The Importance of Providing Client Feedback

Public relations campaigns thrive from successful collaboration between the client and professionals. The client relies on the agency/PR professional to deliver the materials necessary to grow, and we rely on the client for providing feedback and vision to help the campaign come to life. The end result is a purely symbiotic relationship that, when properly implemented, nurtures growth and yields positive results.

Throughout a campaign, the client will continuously be providing feedback, suggestions, or asking questions as to other ways things can be done. As PR professionals, it is our job to take that feedback, and structure our methods (whenever possible) to best suit the client's needs.

As important as it is to gauge the client's satisfaction through feedback, it is equally important to provide the client feedback on their performance. This may sound a little obscure, but when you consider the nature of feedback, it actually makes perfect sense.

The perfect client is an ideal that many PR professionals will never realize, but by providing feedback, we can help to create better clients-- which in turn, will benefit us as professionals.

Client feedback could appear similar to the feedback you would give a member of your team, but should be tailored to enhance, and not hinder, client relations. Take note of the client's strengths and weaknesses, and make suggestions as to how they can improve for smoother work on future projects.

If you noticed that the client was never available for meetings or interviews that you arranged, you could recommend that they appoint a member of their team to be a point of contact, or make appearances. If the client was not always timely in turning around content edits, see if there is a way that you could help them strengthen their reviewing methods.

Providing feedback allows you to help the client improve internally. The client will be grateful that you not only invested time in the campaign, but also in the company/product as a whole. Exceeding client expectations is always a good thing.

Do you provide your clients with feedback?

6 Ways To Discover A Great PR Client

When working at an agency, clients come and go. There are good clients, bad clients, mediocre clients, and there are great clients. At PRowl PR, we have been fortunate to have a history of retaining great clients. 

After working with PRowl PR for the past three years, I have noticed that there are certain traits that really make a great client stand out. I think this article from Maven Communications puts it best:

1. The client is open to exploring initiatives that they’ve never done before because...
2. The client trusts your expertise and respects your professional recommendations. 
3. The client is on board with adjusting the campaign to keep the results aligned with the business objectives of the company. 
4. The client pushes you to continually be innovative. 
5. The client’s campaigns are intellectually stimulating… 
6. And also intellectually demanding. 

Next time you are meeting with a potential new client, be sure to keep these six traits in mind and hopefully you will discover your next great PR client. 

Choosing the Right Client

Here at PRowl, we choose our clients just like any other firm does. We initially correspond via email, and then set up a meeting to talk about working together, what the client wants, and what we can do for them. It's important to have these meetings, because you learn what you can and cannot do for a client, based on your firm and your staff, student-run PR firm or not! Below are ways to avoid choosing the wrong client for your firm:

1. Understanding goals: Talk to your client about where they want their company to be in a few years. They could want more customers, more awareness, or more targeted messages, and the list goes on. As you're listening, think about whether or not you and your team can accomplish these goals, while benefiting your firm.
2. Setting expectations: I find this to be the most difficult, but necessary task. Having a client who has unrealistic expectations of you can (and will) put you in an awkward situation. You can avoid this by being clear in what you can realistically accomplish well. Of course you want the job, but if you don't set expectations appropriately, you could be out of a job and slapped with a not-so-great rep.
3. Transparency: In an agency, you will have several different clients. When you meet with a potential client, be honest is how much time it will take to accomplish their goals. With so many agencies transitioning out of monthly retainers, firms are being less transparent about billable hours. Save yourself the grief and scheduling issues by honestly communicating with your client.

Do you have any additional tips? Let us know!

Public Relations & Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing. If you have mastered this skill then you are on your well on your way to becoming a stellar public relations professional.

If you truly think about it, something as simple as being able to reiterate what your client wants takes skill. I remember first learning about paraphrasing in the fifth grade when I was apart of the Peer Mediators program at my elementary school. In our training, we were always told to immediately reiterate someone's side of the story so you make it clear to that person that you understand them. This skill that I learned at a very young age are key in any type of communication.

