranteed or your money back” the monetary value does not compare to the value of a happy customer. You may think you are loosing a great deal of money but in the long run you have to realize that it is not as important as a satisfied customer.
Having satisfied and happy customers is a critical component for a company to build brand loyalty. The article mentions three companies, GE, Sears, and Cadillac who appeal to different target customers, yet all had policies of the customer is first. Although it may cost a company to accept a return or give a customer a new product in exchange for a damaged product – even when not the fault of the company, most customers will be very appreciative of the gesture and be inclined to continue to go back and make future purchases. The same holds true when a customer feels that they were not treated fairly or if a company does not honor its policies – a bad experience will usually not only mean they won’t return, but they will not hesitate to share their negative experience with others. Customers have choices and people will spend their money with companies that they trust and who have treated them fairly
Establishing a reputation where the customer is always right, is one of the most effective ways that a company builds brand loyalty. The article mentions three companies, GE, Sears and Cadillac, all who have a very different customer base, yet recognize and are known for leaving the customer satisfied. It can certainly be an expense or lost money for a company to issue a refund or make an exchange for a new product, especially when the company is not at fault. However, the goodwill that is established with such acts is priceless and goes a long way in establishing the reputation of the company. Customers will continue to buy products from a company that they trust and share their impressions with friends and family. The same is true when a customer feels that they were not treated fairly – and not supporting the customer can often cost a company the loss of not just one sale but many.
I think the most important things for a company is having happy and satisfied customers. This not only helps build a customer relationship, it also helps build trust between the company and the customer. This article particularly focuses on companies that all have a very wide reputation for leaving customers very satisfied out the door. It is always vital to consider the customers thoughts and feelings throughout the entire process in order to have them come back and purchase from you again.
I believe that the key for a well business is that employee care for the customers. That they wish the customer is happy with the service or product and they want to come back. Is not only the idea that they employees are receiving money but that they have a relationship with the costumers. I remember reading about how business that has better relationship with their costumers have a greater income than those who don’t. People do come back to the places were they felt well with the employees.
The key to a successful business is the customer, with a happy customer means repeated service. If you don’t care for the customer then your business will begin to fail. I worked for a maintenance company over the summer and one client could never be happy with the amount of water that I was giving their plants. Even if I completely drenched the plants for almost 20 minutes soon after they would be calling to have me back out again. Though I never complained because this was my job and I had to satisfy the customer to keep them from taking their business elsewhere. Every company should brand themselves as being completely customer oriented, because they are the main source of your income and without them your businesses wouldn’t be able to function.
A business should alway care about their customers and put them first in order to be successful. However, there needs to be to be a line drawn to make sure they aren’t being taken advantage of. There are many people out there who try to get a good deal and give companies hard times like the guy in the article above. On top of that, customers can be extremely rude especially in the service industry. When I worked in a restaurant, there were always a couple of bad customers who were rude, a hard time and made things difficult. When this happens in any industry, I feel like it is up to the manager to deal with these sorts of customers because they are the highest authority. What I appreciated most during my tenure at the restaurant was when my managers would stick up for me or employees against unruly customers. Yes, customers are the most important aspect of any company, but companies should not surrender to them they are wrong.
The biggest thing a business has is its customers. Without the customers a business cannot sell their product or service therefore they are not a business at all. It is difficult to please every single person that contacts your business in anyway but the closer you can get to 100% satisfaction, the better your business will be. It is important to have this precedent set in the early stages of the businesses development,, and to have it continue throughout the life of the company. The hiring process should have strict guidelines on the type of customer service that is expected of the employees because the employees are the ones that set the example for the customers and they set the tone for how the customer merchant relationship is going to go. An example of how this Is put into effect is at Enterprise. Each branch is given and ESQi score that is a determination of how well the branch performed in customer service, unless the customer gives a 5 out of 5, completely satisfied, the branch failed that customer. Enterprise puts their money where their mouth is as far as making sure they have great customer service.
As a son of two hard working small business owners, I have seen the actions some customers take out of spite. The businesses they run are their livelihood for the present and future, and money is important for the future. Yet, they still favor the care for their customers over money. Why? Because customers continue to come back once they have received a sign of respect, dignity, and appreciation. I agree that the customer is not always “right”, for the business owner should always know their products best. But, it is most important for the customer to be happy.
