![\"Driver](\"https:\/\/www.customerservicemanager.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/parking.jpg\")
\nShep reflects on an unpleasant customer experience and provides some important lessons on how not to treat your customers.<\/strong><\/p>\n The other day I was leaving a parking lot that required me to pay on the way out. It was an automated system. I put my ticket in the slot, the machine calculated what I owed, and then asked me to insert my credit card to make the payment. There were even some convenient instructions on how to insert the parking ticket and credit card into the machine. Unfortunately, it didn\u2019t work. Even worse, it took my card and didn\u2019t give it back. The screen read, \u201cError. Ticket Jammed.\u201d<\/p>\n A little frustrated, I noticed a button to push for help. Within moments a woman\u2019s voice came over the speaker asked what the problem was. I shared what happened and she said someone would be there in just a few minutes. In the meantime, cars were starting to stack up behind me. I felt terrible\u2014and even a little embarrassed.<\/p>\n The woman did show up and she quickly opened the machine and gave me back my card. She wasn\u2019t very happy with me. She said, \u201cIt\u2019s your fault. You put the card in the wrong way.\u201d I told her that I followed the directions that were on the little machine. Holding her ground, she said, \u201cWell, you did it wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n In the short time I interacted with this woman, she told me the problem was my fault and I was wrong. Didn\u2019t she ever hear that old saying, \u201cThe customer is always right!\u201d? By the way, if you\u2019ve followed my work, you know I don\u2019t believe in that saying. I believe the customer is NOT always right. But I always remind everyone that the customer is still the customer. Even if they are wrong, you must let them be wrong with dignity and respect.<\/p>\n Apparently, that\u2019s not what this woman believed. I even said, somewhat sarcastically, \u201cSo, you\u2019re telling me I\u2019m wrong?\u201d She confirmed she was. By the way, she was right. I did put the card in the machine backward. But she didn\u2019t need to make me feel bad about it. Perhaps she could have smiled and said, \u201cDon\u2019t worry about this. It happens all the time. Now you know how to do it next time.\u201d<\/p>\n But no. She did the opposite. And in the process, she made me feel bad and a little embarrassed.<\/p>\n The point of this story is a valuable lesson. There are certain phrases you should never say to a customer when they are wrong. Some of them are:<\/p>\n I could go on, but you get the idea. The customer usually knows they are wrong, but you don\u2019t have to rub it in. Remember, always treat the customer with dignity and respect. The customer will feel good about that\u2014and you will, too.<\/p>\n\n