Plain and simple, paraphrasing if when you put someone else's idea into your own worlds. In the public relations field, paraphrasing is key. You are always putting your client's ideas into your own words. This is especially important when first meeting with a client. You always want to make sure you fully understand your client's vision.

Closing The Book

As we prepare to say farewell to another year, it is likely that many PR pros are saying goodbye to old clients and prepping to usher in new ones. Closing an account or completing a client project should always envolve more than wishing the client well and going on your way. While it may seem evident to you that you did your job, and very well at that, you may have to outline and make clear exactly what you've done for a client. These are usually done in the form of an evaluation report. Even if you aren't closing an account with a client, providing evaluation reports is a great way to make sure you and the client are on the same page. Here are some things you should include in your evaluation:

• Review the original goal: Provide details what you set out to do for the client. Although this has likely been outlined in the original contract, providing it again helps to refresh the client's and your memories.
• Results: What did you get done for the client? Track how well you accomplished all of the original goals that were set. Be sure to be honest, the client deserves to know what you actually did.
• Problems and solutions: What strategies or tactics didn't work out so well? Here is a chance for you to explain some of the less favorable results you may have gotten. Note things that you would do differently the next time around. Maybe you hosted an event the same night as another event in town, so next time you know to check local event calendars before setting a date.
• What went right: Talk about some of the good things that happened on the account. Maybe you enhanced media relations or increased awareness about your client locally or nationally. All of those things are great and while they may not be quantifiable, they are more than noteworthy.
• Reevaluate and reset goals: Now that you and the client have a better idea of what works and what doesn't work to meet their needs, you can form new realistic goals for the client. For example, if you found that the client's target audience responded well via social media, then hosting a social media contest is more than doable for that client.

Have you ever done an evaluation report for a client? Share your experiences with us.

Who's The Boss?

It can be awkward navigating your way around telling someone that you don't like something. But unlike telling your friend that the shirt they're wearing is a little outdated, telling a client that they're idea is either impossible or downright not a good idea. Some clients may feel that you are stepping on their toes or telling them what to do when you are too outright. Below are some tips on counseling a client around an inadvisable idea:

Stay informed about trends, mistakes, and successes: When your client comes to you with an idea or concept, being up-to-date on current events will help guide you and your client. This way, when your client comes to you with an idea that simply won't work, you will be able to bring up a circumstance or example in which that idea ended up not working out.

Keep a neutral tone when rebutting and countering a client's idea: Always keep your cool. First off, it's completely unprofessional to raise your voice or scream at a client. Maintain a calm exterior, even if you are feeling on edge. A client, or anyone else, will be much more inclined to listen to you, when they know that you have listened and taken their words into account before voicing your disagreements.

Ask the client to play the scenario through: Role play them through their idea, and bring up any possible issues, while still maintaining a realistic scenario. Remember that this is their baby. Give your client the ability to take responsibility for their decisions rather than you taking over control.

If you really feel strongly, or there is an ethical lapse involved, bail out: If you strongly disagree with your client for either practical or moral reasons, do yourself and your client a favor and bow out. It wouldn't be good for either of you if you just stayed with the client to stay with the client. As always, if you must part ways, be professional. Thank them for the opportunity and part amicably.

While you should be gentle when you are disputing a client's idea, remember that above all, you must tell the truth. Skating by, manipulating your client your way will not only put you in bad relations with your client, but is also unethical and unwise.

