Business, Profits and Strategy

Andrew B. Zezas, SIOR
Relationship Manager,
Strategist, President
(908) 245-5999 x11
andrew.zezas@realstrat.com

The Customer is Always Right, Except When...

Remember those signs that were popular around many offices in the 1980's that had funny little sayings, like "Thimk!" (this is not a typo) and "I Are the Boss" and others? How about the one that said:

Rule #1: The customer is always right!
Rule #2: When the customer is wrong, see Rule #1

The concept of the customer always being right is commonly known, and is considered by most to be basic sales and service 101. The customer is perceived as always being right because without him/her, the salesperson would have no one to sell to, and therefore, no opportunity to earn a living. So, all good salespeople know that they must make their customers happy and do what their customers want, or the customer will go elsewhere and the salesperson won't make the sale. So, the customer is always right! Right?

But, is the customer truly always right? You see, that concept works from the perspective of a retailer who's looking to sell something, take the cash, and find the next customer. Is this "retail mentality" really the spirit of "The Customer Is Always Right"....taking the cash and moving on? Of course it isn't! The customer may know what she wants, but not know how to obtain it. Or, the customer may understand his problem and know that a solution is required, but not know how to achieve the best solution.

In fact, if the customer IS always right, then service providers would be wholly unnecessary because customers would always know exactly what they needed and how to obtain it. They'd be able to look at a list of alternatives, understand each of them fully, analyze the impact and opportunity each might pose, be prepared to make the right decision, select their preferred solution, execute the right transaction, and move on, with no assistance or guidance from anyone.

That scenario works just fine in your favorite burger joint. If you want a cheeseburger, you can order it with extra pickles and extra ketchup...and, you'll be right! If you don't want to super-size your order, but you want triple the normal amount of onions, you can order that...and, you'll be right! If you wanted to park your car and walk-in instead of using the drive-thru window, you could do that....and, you'd be right! But, what would happen if after you got home you realized that you'd not have gotten soaking wet from the driving rain had you stayed in your car and used the drive-thru, and if you realized that all those onions upset your stomach, and then you had an allergic reaction to something in the salad dressing? Would you still have been right? Or, might you have been better off if someone assisted you in making the right choices, someone more knowledgeable about your particular circumstance, someone you trusted, someone who understood the potential impact on you of all your alternatives, someone who had studied your needs, wants, potential benefits and obstacles, and offered you some guidance before you finished that onion-laden burger? Would you have made the same choices? Would your initial choice have been right? Maybe, maybe not!

If, when you buy something, you put yourself in a position where all the salesperson cares about is making the sale and taking your cash then, guess what? You were right! But, as a result of having made poor choices (how could you do that if you're always right?) you may choose never to upset your stomach again, and you may elect not go back to that burger joint again. And, if you do, you may experience the same difficulties as a result of no one looking out for you or taking the time to learn enough about your true needs (and, your wants), so as to properly advise you about the best course of action.

That's not to suggest that you should expect the 17 year old high school student behind the cash register to interview you about your diet, eating habits, medical conditions, and allergies, and make a recommendation to you before you order a burger! In a case like that, you're on your own...and, you'll be right every time...that'll be $8.79, please! Is that for here or to go?

Read Part Two of this article in next month’s issue of “Business, Profits and Strategy”

Andrew B. Zezas, SIOR, is Relationship Manager, Strategist, and President & CEO of Real Estate Strategies Corporation, Publisher of "Business, Profits and Strategy", a monthly online publication read by thousands of business, financial, and real estate executives nationally, and, is the author of two new real estate books, The CFO's Guide to Understanding Corporate Real Estate Transactions and The CFO's Guide to Hiring the "Right" Real Estate Service Provider, both of which will be available shortly at www.thecfosguide.com.

Mr. Zezas is well-known for his ease and informative style of public speaking, and has given talks, presentations, and has lead educational programs for business, professional, government, and trade associations, including the Building Owners and Managers Association, American Management Association, the U.S. Postal Service, RealComm, Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR), and others. Andrew is National Chairman of the SIOR Tenant Representation Specialty Practice Board, and is a licensed real estate instructor in Texas and Indiana. He can be reached at 908 245 5999 or via email.

Real Estate Strategies Corporation, located in Kenilworth, New Jersey, and serving clients throughout the country, helps companies create and execute Business DRIVEN Real Estate Solutions...and Opportunities, faster and with less risk. Visit www.realstrat.com.

Read other business, real estate, and finance articles written by RealStrat's experts.

THIS WORK IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE PRACTICAL AND USEFUL INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECT MATTER COVERED. HOWEVER, IT IS SOLD AND/OR PROVIDED WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE AUTHOR AND THE PUBLISHER ARE NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, FINANCIAL, ACCOUNTING OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL ADVICE TO THE READER. IF LEGAL, FINANCIAL, ACCOUNTING OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL ADVICE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF A COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL SHOULD BE SOUGHT. THE AUTHOR AND THE PUBLISHER SPECIFICALLY AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ANY LIABILITY THAT MAY BE INCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE USE OR APPLICATION OF THE INFORMATION THAT IS CONTAINED IN THIS WORK.