Customer Experience Anyone?

Now that I have your attention! 

There's an old adage that the customer is always right. But that's all it is: a saying.

The truth is that the customer isn't always right. Running my own e-commerce company has taught me that it's especially important to balance the needs of your customers with those of your employees.

Many companies live in fear that customers will become angry about something, and then take their business elsewhere. In the age of social media, they might tell 1,000 of their closest friends not to support your business.

Remember when Dave Carroll flew with United Airlines and had his guitar broken? A yearlong customer service battle ensued over the $1,200 in damages. He wrote a song about the ordeal, which went viral on YouTube with over 16 million views. The fight reportedly cost United $180 million, which was ten percent of their Share value.

Carroll's complaint was warranted. Not all customer service inquiries, however, are created equally. Some customers know you're so eager to please that you're willing to do almost anything to keep them around. Some of the more unscrupulous of customers will even take advantage of you.

There are some times that the customers really are wrong. Here are three of them: