Part I: How Do You Think Most Customers Respond When Treated

Part I: How do you think most customers respond when treated unfairly in a store

Part I: How do you think most customers respond when treated unfairly in a store (e.g., being passed over for service due to race, age, gender or socioeconomic status)? If a customer were to complain to store management about disparate treatment by an employee, what would you suggest the manager do to retain the customer? How should the manager respond to the employee?

Part II: How do you think most customers would respond if they were served before other customers who had arrived first in a store or restaurant? Would they believe it was due to race, age, or gender? Would the customers notice someone else had been skipped? What would they do? Have you observed (or experienced) such an event?

Paper For Above instruction

Customer service plays a pivotal role in shaping consumer perceptions and loyalty, especially when perceptions of unfair treatment arise. When customers are treated unfairly in a retail setting—such as being passed over for service due to race, age, gender, or socioeconomic status—they often respond with feelings of frustration, disappointment, and distrust. Such responses might manifest as vocal complaints, reduced future patronage, or public negative feedback, damaging the business's reputation (Lemon et al., 2002). Understanding these responses allows management to strategize effective resolutions to retain customers and uphold brand integrity.

When a customer complains to store management about perceived disparate treatment, the manager's response must be empathetic, transparent, and proactive. First, the manager should listen attentively to the customer's concerns without defensiveness, acknowledging their feelings and validating their experience (Meyer & Schwager, 2007). It is critical to apologize sincerely if appropriate and offer a resolution—such as an apology, a service correction, or a compensation. This approach demonstrates commitment to fairness and customer satisfaction. Furthermore, the manager should investigate the incident discreetly to ensure fair treatment across the board and provide staff training to prevent recurrence (Zeithaml, Bitner, & Gremler, 2018). Regarding the employee involved, the manager should conduct a constructive review, emphasizing the importance of equitable treatment and providing coaching to improve service delivery, which benefits both the employee and the customer experience (Gronroos, 2007).

Regarding the scenario where customers are served before others who arrived first, perceptions of unfairness can be compounded if the reason for skipping is perceived to be related to race, age, or gender. Customers tend to monitor such deviations from fairness closely, and if they notice someone else being skipped, they may interpret this as discriminatory or inconsistent behavior (Sitz, 2018). Their responses can range from silent resentment to vocal objections, or even abandoning the line altogether. Personal observations, including observing crowds in retail and restaurant environments, reveal that customers often respond with dissatisfaction or increased suspicion of bias, which can erode trust in the service provider and damage customer loyalty.

In conclusion, customer responses to perceived unfair treatment are complex but generally rooted in disappointment and distrust. Management must handle complaints with empathy, transparency, and corrective action to maintain positive customer relationships. Equitable treatment and clear communication mitigate negative reactions and foster long-term loyalty, especially in environments vulnerable to perceptions of bias.

References

• Gronroos, C. (2007). Service management and marketing: Customer management in service competition. Wiley.
• Lemon, K. N., White, T. B., & Winer, R. S. (2002). Dynamic customer relationship management: Incorporating future considerations into customer value modeling. Journal of Marketing, 66(1), 1-14.
• Meyer, C., & Schwager, A. (2007). Understanding customer experience. Harvard Business Review, 85(2), 116-126.
• Sitz, D. (2018). Customer perceptions of fairness and service outcomes. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 45, 152-159.
• Zeithaml, V. A., Bitner, M. J., & Gremler, D. D. (2018). Services marketing: Integrating customer focus across the firm. McGraw-Hill Education.