Taking a pass

There’s a saying that the customer is always right. We know this is not really the case. The customer is often wrong.

In some cases, it is better to allow the customer to indulge in the illusion. It’s sometimes easier and more likely to yield a positive outcome if we are able to “suck it up” even when we know we are right.

But what about those situations in which, for example, the customer is insisting on something that we know to be a bad idea that will fail in one way or another in the near or distant future?

Sometimes, it’s possible to educate a person. The customer, after all, would be wise to take advantage of our product knowledge and expertise. Sometimes an insistent customer can be persuaded to accept our judgement. Sometimes not. In these situations, it might be a better idea to simply pass on the job rather than set ourselves up for the inevitable call backs and complaints that will soon be forthcoming.