The sears story interested me the most, because of the values the story was comprised of in light of the company’s ethical standards. I hope to instill these ethical standards into my daily practices once I am in the workforce. Why lose a customer, when you can gain many more from a sale? One consumer can talk to their friends about a company’s great services and products, developing a chain affect. We are to live our lives as Jesus did, a table of fellowship. A business should be a table to fellowship towards all consumers, and not to base a customer’s prestige on the amount of money they appear to have. Every customer is valuable for the success of a company, if they are shown respect and dignity.
This was a very interesting article because it is very true but it shows how hard it is to treat everyone with respect. I previously worked at a retail store and a waiter at a pizza shop and I have had to put on a smile when it was very difficult. I believe that the hardest part of treating the customer with respect is when the customer believes they are correct and tell you what you can and can’t do even though you are the one working at the company. With that said, I have learned that being honest and respectful is a way for the rude customers to realize that you are a human too and they begin to calm down and treat you with a little more respect. I believe that respect is a two-way street and if you show someone respect, they will be forced to show respect back to you. The article mentioned how the customer dropped the car battery and demanded his money back which I do not agree with. If this were the case, everyone would not be careful or considerate with their purchases because they can just go back and return them when they break. The employee who dealt with this customer did a very good job though because he treated the rude customer with respect and was able to resolve the issue quickly and efficiently.
In fact, a business can care about people more than they care about money. When a company writes quotes such as, “Satisfaction Guaranteed or your money back” they should uphold their word. In this article a customer was simply unhappy with their purchase and the company kept their word and gave the money back. Now since the customer can trust this company keeps their word, they customer is more likely to return. The customer realized the business truly does care about how the customers feel and react to their products.
Business should be seen and done as a force for good. Business holds a lot of power in society, so why not make that a positive power. Businesses should care for their people, both employees and customers- since those are the ones keeping the business afloat.
The quote, “Treat people fairly and honestly and generously and their response will be fair and honest and generous.” makes perfect sense and should be used daily. Simply treat people how you would want to be treated. If you can show your people in the company that you care, then they will simply care like a chain reaction. People want to go to a fair, honest and generous company.
What always amazes me is how much a “customer first” attitude still seems to be the best and most effective marketing strategies out there. You can pay for marketers and ad campaigns and other kinds of marketing tools, but without a customer focus your company will never be successful. Even with the rise of online shopping and the death of “brick and mortar” shops, people still make decisions based on experience. Someone may stop buying from this online store because they had awful customer service. Even when almost all the human contact is taken out of shopping, people still crave it and will punish a company if it is not there. The only thing people seem to care about more than a good price is for that company treating them as more than just another sale. Again, I think this is becoming more important in our tech savvy world because of how little interaction we need to have, yet we still desire it. Therefore, if someone finds a company who treats them like a person, it sticks out even more. This just shows how marketing goes far beyond the advertisers, because everyone with any contact with a customer is responsible for making them feel human. It is a group effort, not just the effort of one or two gifted sales people.
Although I do agree with what the article above states, in some regards it seems like a tough accomplishment to feat. For companies it shouldn’t be hard at all to create a budget, however, to create a budget that considers all of the unforeseen circumstances of unhappy customers seems very difficult. As well as budgetary needs, it can be difficult for the employees to always admit default. Sometimes customers are completely in the wrong but throw a huge fit over what has made them unhappy, and it’s important that at the end of the day the customer is always happy. It is common that companies will use the money back guarantee, however, when a customer tries to use it sometimes managers create many loopholes or argue on why the customers doesn’t deserve their money back. I do agree that the customer should always come first and they should get their money back if they’re unhappy, however I do believe it can be a very hard practice to perfect.
This article talks about keeping customers happy. I can relate to this because I work at a private beach club where my main priority is the members of the club. I find it very hard to do what the members ask sometimes because it can simply sometimes not be accomplished. One thing I was able to pick up on was the manager of the club usually always has to say no to the members but, he always has an alternative. I was able to pick up on this after listening to a couple of encounters. When I try to do the impossible, the members get upset because we do not have what they want, but when I immediately give them an alternative that works, they remain pleased with my service. I do not think that everything should run around the consumers because then there would be no company structure. Consumers will always have a problem and want to change things and I think that this can be repetitive. If a consumer knows they can get away with coming into a company and complaining for free stuff, then they will do it over and over because they can. Overall, I think the consumers are very important but sometimes there has to be an alternative to fit the company’s structure.
