I know they say the customer is always right, but I’m not 100% sure that is true, because some people are hard to work with or just not a good fit.
When that happens in my practice, I try to part ways in a professional way because if it’s not a good fit, then it’s almost always the same for both parties.
No need for bad blood right? But here are a few things you should never say and why…
Ok, so I had a very unusual week and had a vendor say a few crazy things to me that I thought I would share with you. I know they say the customer is always right, but I’m not 100% sure that is true, because some people are hard to work with or just not a good fit.
When that happens in my practice, I try to part ways in a professional way because if it’s not a good fit, then it’s almost always the same for both parties. No need for bad blood right? But here are a few things you should never say and why…
Don’t tell you customers how busy you are.
Everyone is busy, so this implies that your time is more valuable than your customers time. It also comes across as if you are trying to “prove” yourself to your customer.
2. Don’t talk about your expenses.
Wow! This is definitely not a conversation that is appropriate with a customer. It sounds pretentious and also is awkward to your customer, because it makes you sound like you have cash flow problems. You don’t want to send that message.
3. Never, ever tell someone not to text you.
Text is common nowadays because it can help avoid the dreaded phone tag. Text is great for checking in and saying “when is a good time to get on the phone and review stuff”. When you tell your customer not to text you, because you are getting too many texts, you are simply telling them that you have lost control of your communication and that you obviously need an assistant.
4. Even worse, don’t tell your customer not to call you until Friday, even though it’s only Tuesday.
Make an appointment, but don’t just say “call me Friday” especially you’re not going to answer that call. Customers don’t want to work with someone who treats them that way.
5. Don’t get so defensive.
We all make mistakes, so if your customer is telling you that they are unhappy, try to understand where they are coming from so you can hopefully fix the issue for them. That’s how you get repeat business and also referrals.
I know, sometimes you have that “unreasonable” person that simply can’t be made happy, but most of the time, a little TLC goes a long way. And you want your customers to be happy right?