Beyond “The Customer Is Always Right”

By Brian J. Riker The caller was furious because her car had broken down on the highway, and she’d already been waiting for over an hour. The dispatcher could have matched her frustration, but instead, he listened. Really listened. By the end of the call, the customer wasn’t just calm but was grateful. All it took was patience, empathy, and a willingness to understand.

"Is the customer always right?" That phrase has been drilled into our heads as customer service–oriented individuals, and while the sentiment is well-intentioned, it’s not always true.

The idea behind it is simple: as a customer service professional, it’s your job to give the customer the best possible experience. In other words, to make them feel right. But in reality, customers can sometimes have unreasonable expectations.

Where things often go wrong is when those “unreasonable” expectations wouldn’t seem unreasonable at all — if they had been managed properly from the start. In today’s world of instant communication and real-time updates, people expect minute-by-minute information and immediate results. While some systems can help meet those expectations, towers don’t always take advantage of them. Racing from one “fire” to the next, it’s easy to forget how essential clear, ongoing communication really is.

The first step in keeping a customer satisfied is remembering that they are not an interruption to your day, but rather the reason you have a job, or a business, in the first place. Always greet them with a smile and common courtesy, no matter how hectic your day is or what’s happening in your personal life.

If we just stop and truly listen — not to respond, but to understand — we can prevent a lot of problems before they even begin. Often, our customers have never dealt with a crash, breakdown, or tow before. They may not understand what’s happening or what to expect. Listening with empathy, even when the customer made a mistake that led to their current situation (like a police impound or PPI towaway), allows you to respond with genuine care and work toward a satisfying resolution.

Once you fully understand the customer’s point of view and their needs, you can create a plan and explain it to them. This is where many customer service representatives fail. For an experienced dispatcher or tow operator, the process is second nature, and it’s easy to forget to stop and explain each step. But when customers are left in the dark, confusion and frustration follow.

Another common failure point comes when the plan changes — such as a delayed response time — and the customer isn’t updated. You can’t overcommunicate with a customer, especially when you have bad news to share. The best way to prevent problems is to address them as soon as they appear. Delaying difficult conversations only makes matters worse.

To provide top-notch customer service, you must also be realistic. Set your customers’ expectations early and manage them actively. To you, it might be just another job on the call board, but to them, it’s one of their biggest investments — or one of the worst days of their life. Treat the situation with the respect and understanding it deserves. Always try to put yourself in their shoes.

The bottom line: if you don’t take care of your customers, someone else will. Just as you may be frustrated by poor service at restaurants, dealerships, or other businesses, your customers feel the same way. The difference is that most towers entered this industry because they genuinely love helping people and have a servant’s heart.

Let that heart shine through — every call, every customer, every time.