Are You The Customer From Hell?

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Image: imagerymajestic/freedigitalphotos.net
(Originally published 02/04/2013)
Customer satisfaction, customer experience, hyper-personalized service – these are the buzz words these days. When it comes to customer service, everyone wants to feel important, like they’re the only customer that matters, that you value their business. But whoever said ‘the customer is always right’ probably never worked a day in customer service.  Anyone who works in customer service will tell you that it’s not  always easy to offer service with a smile. Matter-of-fact, some days you’ll be unfortunate enough to have the customer from hell walk through the door.Here are five ways to tell if you’re the customer from hell.
1. You forget your manners at home.
If you do not return a greeting, or use simple courtesies like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, that’s an early sign that it won’t be a pleasure serving you.2. You refuse to tip.
If you can’t afford to tip, then you shouldn’t be eating out. Tipping is the norm in the service industry, and at times make up for half of a worker’s wages. Unless the service you received was really, really disgusting, then you really should show your appreciation for the time and effort someone spent to make you feel special.

3. You complain about everything.
Again, this is an early sign of a brewing headache. This customer simply cannot be satisfied. As soon as you fix one thing, they’ll find something else to complain about. Let this one be. It’s a game you can never win.

4. You are loud and obnoxious and don’t care about the other customers.
Your reputation precedes you to the point where the workers draw straws and the loser gets to serve you. You really shouldn’t be out in public, much less be allowed near a service establishment.

5. You never wait your turn.
Nobody likes to wait in line. But even worse is the person who walks past everyone in line and nonchalantly inserts themselves at the front without a thought or care for the waiting bunch.  This move has been known to instigate fights and brawls, but the potential for violence will not deter this selfish customer – just so long as he gets what he wants.

A quick internet search will reveal many more annoying things customers do that will make a service employee tear their hair out. The customer may be the king but customer service is a two-way street. Try to be a good customer, before insisting on great customer service.