Editor’s Note: This post is by Paul Slezak, Cofounder and CEO of RecruitLoop – the World’s largest marketplace of expert Recruiters and Sourcers available on-demand.
Your company needs to shine as one of the best when it comes to customer service to compete with your competition. Your target customers must also come away with a positive experience for return visits and the all-important word of mouth references (not to mention the social media ‘likes’).
The ‘Know it all hero’ will walk through your door with the old saying “the customer is always right” bouncing around in their head. This prospect is proof that not everyone makes for a great customer and will really test your patience.
If a customer is going to be ‘right’, then this ‘right’ needs to start with a mutual respect of the professional relationship and not with what I have often referred to as a ‘doormat relationship’ when you feel like you’re just being walked all over.
The sometimes hard to spot ‘Nosey little ninja’ (or what I will often refer to as a ‘tyre kicker’!) can ruin your day with their games; while a real mystery shopper should be looked on as beneficial to your business.
Next up with coins rattling in their pockets is the ‘Penny pincher’. They will try to bargain you down until you’re red in the face but stand strong and try to get the best price for the both of you.
Now in booms ‘Langry’. Always having a bad day, they will try to rub that negativity onto you but put a smile on your face and get that sale hopefully without calling security.
There’s no denying that it can be hard work dealing with difficult customers. Personally I have always prided myself on my own customer service ethic, and I have always built teams committed to delivering nothing but an awesome level of service to our clients.
But one thing I have also learned (often the hard way!) is that no matter what all the adages or motivational posters say, the customer isn’t always right. So check out this awesome infographic by our friends at The Website Group to learn the best ways to handle the worst customers.
Author
Paul Slezak
With over two decades of experience in the recruitment and human capital industry, Paul Slezak has established himself as a transformative force in the realm of leadership and career coaching, group facilitation, and talent acquisition. His unique perspective, drawn from his early career as a leader in global recruitment firms and his entrepreneurial success with his own start-up, has enabled him to make a significant impact on leaders, teams, and organizations across the world. Paul's passion for helping others achieve success and high performance is evident in his commitment to transforming leaders and their teams at local, national, and international levels. He specializes in promoting the importance of human-centered intelligence, focusing on soft skills such as authenticity, transparency, and trust to complement business-centered acumen and drive better workplace outcomes. As an impartial facilitator, Paul brings his expertise to team offsites and strategy days, ensuring alignment on goals, values, and culture while keeping participants on task. His engaging and energetic presence, coupled with his unique "entertraining" and "edutaining" delivery style, enables him to connect with audiences both large and intimate, sharing personal and professional anecdotes that inspire and energize.
