4 minutes to read
“The customer is dumb, they don’t know what they want. We know better than them.”
“I don’t like that customer. They always want quick service but they never give me much business.”
Here’s another one.
Sales person to fleet manager: “All drivers are dumb.”
Fleet manager: “My husband is a driver.”
Sales person: “Ummm…”
Sound familiar?
Sounds ridiculous but these comments and dialogue really did happen.
According to research, “among the non-material personal needs of respect, autonomy and social support, respect is the strongest predictor of positive feelings.”
Positive feelings is an important prerequisite to building a thriving business.
We all want to be treated as we would treat ourselves. It’s the golden rule in action. A piece of wisdom that has stood the test of thousands of years of human history.
Yet its so easily overlooked.
Respect can be shown in so many different ways:
- Turning up on time
- Keeping promises
- Being polite
- Accepting what customers say and acting on it
- Showing that disappointed customers are heard
- Not wasting customers’ time
- Maintaining communication
There are all sorts of reasons as to why we end up in a place where we disrespect a customer.
They may have not shown respect to us. Somehow we get a sense of pleasure out of showing how superior we are compared to others. Sometimes, making them seem less than us makes us feel more secure and in control.
Whatever the reason, showing disrespect is ultimately self destructive.
If you see it in your business, cut it out.
The customer may not always be right, but the customer always deserves respect.
Intrigued? Want to talk about it? Click the button and we’ll get back to you.
