what is a good customer service, do they have limits?

J

jeprox

Registered
hopefully someone could shed light to this. as a business owner, you always wanted to keep or maintain your clients with good customer service. but do they have limitations? would you ever trade your worker over a longtime client?

does anybody ever experienced where an old client is always respectfull to the owner but gives the company worker $h1+ or treat them like that if he does not get what he wants (while talking to the worker)? the old client is banking that he is a client and the other person is just a worker, would you ever keep your employee over an old client?

just asking, thanks
 
It is simple: as long as it doesnt cost the provider's business $ then 'the customer is always right'.

and the way it relates to your question is...

will the business make more $ by keeping the client or the employee?
 
Last edited:
Black-Balled, is money really the only value in the equation? As a customer, I'd gain respect for an employer who stood up for an employee if the employee was being treated rudely or unfairly. And just in general, I respect employers who treat their employees well.
 
One thing to consider is that it costs CONSIDERABLY more to gain a new client over maintaining an existing relationship. Losing a regular is actually pretty damaging.

However, good help is even harder to find. If your worker is strong, it's alright to let a customer walk to keep him. If it becomes a trend, and many customers want to leave if your worker stays on, there may be something to it.
 
I always thought coffee and donuts was good customer service. Buy a cue and get a cup of coffee and a donut. What would be wrong with that? :)

P.S. There's been a lot of talk about coffee lately, hasn't there?
 
jeprox said:
hopefully someone could shed light to this. as a business owner, you always wanted to keep or maintain your clients with good customer service. but do they have limitations? would you ever trade your worker over a longtime client?

does anybody ever experienced where an old client is always respectfull to the owner but gives the company worker $h1+ or treat them like that if he does not get what he wants (while talking to the worker)? the old client is banking that he is a client and the other person is just a worker, would you ever keep your employee over an old client?

just asking, thanks
Click to expand...

More details...

Does the client (or worker) have a beef with any of the other employees/customers, or is it just these two that don't mix ?

Does the employee "give it right back" to the client ? Meaning, does the employee treat the customer the same way ?

How old are each of them ?

Have there been any threats of physical abuse ??

Do they know each other in any way besides the pool hall ??

Is the customer approachable, as far as being asked why they don't like the worker ??

There are a lot of variables to consider.

So there really isn't a "textbook" answer.

More details would help immensely...
 
I guess it depends on your business and how much this client contributes to your bottom line.

In a perfect world I'd never allow a customer to "buy" the right to be rude to my employee, or to the owner.
I'd tell them "if you're going to be rude and insulting then you'll have to go elsewhere".

But what if the customer is 60% of your business?
I've seen businesses where they have one major client and it would ruin them to lose that client.

If you let your employee know "no matter what this guy says, you're a valuable employee, so just
ignore his rudeness and keep doing your job", maybe you can keep the customer and the employee
can just laugh off the customer's bad attitude... humor the customer's need to act like a jerk.

Then privately say to each other "what a tool eh? But we got all his money so we have the last laugh."

No matter what, you can't let the employee feel like his boss won't stand up for him
and doesn't value him as much as the customer.
 
I find this to be fairly common. I have operated my business for 20 years now. Some of my long time clients try to pull shit with my shop foreman when I'm not there (who has been with us since 1999) that they wouldn't even try with me. It seems to be the same pattern. HAVE JOHN CALL ME, I'M VERY UPSET. THIS ISN"T RIGHT! Then when I do, their entire attitude is different. I tell them the exact same thing my guy told them and suddenly it all makes sense and is all good. My thinking is that people like to be dealing with the top person and when they are used to it and are now dealing with an "underling", the resent it for some reason. Like they have lost importance to the company or something. That's all I can guess.

JC
 
I think you can stand up for your employee while still keeping the customer. If you know the customer by name and you notice him treating the employee badly you could let him know that your employee is a good person and to give him a break. It's all in presentation, if your casual about it yet still convey a genuine message you wont come off as an authority and that he is in trouble. Try to act more like a parent making a case for their child.
 
BRussell said:
Black-Balled, is money really the only value in the equation? As a customer, I'd gain respect for an employer who stood up for an employee if the employee was being treated rudely or unfairly. And just in general, I respect employers who treat their employees well.
Click to expand...

Thanks for responding, DD! Pretty much what I was thinking...though keeping one was not an optioopn, as the OP clearly only presents the choice of one staying.

I'd prob invite them both to a meeting, behead them and run off to Costa Rica or the mall.
 
Black-Balled said:
Thanks for responding, DD! Pretty much what I was thinking...though keeping one was not an optioopn, as the OP clearly only presents the choice of one staying.