Pessimistically Positive: Setting Reachable Goals and Objectives

In most walks of life, we are encouraged to be positive, to look at the glass as half full instead of half empty. But sometimes a little pessimism is healthy in the PR field. Below are three ways you can use pessimism to your advantage while working in PR:

• Pragmatism: It's our job to spin things in a positive light, to put our clients in the best position possible. While it's great to think about things positively, sometimes a client won't see all of the angles of a situation. Don't forget to ask questions like: How? Why? Where? What if? When? By doing so you will be able to bring your client back to Earth a little bit and set realistic goals.
• Defense: It can never be said enough: expect the unexpected. Be prepared for if/when a crisis strikes that you will prepared to do major damage control. Plan your defensive strategy ahead of time and be both pessimistic and optimistic about possible situations.
• Balance: It's great to be excited and pumped for a new opportunity, but it's the balance of pessimism and optimism that will put you in a good place. Balance will allow you to keep a level head and reach the goals you set for yourself and your client.

How do you balance between being pessimistic and optimistic? Let us know!

The Best Way for Bad News

We do our best as PR pros to highlight our clients in a positive light and place them in a bubble of great news. However, it is unlikely that the road ahead is only full of butterflies, daisies, and smiles. When a crisis arises and bad news is foreseeable, the way you handle and transmit the information is crucial. Jessica Sharp, of Maven Communications, tackles bearing bad news with the following five steps:

1. Be sure the client hears the news from you first. Having them learn about it through a Google alert sent to their inbox, or an email from an old friend should not happen.

2. Deliver the news promptly. Let them know what happened right away. If you landed them on The Today Show you would call right away. The same is true when their interview is cut from the front page New York Times article, and in its place is a quote from their largest competitor.

3. Pick up the phone. Don’t send an email or worse, a text. They need to hear from you what happened. If all attempts to contact them via phone or in person fail, then, only then, is it okay to send an email (first explaining that you tried to reach them before sending the email).

4. Give it to them straight. Don’t try to make the situation sound better than it is. You’re not going to fool them anyway. Be direct and don’t beat around the bush.

5. Propose your plan of action for dealing with the issue at hand. It’s important that you have this formulated before you call your client. Determine what your next steps are, how you’re going to move forward and if possible, fix the problem. Although it’s likely that your client is going to be pretty upset, presenting a possible solution can reassure them that you’re a professional who has been through this before. This is not the end of the world.

Next time you find yourself in a tough spot, quickly refocus and create a proactive plan to counteract the damage. Make sure your client hears the bad news from you and tell them immediately. Call your client directly, informing them of the bad news or better yet, tell them in person. Do not fabricate the situation, give them the straight facts. Respond to their frustration with your plan, ideally offsetting the negative with a positive.

What do you do when you have to tell a client something they do not want to hear, what tools help you bring forth the bad news?

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Emily Storz.

Lessons from Working in Retail

This summer I worked as a Sales Associate in my local mall. I figured it'd be great experience, both as something to put on my then blank resume, and also as an opportunity to come out of my shell a little bit. All of my friends had told me that retail was the worst, because you had to deal with unhappy customers. However, its dealing with those difficult customers that has made me a better communicator, by following these tips:

• Keep cool under pressure- When I first started working, I was terrified of working the cash register, as math has never been my strongest point, and I didn't want to make a mistake. But its when you're scrambling to make the customer happy that you make the biggest mistakes. Take your time, do it right, and the customer won't have anything to be upset about. Most importantly, don't be afraid to make a mistake. It's only a problem when you don't learn from your mistakes.


• Never assume- Marketing in stores change constantly, making it hard to keep up with promotions. I have often lost track of them myself and am forced to ask a manager. When I later apologized for asking so many questions, my manager interjected. She told me that it was always better to ask first, rather than assume and do something the wrong way, making it harder to fix than it would have been if I had just asked for help in the first place.


• Be positive- When you do get a difficult customer who you just can't seem to please, accept it. Don't beat yourself up for it, it wasn't your fault. Just be the best you that you can be. If your client is taking their anger out on you, smile and offer the best service you can. That way, you know that you put your best foot forward.

Have you ever worked in retail? How did you handle unhappy clients? Let us know!

What Makes the Quintessential PR Pro?

