The customer is always right.  Right? Wrong. From our retail to our executive sales clients, the customer mantra is a daily balancing act.

Because some customers have become more deceitful in order to cheat the system, you, the honest customer are being penalized.  Unfortunately for honest and polite consumers who abide by the rules set by the organization, dishonest customers have resorted to acting in an unprofessional manner in order to get what they feel they deserve and bypass all rules and timelines along the way.   Businesses are becoming more untrusting and tightening their return policies, making it almost impossible for an honest customer to persuade a store employee to make an exception to the rules.

Here are some tips to get what you want from personnel without making a scene.

1.  Maintain your composure.  Do not raise your voice, make threats, or belittle the employee personally.  You may think that this behavior will get your demands met quickly in order to avoid a disturbance.  However, you may instead be escorted out of the store by security and banned from the premises.

2.  Be polite and straightforward.  Many organizations give their employees complete control over their customers’ satisfaction.   Meaning:  the rules on the receipt say “no,” but the employee has the power to say “yes.”  Yelling will not convince them to help you.  And, whether it is true or not, telling them a lengthy story that is keeping them from assisting other customers and completing their assigned tasks will not persuade them either.

3.  Be prepared to compromise.  If you are asking the organization to make an exception for you, accept a fair compromise in return.  You should not expect to receive a full refund on a product that you have completely used or a dress that you have worn for the last year.

4.  Ask to speak to a manager.  And if that manager refuses to assist you, calmly ask for her manager’s name and phone number.  Frequently, just asking for this information will influence the person helping you to give you what you want.  Many corporations will not let requests or complaints go past the district (for retail) or sr. manager (corporate) level.  If the front line employee is still reluctant to resolve your matter and refuses to provide her manager’s name and phone number, simply call back at another time or call another location and ask another manager for the information.

The important thing to remember is that if you have a legitimate issue, there is always a solution.   If these suggestions do not solve your problem, keep going up the corporate chain until you achieve a resolution.  You may not get exactly what you want, but most companies want your business and will try to make amends.  As long as you stay calm and present your case professionally, you will most likely get what you want.