Doing the Right Thing: Ethical Issues
The last step of customer service basics deals with ethics. Being ethical means being honest, doing the right thing,
and being accountable for your actions.
Always be honest.
Being honest at all times will make your life far less complicated.
When you are truthful, you do not have to remember what you said to whom. Being truthful is important to your customers. When
you are dishonest, people find out. Maybe not right away, but the truth always has a way of coming out. When people find out
you have not been completely honest, they will lose trust in you.
Do the right thing. When you make the decision to always do the right
thing for others, you will go out of your way to do your best. At work, when you are faced with a dilemma, base your decision
on doing what is right and ethical. Being ethical includes treating all your customers fairly and equally.
TIP One of your customers asks you for a special favor. Doing so will mean crossing the
ethical line. How do you tactfully refuse? You could say, “I don’t feel comfortable doing that because it
is against our company’s policy.” If the customer persists, ask your manager for help.
Do what you say you will when you say you will. Become a person others can rely on. When you give a customer your word, mean it.
Let your word be your bond. Erase the words I can’t and no from your vocabulary.
If you cannot do what the customer asks, explain instead what you can do. It is all right to say “I don’t
know.” Follow up with “I’ll find out for you.”
TIP Always be truthful about your products,
services, or policies. Never make misleading claims.
TIP
Never comment negatively about your competitors. If a customer asks for a comparison or leads you to say something negative,
say, “I don’t know about that but let me explain our policy…” or “I don’t
know enough about that to comment.”
Be accountable for your actions. If you think you have done something
incorrect or unethical, be up front and talk it over with your manager. When you take responsibility and own up to your mistakes,
people will respect you. No one expects you to make the right decision 100% of the time. We are all human and are all going
to make mistakes. What sets ethical people apart is that they hold themselves accountable for their mistakes.
This may not be easy at first, but it is the right thing to do. People will appreciate that you are able to admit you
did something wrong. You will have an added benefit: You will respect yourself more when you take responsibility for your
actions.