What makes a public relations professional successful? Is it a strong academic background in public relations or former newsroom experience?

Many current PR professionals are former journalists that bring their past newsroom experience to their current jobs. The bachelor’s degree in public relations is relatively new, but the dramatic rise PR degree holders within the past 15 years prompts the question: who makes the better PR professional, journalists or graduates?

This very debate has been raging on ragan.com over the past week. On August 3, Debra Caruso wrote a post entitled, “What makes a good PR pro: A degree or a journalism background?” As a former journalist, she concluded that it is a journalism background that cultivates a nose for news, better writing and pitching skills and already-established media connections. She writes that she would even prefer to hire a former journalist than a PR graduate equipped with the aforementioned skills.

Andrew Graham struck back this week with his own post on ragan.com entitled, “News flash: Journalists don’t make better PR pros.” He argues that working in a newsroom is not the only way to hone one’s news judgment; PR pros need to be resourceful when pitching their client – a skill journalists may lack, and that PR and media relations are not synonyms – a fact that the previous author took for granted. Graham concedes that former journalists are an integral part of the PR profession but that their place is in content generation, not necessarily the strategy, messaging and measurement that typify most firms.

I agree with Graham that a journalism background does not mean a better PR professional. Former journalists definitely come equipped with invaluable writing skills and good news judgment, but PR graduates learn strategic thinking and planning in school. Ultimately, the quintessential PR professional will be able to write like a journalist and think like a degree holder.

Welcome Haters

We all know that popular saying, "haters gonna hate." And that's true, no matter what, you're going to have haters and they will hate. In other words, instead of letting your confidence get beat down and taking their negativity personally, take advantage of what your 'haters' are saying and spin it your way:

• Haters expose vulnerability- Take heed of what their general complaint is. If someone sends you a nasty email, remove the emotional negativity from it and focus on the main idea. While your hater may have phrased it in a not-so-nice way, at the end of the day they had a point. By absorbing criticism and learning from your mistakes, you will make yourself a better person at what you do.

• Haters can be converted-From my experience at working in retail, we are always encouraging customers to fill out our survey, so that we can better our service in the future. Of course we get negative calls here and there, it doesn't mean that they will never come to your store again, it just means that they weren't satisfied with their client experience. But that is why the survey is there, so that next time that customer comes, you will be able to provide a better overall experience and maybe turn that hater into your #1 fan.

• Haters bring attention- We always remember when something bad happens, because drama always follows. If a group of people spread word about how bad your service is, then take it into account that you can fight back, your way. Take the criticism, but show that you are working on improving and accept feedback with an open mind. That way, you will not only draw attention to your organization, but you will also encourage active participation from the public. In turn, they will recognize your willingness to improve and be sure to return to see your progress.

While you will always have your haters, you do not have to just lie down and take it. Fight back by being better and your haters will be your biggest asset.

To read more on the benefits of haters, click here.

Do you have your own personal hater? Will you be 'welcoming haters'? Let us know!

Dear Netflix:

Since Netflix first launched, it has been the college students best friend. You can rent new releases on DVD while still watching endless episodes of The Office, all for one convenient price. That is, until this past Tuesday. Starting September 1st, Netflix users will no longer be able to bundle unlimited DVDs and streaming. Instead, Netflix is separating the two, and hiking the price. Understandably, this change of contract has not settled well with current Netflix users.

After the announcement on Tuesday, Netflix customers flocked to Twitter to voice their contempt. #DearNetflix became a trending topic where users tweeted their anger towards the new policy:

Seriously, WHO is running the show there? Monkeys?

Just waiting for Amazon Streaming to kick off. Then bye Netflix. You won't be missed.

So we now get LESS for MORE.

The complaints didn't stop there. On the Netflix blog, the comment capacity was far exceeded soon after the announcement. With the comment cap being 5,000, the majority of the comments were negative. The Netflix Facebook page has even fallen victim, to over 28,000 complaints.