Essentially, the idea brought up in the article, to me is the ideal way a company should be managed. A company with no costumers will never sustain, therefore, it is a priority that the seller gains the buyers full trust. This way, not only do the consumers leave happy, but there is a chance they might come back for another buy. “Sell honest merchandise for less money and more people will buy.” This concept can shape a solid corporation due to the fact that more people will usually be attracted to lower prices. In addition, if someone feels, they got away with paying less for more use of product, the probability of he/she coming back for more is very high. Of course, not every costumer will be easy to deal with, as I said more people are attracted to lower prices, and not everything will always go ones way. However, like the example used in the article with the angry costumer, who was clearly in the wrong for not letting anyone help him, he still got his money back because he wasn’t “happy” or satisfied. But, in consequence to this, the company stood its ground, followed it’s principles and consequently gave the man nothing negative to talk about, because he got his money back.
One thing that a company must do in order to be successful in the present and in the future, is to be loyal to their customers and to make sure that they are always satisfied. A happy customer means a more successful business. If the consumer enjoys every experience they have while purchasing a product, they will continue to return and buy more. It is important to treat them with respect, and as family. Once the customer is loyal to business, it is much easier to sell them your newer products, as they will be on your side and trust anything that you sell to them because they know that they are being cared for. For consumers, it is very important for them to feel noticed and not just a transaction number after their purchase. After working as a busboy for a country club, I ran into a lot of customers that had a problem with either service or how their meal was prepared. No matter how wrong they were my manager told me that they are always right and that we will do anything to make them happy. This motto really increased the amount of people that came into the dining room, increased the amount of tips that we received, and most importantly, kept the customer happy.
I agree with the article above as it is always important to keep the customer happy. Also I believe that employees must care about customers and ensure their satisfaction. If a customer is not happy with a product, the employee has to do anything possible to regain the customer’s trust. And also they have to keep the boss happy as well in a business like atmosphere. I also agree with the statement that urges employees to treat customers as family because those customers would provide reviews and feedback about the product and the quality of customer service and how they treated them. Those reviews and feedback will impact their business. I liked the one quote in the article that says it is easy to stay within a budget, but is rare for a good budget to be found that is worth staying within. For me the important of this quote to me is to be a good businesswomen and to car for everyone in it, after reading this article I believe also that employees must care about the opinion of the customers. If someone wants to be a great employee, he or she has to work hard and always guarantee that the customer is happy.
Companies need to care more about their customers than money because their customers are money. A company would be absolutely nothing with out customers. It is so crucial to make customers feel as if they are the reason for the company in the first place. A good reputation with customers leads to constant growth and support
Companies need to care more about their customers than money because their customers are money. A company would be absolutely nothing with out customers. It is so crucial to make customers feel as if they are the reason for the company in the first place. A good reputation with customers leads to constant growth and support.
This is such an important aspect of business that is gaining more and more attention and usage as the years go on. The most important part of any business is its customers, without them, there would be no business. Therefore, they must be your top priority! What better way to show them this level of care than to guarantee there money back if they are not pleased by what you hav provided? You may run into the occasional customer who abuses this power like the one mentioned in the beginning of the article, but for the most part, customers will just be very appreciative of the fact that they are even offered something like that, and chances are, if everyone is doing their jobs correctly there will be no unhappy customers regardless. At the end of the day the customer is always right, and is the most important part of your business, so it is essential to show them how much you care about them and for you to do as much as humanly possible to keep them happy with the services you provide.
I believe in the saying the customer is always rite. I believe in this because as long as the customer believes her or she is rite then they will be happy. As long as a customer is happy they will continue to come back and give the company their money. A company must continue to keep there customers happy in order to keep a business afloat. In today’s world more and more company’s are expanding there human resources department in order to meet the customers needs. A human resource department is one of the most if not the most important department within a company. Without someone listening to the complaints of the customers and fixing what needs to be fixed a company could not function.
