No matter what, the customer is always right

Dear Nanay,
I am a salesgirl who works in one of the department stores. A common problem we face on a daily basis is very difficult customers and sometimes, no matter how hard we try, there are some customers who are impossible to please. How do you deal with difficult customers?
Laura

Dear Laura,

I completely understand where you are coming from. In my over 60 years in retail, I have had more than my fair share of customers who seemed like they were impossible to please. But you have to understand that customers are the lifeblood of our business. They are the reason why we are here.

You always have to be polite and respectful towards your customers. Kahit na gaano kasungit o taray sila, kailangan laging maganda ang pakikipagusap mo sa kanila. (No matter how ill-tempered or difficult they are, you have to talk to them nicely.) As the old saying goes: the customer is always right. After all, maybe they are just having a bad day. Maybe they just have some problems at work or at home. But if you still give them the best customer service, they will remember that tomorrow and even the day after tomorrow. And they will come back to your store again and again in the future.

Remember that you cannot choose your customers. It is the customer who chooses you. At kung kailangan hanggang langit ang iyong pasensya, dapat paabutin mo ng higit pa sa langit. (And you not only need to be extremely patient, but even more patient than that.)

Sincerely,
Nanay

* * * Great Leadership Is Defined By Difficult Decisions

Dear Nanay,
I am the team leader in our department and I am having a problem with one of our members who is always absent and failing to perform. This is affecting the performance and morale of our team and often makes us miss our targeted quota. Many members of the team want him replaced but because he is my friend, I want to give him more chances to improve. What should I do?
Danny

Dear Danny,

It is always difficult when you are working with your personal friends and they fail to deliver what is expected of them.

As the team leader, it is your responsibility to make sure that not only does the team do its best as a unit, but also that each member of the team is doing his or her best individually. For example, just because you are reaching your quota does not mean you should be satisfied if one of your members is not performing up to par. Kailangan lahat kayo ay nagagawa ang makakaya para sa kabutihan ng inyong grupo. Hindi dahil lang umaabot kayo sa quota ay puwede nang magpahinga yung iba at umasa na lang na mapagtatakpan sila ng ibang mga kasamahan ninyo. (Just because the group is reaching its quota doesn’t mean you can relax or rely on other members to cover for you.) It is your job to make sure that everyone is doing their best and the team as a group is doing its best. Your quota is the minimum performance that you should expect from your team. If you can exceed it, then you should do everything you can to surpass it.

In your case, the first thing I would do is to sit down with your friend and have a heart-to-heart talk with him. Be very clear with him that he is not performing as expected and that he is affecting the team’s performance and morale. Make sure you bring documentation with you to show him how his failure to perform is negatively affecting everyone. And then I would give him one last chance to turn his performance around. If he still fails to deliver, I think you have to do what you have to do and replace him — whether or not he is your friend.

Remember, easy decisions are easy to make. But great leadership is defined by the difficult decisions one has to resolve.

Sincerely,
Nanay

* * *

If you have a question, e-mail us at asknanay@nationalbookstore.com.ph or just drop your letter at drop boxes in all National Book Store branches nationwide.