Service Failure

CHAPTER 2

The Customer Is NOT Always Right

Equipping Employees to Handle Challenging Customers

One of the most challenging obstacles to effective customer service is often the customers themselves. In the world of customer service, horror stories frequently begin with the implicit assumption that the customer was a reasonable, rational, and pleasant person who should have been easy to serve. This is sometimes the case, but the reality is that there are many instances when customers play an active role in creating their disappointing experiences. As the old saying goes, it takes two to tango.

I once sat on a hotel shuttle bus waiting for my ride ...