So what did Netflix do wrong, besides the price hike? We all know that price increases happen, especially during the current economic situation. However, instead of admitting the reason for the increase, Netflix brushed it off as being a more convenient scenario than the previous. In our current environment, where social media is so prevalent, we don't like to be shuffled around the truth. That is why Facebook and Twitter are where they are, we like straightforward, clear messages with no nonsense. Instead, Netflix has beat around the bush using keywords such as "lowest prices ever" and alluding to the change being something Netflix users had elected for.

The best thing that Netflix could probably do at this point is to address its customers by updating their blog, as well as their Twitter and Facebook. All of which they have neglected since the announcement. Instead of keeping users in the dark and fuming, Netflix should quit the superficial jargon and be honest and considerate of its users, before they decide to take their business elsewhere.

To read more on Netflix's recent announcement, click here.

Building Your Brand Online

It is an entrepreneur's job to take a risk to put themselves out there in order to establish their own business or venture. In order to do so, they must make their presence known. In "10 Ways For Entrepreneurs To Build Brands Online", Benjamin Lang discusses how using the internet and its variety of resources has proven to be a useful tool in a time when social media is the premiere method in attracting clients. Below are a few of Lang's pointers:

• A Custom Short URL-If you often share links on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, a custom short URL can be very useful in making your name known. Whenever your link is retweeted or shared, people will see your personal short URL and associate it with a certain brand, that is, your brand.
  
• Social Email Signatures-By making your preferred social media site part of your email signature, you will make it easier for the public to get a hold of you personally and learn more about your company.
  
• Guest Posting-By posting on other blogs, you will be able to tap into that blog's clientele and gain a more broad range of potential clients, as well as build relationships with blogs that can advertise your company in the future.
  
• Newsletters-This is a good way to gain followers. By sending out monthly newsletters filled with interesting topics and future plans, you will catch the eye of your readers, who will in turn forward your newsletter to their friends, thus providing you with a ever-expanding network.

Would you use these suggestions to build your brand? Do you have anything to add? Do you think the Internet is the best way to build a potential clientele?

To read the rest of Benjamin Lang's pointers, click here.

The importance of media training clients

The following blog post was written by '97 Temple Alum, Jason Mollica.

In public relations, we are taught that preparation is key for any crisis or situation that may need our attention. But, it is equally important on how we train our clients. One of the integral parts to keeping a client prepared is media training.

How your client looks and sounds on television or comes across in a newspaper story can go a long way to showing they are credible. I entered public relations after a long career in television and radio. Taking that experience, I've been able to assist clients in making sure they are well prepared for the media.

Television can make or break you and your client if they are not prepared. Here are five examples of what you can teach your clients.

Rehearse: Just like you would practice the piano before a concert, it's important to think over answers to possible questions from a reporter. Teach your client to review his talking points prior to any interviews.

Don't Fear the Camera/Microphone: That light on top of the camera isn't from an interrogator. It's there to help make you look better. Remember, most reporters don't want to make your clients look bad. They want the facts. There's nothing to be afraid of.

Be Concise: Don't give rambling answers. In television, soundbites run approximately 10-20 seconds. You need to get your message across in that amount of time. If you go longer, you risk having your message cut up.

New Media Awareness: Platforms like YouTube and blogs are very prevalent now. Newspapers use blogs to supplement their normal coverage. Some papers even turn their print reporters into new media journalists. Make certain your client is aware of any additional avenues a reporter may be using to tell a story.

Don't Want to Read It? DON'T SAY IT: This seems simple enough, but there are people who feel the need to tell a reporter more than necessary. If it's not something that needed to be revealed, damage control is necessary. Stick to the talking points!

Using these tips will not only assist your clients, they will also prove you are looking out for their well-being.