I feel as if this article really shows how individuals can take advantage of the, “Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back” phrase. I feel as if I see this written everywhere is shops, restaurants and online websites. I think that it is important for companies to have this phrase written in their shops. It is also important as a customer to see that because you feel as if the company really does care if you are happy with the product you are buying. But, on the contrary being someone who works in these shops can see that sometimes individuals do take advantage of it. For example, this is not written all over restaurants. But, restaurants if they want a good rep of providing customers with service they must follow this motto. I have worked in several restaurants where the managers will always go above and beyond to meet a customers expectations. But, there are always individuals who try to take advantage of it by complaining about every thing that they have been served. Most managers catch on right away and will take only one thing off their bill. But, some individuals do not stop until they get half there bill for free. Which as a manager knows that if you do that for every single person the company will never make any money.
I found the article above to speak a lot of the truth and bring up an important topic in the business world. I work in a restaurant and I find the concept of the “customer is always right” to hold some truth, but also to be wrong at times. In the business world it is important to find the right balance between keeping your customers happy and also keeping your boss happy. The boss is in charge of the budget, but the customer is in charge of supplying the money. With modern technology and online reviews it harder to hold your ground if you believe the customer is wrong and does not deserve their money back because if a customer is unhappy they have the power to go out online and say whatever they’d like about your company and it could hurt business. In the scenario above the customer was unhappy because of his own mistakes, but that did not matter be he was unsatisfied he thought he deserved to get his money back. The customer was not right, but he was unhappy which is sometimes not worth the fight and better to just give the customer what they want. In the long run keeping your customers happy over right or wrong will be beneficial.
It is true that the customer is not always right but must always be happy. In business dealing with customers and clients is something done on a daily basis and a lot of the time the customer thinks they are right about a situation in which one knows they are completely wrong. But the customer always comes first and one must always make sure the customer is happy so that they continue to come back,
It is so important to put your customer first in a company. At the end of the day, their money will keep the company in business so it is important to keep them in mind. From my experience, I have noticed the less that workers are paid, the less they want to give great customer service. For example, the workers at fast food joints typically do not care as much about getting the order correct and ensure the customer has a memorable experience as someone who worked in a fancy steak house. Chick-fila is my personal favorite place to go for food because they make the customer experience memorable and make sure that the customer is happy from the time they walk in the door to when they leave. Simple things like “my pleasure” and “have a nice day” and “thank you for coming in today” can make a big difference if the customer wants to come back in the future.
This article brings up a great point and a common problem. Many people go into business wanting to and knowing that they have to make the customers happy but not realizing how much this will cost. What determines their success can be if they actually commit to financing this goal and making sure the customers are continually satisfied with their products and services. Even if the customer is not correct, the company should stay true to their principles and comply with what the customer wants. This will be beneficial for the company in the end because if customers are satisfied and keep returning, the company will end up making more money than it costs to fix mistakes or just make sure the customers are satisfied. We are called to show respect for all people and putting customers’ happiness above money is a great way to do this and lay a foundation of trust between the company and customer.
I agree with this article because it is important to keep the customer happy and treat them like family. If a customer is not happy with a product or the customer service in a company then that company has to do everything in their power to try and satisfy the customer again. Customers give a company business and profit, so by making one or a couple customers mad won’t help their company succeed. If a customer is really not satisfied with a company then they will write bad reviews about this company which will make other customers not want to give this company their business. I know that I look at reviews for companies if it’s my first-time shopping there because I want to know what customers experienced with the company. If I see a lot of bad reviews on the company then it will make me not want to go there and find a better place to go to. If a customer is dissatisfied with customer service within a company then they will immediately ask to speak to the manager in order for the manager to fire the employee or warn them. If they see that the same employee is still working there and has not changed their customer service skills then they will really be upset and write bad reviews about this company. They will also tell their family and friends not to give the company any of their business. That is why it’s important for managers to hire employees that are well trained in customer service because that is what makes or breaks customers’ shopping experiences.
I have worked in some type of customer service position since I was 16 years old and have heard the statement “the customer is always right” more times than not. I agree with this statement to a certain point. When a customer is not happy then it is the employees’ job to find a way to make the customer happy, whether that be a discount on a future purchase, refund, or free item. Where this can get out of hand is when the customer is still not happy even though you tried your best to give them something for their unhappiness. The age-old statement cannot help you once you have already tried to help as much as you can within the guidelines of the company, if you give away anymore then all of your customers will think that they can get free things and then the company will have no business and have to close. You have to find the fine line between making the customer happy and giving away free things. With the statement “the customer might not always be right, but they must always be happy”, employees need to try their best to make the customer happy while staying in the lines of the company’s policies for helping a customer.