I'd prob invite them both to a meeting, behead them and run off to Costa Rica or the mall.
Click to expand...

I hear the malls in Costa Rica are nice...


I actually haven't heard that... I just want attention.
 
I would never let a customer be rude to one of my employees if the employee did nothing wrong.

Sometimes you have to fire customers....
 
Keeping your workforce happy results in them being obliged to put in more work. That could be them trying harder to push a sale, helping you out when you need the help etc.

That being said, if the employee deserves the crap they've being getting then you have to deal with them and back up the customer. You have to also weigh up if you can afford to lose the customer. If you have a large customer base and your employee has done nothing wrong then you have to deal with the customer accordingly. Something along the lines of "I'd appreciate it if you didn't treat my employees like that. If you ever have a problem here is my phone number just give me a call" etc. If you can afford to lose the customer and they have massively over stepped the line, then by all means tell them to leave. Chances are they will be back before you know it.
 
customer service

JC said:
I find this to be fairly common. I have operated my business for 20 years now. Some of my long time clients try to pull shit with my shop foreman when I'm not there (who has been with us since 1999) that they wouldn't even try with me. It seems to be the same pattern. HAVE JOHN CALL ME, I'M VERY UPSET. THIS ISN"T RIGHT! Then when I do, their entire attitude is different. I tell them the exact same thing my guy told them and suddenly it all makes sense and is all good. My thinking is that people like to be dealing with the top person and when they are used to it and are now dealing with an "underling", the resent it for some reason. Like they have lost importance to the company or something. That's all I can guess.

JC
Click to expand...

wow, this is almost bulls eye.
to shed light into this matter...
it is a promotional company that gives free samples/items. someone (the rude party)requested for a certain sample but received a whole bunch and was irritated by it (he does not require the whole package for now). the employee just gave the standard sample package as recommended by their company's client. that someone is an old client of the promo company, the em
 
customer service

JC said:
I find this to be fairly common. I have operated my business for 20 years now. Some of my long time clients try to pull shit with my shop foreman when I'm not there (who has been with us since 1999) that they wouldn't even try with me. It seems to be the same pattern. HAVE JOHN CALL ME, I'M VERY UPSET. THIS ISN"T RIGHT! Then when I do, their entire attitude is different. I tell them the exact same thing my guy told them and suddenly it all makes sense and is all good. My thinking is that people like to be dealing with the top person and when they are used to it and are now dealing with an "underling", the resent it for some reason. Like they have lost importance to the company or something. That's all I can guess.

JC
Click to expand...

wow, this is almost bulls eye.
to shed light into this matter...
it is a promotional company that gives free samples/items. someone (the rude party)requested for a certain sample but received a whole bunch and was irritated by it (he does not require the whole package for now). the employee just gave the standard sample package as recommended by their company's client. that someone is an old client of the promo company, the employee is not new but comparing his time with the company with someones relationship with his employers, is just night and day.

the rude client just ranted about the employees response to his request. let us say that be just pinned the employee down to the dirt is a very polite way os saying it. how do i know, i was there.

by the way, thanks for all your responses
 
Not enough info as far as I'm concerned. Is the employee already walking a thin line? Or is the employee your right hand man that produces well, is loyal, and with the exception if one customer, good for the business? I for one, have always had respect for businessmen that displayed integrity and loyalty to both customers and employees, even if it meant losing a little profit. Members only operations are like that. They could certainly make more money if they let everybody in, however, expecting their customers or members to meet certain standards insures quality and experience for the clientele.

Dave
 
customer service

would like to say sorry for the double post, butterfingers.

hey JC, how did you deal with that situation? just wondering.

as for the customer service rep, when she works, she really works +++++. always helpful to fellow employees with a little attitude included but knows the ins and outs. could manage her work rather easily without supervision at the minimum time.

for the person who ranted, an old timer and an old regular recipient of sample goods.

thanks again for all replies.
 
jeprox said:
would like to say sorry for the double post, butterfingers.

hey JC, how did you deal with that situation? just wondering.

as for the customer service rep, when she works, she really works +++++. always helpful to fellow employees with a little attitude included but knows the ins and outs. could manage her work rather easily without supervision at the minimum time.

for the person who ranted, an old timer and an old regular recipient of sample goods.

thanks again for all replies.
Click to expand...

I am always prepared to lose the customer. I am not prepared to lose my shop foreman. Therefore if push ever comes to shove I will tell the customer to shove off. So far it hasn't. They always seem to get reasonable. I have told a few to shove off but they started off being rude to me. But I always do it nicely. Now telling who knows who in this little town.

JC
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top