The war-torn phrase “The Customer’s Always Right” doesn’t literally mean what it says. It’s simply a reminder that if your customer’s upset with you, you need to do something to make her happy instead.
In fact, whether she’s right or wrong, her perception is your reality.
I had a great example of a company ignoring that basic rule today when I phoned Expedia customer “service” to point out that my wife had been charged £65 to check in a suitcase at Heathrow which she believed she’d paid for online.
After a 40-minute wrangle, we got to the stage where they’re going to examine screenshots of the entire booking process to prove that there was a tiny box left unticked on the booking form, which apparently trumped a later email my wife received stating clearly that her checked bag was included in the fare.
Guys, if it’s this hard for a customer to decipher what you really mean, you should be grateful we pointed it out and gave you the chance to improve. £65 seems a tiny price to pay for such a valuable lesson.
In an age where bad news travels at the speed of Trip Advisor, Expedia should have fired the money into our bank already.
Author: Jonny