Comments on: Dealing With Idiot Customers

By: Ata

Ata — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 19:14:45 +0000

This article brings back some old memories.
This not only applies online but offline aswell (as mentioned), especially if you’re working for an employer. For example, i used to work in an office serving customers and some get rather abusive and a few were racist aswell. In that situation, i really felt like giving a piece of my mind but you have to resist that urge and contain you anger. If you do react, then obviously i would get a warning and then eventually get dismissed. Hence, i felt very frustrated and wanted a way out. Also, the boss wasn’t nice either.

With that being said, i did literally give the finger at the narcisist Jeffrey Lant at WorldProfit when he tried to belittle and patronise me on his webcast this week, lol. It does give you a good feeling though.

Big companies/websites will always have complaints. That is ‘inevitable’. YOu don’t need to worry too much about that. The problem occurs when the complaints exceed the praises/testimonials.

By: Trade Show Guru

Trade Show Guru — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:39:02 +0000

hey Randy,
This post rocks. I too try to live by the saying “the customer is always right”, but I really like your modified version. Some customers are best “given” to the competition down the street.
~ Steve, aka the trade show guru

By: Pink

Pink — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:33:05 +0000

It looks like you still followed the customer is always right mantra. You did the right thing, and I agree with you assessment. Definitely sounds like a idiot.

By: Timz

Timz — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:13:41 +0000

Yes the customer is always right – if you still want them as a customer.

If you don’t want them as they cost/take up too much time/ stop you providing service to other paying customers etc, then get rid of them!

Unfortunately, it is the vocal minority that take up all the time and effort, yet probably still complain anyway! (pareto principle).

I managed a service area for an home products company and the customer expectations were sometimes completely unreasonable – occasionally we just walked and said we did not want to do business with them! and went and focussed on delighting our customers that didn’t have complaints.

With the referrals from the delighted customers we more than made up for the bad ones.

PS Do it professionally though, we had one ‘bad’ customer (who we fired) come back and apologize after working with 3 other companies because we were the best he had dealt with – we charged him extra to work with him again and he agreed!