“The customer is always right.” This motto has been drilled into our psyche for generations. It’s plastered all over sales literature and taught in every class in the world. The great thinkers of the ages have all taught us to not question the sage wisdom learned through years of experience, until now. To challenge the paradigm of the client always being right, look back at the way it used to be: Old service stations had staff run out to check your oil, clean your windows, and, amazingly, pump the gas. One factor distinguishing then versus now: The customer appreciated and respected the service that was given. Because of the appreciation, the worker actually enjoyed performing for the client, and everyone received the benefit.
Unfortunately, the way of the past is, in fact, in the past. We’ve all seen the differences in the attitudes of the service industry. It’s not just the “me” generation that has caught up to all of us. The self-respect generated by a job well done is the exception now, whereas it used to be the rule. Why? What changed?