How do you tell a customer they are wrong?

Your customers are the most important part of your business.

As a result, when a customer is wrong or is making an irrational request, you need to know how to approach them.

One wrong move and you could end up offending the customer.

You can see how that can quickly turn into lost revenue. Today, we’ll discuss how to tell a customer they are wrong.

The Customer is Always Right?

But wait, isn’t the customer always right?

This principle has been taught in endless customer service classes. However, there is plenty of valid criticism about this “absolute” way of thinking.

It can allow customers to be abusive against employees, it can let customers abuse other customers and can also result in lost revenue for your business.

That doesn’t mean this principle is irrelevant. All the contrary, it can still help you grow your business and improve your customer service.

However, the customer can still be wrong sometimes.

Want to learn more? Read our guide on the principle of The Customer is Always Right and how it holds up in 2020.

How to deal with difficult customers

Now, we won’t be talking about how to deal with difficult or angry customers. As this is a different scenario.

Empathy becomes a major focus when dealing with angry customers. Also, you’d need to follow up and keep up with your customer’s emotions.

In theory, you could end up with an angry customer in your hands if you do not handle their situation accordingly when they are wrong.

Want to learn more? Read our guide on how to deal with difficult or angry customers.

How to tell a customer they are wrong

You might run into scenarios where a customer is making an irrational request or is just flat out wrong about your product or business.

In these cases, it is important to tread lightly in order to not anger or annoy the customer.

Here are our tips on how to tell the customer they are wrong.

Don’t be rude

Remember, while you might deal with the same questions and concerns repeatedly, this might be the first time this customer is interacting with your business.

So, remember to avoid being rude to the customer, no matter how aggravating their concerns might be.

Don’t be condescending

At the same time, remember that not everyone is an expert about your business. While trying to be nice, you might come off as condescending. Try to remain genuine and helpful.

Do not talk down to the customer and try to help them understand the proper solution to their problem.

Identify the problem

In most cases where the customer is wrong, they might just be misunderstanding the problem they are running into in the first place.

By asking the right questions, you can help the customer identify their actual problem. Which can then sort out the misunderstanding you’re having in the first place.

Point them toward a solution

After letting your customer better understand their problem, you will want to point them to a solution. Depending on how difficult the customer is, you might want to propose the solution yourself or lead them into finding the solution on their own.

Closing thoughts

At the end of the day, there are very few issues that you won’t be able to solve for your customer.Remember that if at any time the customer becomes angry or difficult, you can follow our guide on how to deal with angry customers.