"The customer is always right..." - What a crock of shite.

The old saying goes that the customer is always right. I had that pointed out to me in Wickes several times, and worryingly the customer felt that that comment alone was enough for me to have to back down.

On my first day at Wickes I was told by the person training me that customers are not always right, but they are king (or queen when appropriate). That's a far better saying that makes far more sense.

What gets to me about the customer being right theory is that it's simply not logical.

It usually applies when the customer is querying a policy or perhaps some technical knowledge.

"I'd like a refund on this please. It's faulty." says the customer.

"I'm afraid we need to send that away for repair, as you do not have proof of purcahse." replies the member of staff.

(I'll delete the conversation that follows and cut to the all important line)

"Young man, have you not heard of the saying 'The customer's always right? Refund please.'"

Honest to God, it happens.

So where does the lack of logic apply? The fact that the employee has been doing their job for x amount of time and is payed to do and know that job on a daily basis. On the other hand you have a customer who believes they know it all - far more than the professionals. Yet (unless their living is also behind a till/customer service desk etc) spend little time dealing with such matters in comparison.

Rant over.