Often times, many people confuse the saying that “the customer is always right.” As in this article, the customer was clearly not right in the situation, but the company did what they needed to do in order to make the customer happy. I think it’s very important to take note of that a company must always make the customer happy. This is due to the fact that the customers are the ones that bring the company profit. In order to maximize wealth and profit, a company’s focus should be on their customers. Not only do companies need to understand what customers want, companies also need to understand their interactions with them. To customers, it is not simply just the product that makes them happy. Rather, to customers, it is the whole experience that they have with the company. If a customer has a negative experience with a company, then they are less likely to go back. For example, if a customer feels as if they received bad customer service from an employee, that is their impression and memory of how the whole company is. This is exactly why companies must understand that their actions and words are incredibly important when it comes to representing their brand and also keeping their customers.
“The customer is always right” is a motto I take with me to work every day. If a customer comes in and wants to make a return, I will process it for them and trust that the reason for their return is justified. If they are not satisfied with the product and take it back to the store within a year 99% of the time I give them the right to return it. Now if the customer got paint all over their boots they purchased in 2009 I am unable to help but for the most part I do what I can to assist customers since that is not my job. My job title is “Customer Service”, not “Cashier” my main priority in work is to serve customers to the fullest of my ability. If the man who dropped the truck battery walked into my store he would have the right to return it. As he was not satisfied with the product he bought and would like another. I never argue with a customer. It is bad business anyhow.
“The customer is always right” is a motto I take with me to work every day. If a customer comes in and wants to make a return, I will process it for them and trust that the reason for their return is justified. If they are not satisfied with the product and take it back to the store within a year 99% of the time I give them the right to return it. Now if the customer got paint all over their boots they purchased in 2009 I am unable to help but for the most part I do what I can to assist customers since that is not my job. My job title is “Customer Service”, not “Cashier” my main priority in work is to serve customers to the fullest of my ability. If the man who dropped the truck battery walked into my store he would have the right to return it. As he was not satisfied with the product he bought and would like another. I never argue with a customer. Its bad business.
I mean my whole life I have heard “the customer is always right”, but I never actually believed that. The last quote though in that the customer must always be happy, that is true. As businessmen and women our job is to create product and services that satisfy the customers’ needs, what will make them happy. What is right, is not the customer, it’s that the product works for the customers. The customer in the first example really should not have gotten their money back. That was their own problem they created, but because the policy he could act carelessly. That sign could cause more waste than good. Although it does make the customer more comfortable when purchasing that product, and encourages purchasing that product. I have a mixed view it’s nice, but I don’t like it
I do believe in the concept of always satisfying your costumer and meeting their need in order just to make them happy. I know that from time to time this can make the job more exhausting for employees and people who work for a service to deliver the results the costumer is willing to pay. The end result to this is gaining loyalty from your costumers to you returning and having the confidence in your costumers that they will return to you for your services, and this will boost your business performance overall, so it important always to leave a happy face on your costumers and gain a good reputation to the oustide world no matter if things get complicated within your business.
I believe that a company must genuinely care about the people it sells to in order to keep their customers happy. I am sure those who have worked in customer service can attest that the customer is not always right however it is crucial that they are always happy, after all if the customers are not happy then the business will most likely fail. It is important for businesses to keep up with their customers’ needs or exceed them so that the customers are happy and in turn they return for more products as well as telling their friends which will draw in more business. A proper budget is also very important for a business to follow, however the creation of the budget is just as important as staying within it. It is important to realize what is necessary and what is not, a carefully planned budget more often than not expresses the true desires and goals of the company. Customer satisfaction is just as if not more important than the most other aspects of business and can more often than not go overlooked when not experiencing it first hand however it is important to remember that at the end of the day business exists to make the lives of consumers better.
