You know the old adage...”The customer is always right.”  I had an experience the other day that highlighted abysmal customer service (I was the customer and I was right...), and hence my topic for this blog. 

Lord knows we have all dealt with customers that are difficult, and it is all we can do to try and be respectful, polite and “move them along”.  But that is the key...respect and politeness.  We can do more damage to your businesses if we choose to be rude, belligerent, loud, etc. 

My experience had to do with a bad meal and failure of the owners to rectify the problem.  In fact, when the problem was staring them in the face, they still ignored and denied it.  Needless to say it hurt them.  The power of “word of mouth” and the health department had them contacting me and apologizing profusely and offering me a lot of free meals. 

Unfortunately, they can’t go back and “unring the bell”.  They left a proverbial “bad taste” in my and my family’s mouth.  Remember...you can’t unring the bell once you have rung it.  Last impressions (good or bad) are just that...last impressions.  Those impressions move you and your business forward or set you back. 

Obviously in the world of EAP and EAL there will be moments of uncertainty where the client is concerned.  Maybe the client had a bad day, a powerful session, an emotional breakthrough, etc.  All the more reason it is paramount that we as professionals be mindful, present, polite and appropriate.  That does not mean you have to accept verbal abuse or feel threatened. 

In fact, the key here is to actively diffuse the situation with as little emotional baggage and further upheaval as possible.  While it may sound a bit cliché, I do believe the key to success here is to be grounded and centered.   

I also believe it is your responsibility to set your staff and business up for success.  Training your staff (and yourself, if you have not) in the area of customer service is critical.  Have some “golden rules” of customer service for your business.  What is your policy for complaints that come in?  What is your policy with respect to deescalating a situation with a client?  Do you have a general protocol or “party line” with respect to how you run the customer service part of your business? 

You can google customer service skills and get an infinite amount of hits.  I have attached the website of the first one I came across and it has a free booklet on “Quick Tips for Outstanding Customer Service”. www.DaleCarnegie.com 

That’s it for now.  Remember...the customer is always right! 

Lisa Wheeler

Director of Operations

Horse Sense of the Carolinas, Inc.