For a company to be successful and well respected, companies need to value their customers, considering they are the ones helping the business produce income and success. When a company cares for its customers, it makes customers trust and respects the company. When a company does not care for its customers, it is more than likely customers will not return to do business with the company. Still, they will not recommend it to other individuals, which eventually stops traffic for the company. In reality, people come back to places where they feel welcomed and don’t go to a place where they feel uninvited.
I feel that a company must actively care and have their target market and supporting base in mind, when it comes to the decisions you make in enhancing your business. If your supporter base is not thrilled, or actively believe you have them in mind in your everyday mission, it will be easy to lose some of your customers long term. It is key for businesses to be constantly receptive with your supporters’ thoughts and concerns. Essentially hoping your vision will keep your customers satisfied and please, planning to return for more with your products and services. An organized budget is essential for a business to use in following their expenses, and attacking how to pursue a broad project. Customer service and pleasure is as vital or more important than any other element of business.
Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back is the best policy of business. It shows the principles and values of the business. These businesses that have the same policy tend to care about the people. It builds communities and engaging social events. Even though, there are some people who use it for their own interest and drown the negativity. We had sears in our area and it connects us as a community. Most of our neighbors have the same appliances and if we need something we ask our neighbors. Sadly, Sears closed for bankruptcy because of the rise of the digital age. It’s like the Harley motorcycle company, if you own a Harley motorcycle, you are more likely to join their community and have a relationship. Management plays a big role when communicating with customers. Sometimes customers are arrogant and do not use logic. Some use common sense and leave without making a sense. Some industries are not permitted to have that policy, which is okay. Management is associated with the brand, if the brand is about making it will show.
It is common sense that a business would want to make their customers happy. Any businessman knows that a customer won’t return to do business again if their first transaction isn’t up to the standards they expect. The businessman, therefore, should prioritize making the customer pleased with the transaction. First impressions are important in both business and life, and the first transaction is the most important. A recurring customer is much more likely to forgive a substandard transaction than a first-timer. Even if the customer is difficult or acting in what would be considered unreasonable, it is much better for the business to cater to them, else the business garner a poor reputation that may not even be appropriate. It is easier now more than ever for a business to be sunk due to the internet and websites like Yelp, so each and every customer should be treated with care so that the business has nothing but positive reviews and causes only good memories from the customer. It is also good morally to do this, as every customer should be treated not just as a customer, but as a fellow person. Even if they are acting in a way that may be considered rude, it is still good to treat them well rather than respond to it with more rudeness. Overall it is simply better for a business to treat customers well rather than to not, both morally and financially.
This is always an interesting saying, “The customer is always right” because this can create quite an imbalance between honest customers and customers trying to take advantage of the company. I do not believe that this saying should be used in all cases because there are always going to be people in the world that try to take advantage of anything and everyone. In the first case in this article I do not agree with the customer that got his money back because he wasn’t satisfied with the product because of what he did and not what the product didn’t do. This customer took advantage of the policy, “Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back” and knew that if he said that he wasn’t happy he could get his money back. The difference between him and an honest customer is that an honest customer will realize that they accidentally broke the product and might ask for a discount rather than get their money back. The dishonest customer decided that a way to get around the broken product all he had to do was say that he was not happy with the product even though he never actually used it. This kind of behavior should not be tolerated and should be controlled. A way to control this is that when someone brings back the product should be in perfect condition and the customer explains how and why they are not satisfied with the product.
Creating a budget can be one of the hardest parts of creating a virtuous company. Before reading this article I never thought about the budget working hand in hand with the company’s care for the customer. I have always thought of the budget as strictly numbers and predictions to make sure the company can profit. Now I see why the budget is so hard to create around care for the customer because you can not put numbers on care. It is true that creating a budget for customer care is hard, but it is essential for creating a successful and virtuous company. Making sure that a company’s customers are happy is very important for a company to grow and create a loyal customer base. The article gave the example of a happy customer when the man dropped a battery in the parking lot and then proceeded to get a full refund from the business that he bought it from. The man may not have deserved a full refund, but the company gave it to him anyway. By doing this the company shows that they are loyal and trustworthy to the customer and this will help to create customers who will give the same loyalty and trust back to the company.
The customer must not always be right, but must always be happy is a very important concept in marketing. A business’s goal should always be to meet the needs of a customer. It is important to create the branding of a product around what would make a customer happy. . Customers keep a company in business. A business loses profit and money when customers are not satisfied. A business is based on customer satisfaction. It is important to create a whole experience for the customer that keeps them happy. This will lead to customer loyalty and them coming back to your business. When I go to any business and receive a good experience I am more likely to go back. I have been going to one restaurant in my town since I was little. This is not only because it has amazing food, but because the customer service is amazing. They always make sure the customer is happy and create a great environment . Every business should focus on this concept.
After reading the article I think it is very important that we treat our customers like friends and family for the sake of the business. In this example where the man is stubborn and breaks his own car battery and demands a new one we learn that it is better to try to make this customer happy. The reason for this is because if the customer looks back at his time at the store in a positive way he will be a returning customer. It is very important to have loyal customers because it is what keeps a company alive. This was proved to the fullest extent when COVID-19 hit and people were really only giving their business to places they had been and trusted before. With happy customers a successful business is much more attainable.
It makes all the sense in the world that a company should actively care and show a pure enthusiasm in making the best decisions with their target market and consumer base in mind, in ultimately making the right moves to enhance your business. If your consumer base are not engaged, or really believe you value them in in your company’s everyday ambition and goals, it may play a part in seeing a decrease in consumer engagement and support. in losing some of your customers long term. It is important for businesses to be constantly receive feedback from your supporters, and their thoughts in how your company in continually improve your product and service. It’s key to also hear their concerns, understanding that no one is perfect, and you can always find impactful way to better time and productivity. In an effort to keep your customers engaged and pleased, planning to return for more with your products and services. An organized budget is important for a business to use in following their expenses, and directing how to pursue a vast project. Customer service and pleasure is as vital or more important than any other element of business.
Having a satisfied customer is the foundation of business. In any exchange, there is an individual who wants something and another who has something to offer. If the one who is purchasing doesn’t find value in the service or is unsatisfied with the service they won’t spend their money there. It therefore makes sense for a company to take the stance of “customer satisfaction guaranteed or your money back.” The customer really has nothing to lose if they are unsatisfied with the quality of the product they are receiving. If they are unsatisfied they can always get their money back. In a way, this also protects the company from bad reviews from customers. No one is going to complain when they were dissatisfied with a product but got their money back.
After reading just the headline of this article, I had a response. If you are constantly working on high quality customer service and creating relationships with your buyers/customers you will bring in money naturally. People strive for human connection and want to feel important. When a sales associate remembers a customers name that was in store the week before or does everything in their power to find the blue align tank in a size XS from the backroom you are creating that exceptional customer experience. This will naturally bring in more people by word of mouth. Maybe Susan was getting coffee with a few of her girlfriend and told her friends they have to go check out the new boutique in the center of town because the sales associate that helped her was fabulous. Her friends are more likely to come in and if their customer experience was good they might share to their friends and family too. The cycle goes on and on. Once you focus on the people instead of income, the money will collect itself naturally
The importance of the customer these days seems to be severely understated, for they are the reason a company can exist in the first place. But, in the age of information and materialism, it seems that that sentiment is lost on most companies. For example, Apple seems to have a “just shut up and buy it” attitude towards their customers. They rarely add features to their products that are desired by customers and only add features that it seems their competitors did first. Though many industries continue to serve their customer’s needs, it seems as if big tech serves their pockets and their shareholder’s pockets only.
Sears is a great model of retail posterity. Rosenwald’s creed and the prerogative of the company
hinges upon honesty and transparency with customers and suppliers. I feel like most companies attempt to exemplify these values, regardless of industry, though many fail. It is difficult to measure goodwill, and has many times been the downfall of companies and individuals alike. In the service industry, it can often be the life and death of the company. During my time working as a server at 1789 Restaurant in Georgetown, I realized how vital consistent goodwill is to a group of people working as a team with a shared goal. There must be mutual respect for the solidarity of everyone and their role in a fast-paced environment; otherwise, things get backed up in the kitchen, which means the meals are being served later, which results in the customer being less satisfied. In order to compensate for this, there would be times where we would make one or more drink/food orders complimentary. The dissatisfaction of customers should always be treated as an expense, if for no other reason than to discipline the staff for producing and distributing a mediocre product. This article stresses the importance of deference from a seller’s perspective, because goodwill is a buyer’s market.