Jason Mollica is a 1997 graduate of Temple University's School of Communications and Theater. Since then, he has worked in television and radio in Philadelphia and New York City. Upon leaving the industry in 2005, he began a career in public relations and marketing. He is currently the public relations manager for Carr Marketing Communications in Amherst, N.Y. You can follow him on Twitter, @JasMollica and read his blog at http://oneguysjourney.wordpress.com

TUTV Student Organization Filming Recap

Yesterday (March 3), PRowl Public Relations assisted client TUTV (Temple University Television) with an event to promote the March 16 launch of TempleTV.net, the channel's interactive online platform. One of our largest audiences for the launch campaign is current students on Philadelphia's main campus and abroad. When doing our research in the planning portion of the campaign, we found that Temple University has more than 300 registered student organizations on campus, with a total membership reach of 15,330 students.

In order to engage these students and get them excited for the website launch, PRowl planned a four-hour event where student organizations were invited to film a clip welcoming all visitors to TempleTV.net and introducing their organization to Temple's global community. On the upcoming March 16 launch day, these student organization "welcome" messages will rotate on the homepage. Every time a visitor enters the site, a new student organization will be there to greet them.

After a lot of e-mails and attending meetings to talk to student organizations, we got a great turnout of 58 organizations throughout the day. Students were invited to either share a message about what their organization does, or demonstrate their mission through a creative act. There was even more creativity than we expected! Singing, dancing, guitars, keyboards, flags, acting scripts, and other props appeared in the room throughout the day, and we were happy to have them!

Thank you to all Temple student organizations that stopped by. We look forward to sharing the messages we got yesterday with visitors who enter the site around the world on March 16!

Searching for New Clients

The new year is a great time to reorganize your business. At my job at a small public relations firm in Philadelphia, we are evaluating our current clients. Here are some tips to consider when evaluating whether to keep clients or not:

- Is the client missing payments?

- Are you doing more work than what is appropriate for your payments?

- Are there problems with communication between you and the client?

- Does the client have unrealistic expectations?

If the answer is yes to any of these questions, you may want to consider not continuing with the client in future. If you decide to terminate a client, you will need to replace it with a new client. How do you look for new clients to replace the previous ones?

- Read the local paper, especially the lifestyle sections. These sections may mention or profile new businesses that are opening or offering new services. These are perfect for new clients.

- Read local blogs and additional publications. The Philadelphia Business Journal highlights new businesses, for example. Blogs, like local papers, may list new businesses opening in the area.

- Explore your area. Simply walking around to see if anything new has opened is a simple way to locate opportunities for new clients.

There are many ways to look for new clients. These are just a few suggestions. Do you have a surefire way to find a new client? Share it with our readers!

Managing Twitter On the Go!

The fast pace and flexibility of this field usually leaves us changing location at the drop of a hat between client meetings, press events and business trips. As Twitter is no longer a new frontier, thoroughness is key when managing a client's account. Missing a consumer @reply or direct message (DM) can do unbelievable damage in a matter of minutes. Fortunately, a bevy of Twitter applications have been developed to help make the monumental task of tracking @replies, followers, mentions and DMs a bit easier on the go.

Mashable.com has published a list of five new applications aimed monitoring Twitter via email. This is a great option for users who can't be chained to a desk all day (most of us!). These applications automatically send a notification to your email as soon as you receive an @reply, DM or mention allowing you to use your smartphone to keep track of who's chatting from any location. This feature also allows users to organize @replies into email folders making them easier to manage. Mashable named Twitstra as the best of these applications for its simplicity.

Check out the rest of the list in this Mashable.com article. Which is your favorite Twitter application?

Client Update: Casa Papel's New Website

Casa Papel has re-launched their website: www.casapapel.com

At Casa Papel the expert staff can truly "bring your vision to paper," specializing in distinctive and high-quality paper from around the world, paper craft tools, accesssories and paper-related services. The website now features information about all of the services offered, as well as product profiles, and the decorative and specialty paper selection. Casa Papel is a design house with the ability to create exactly what you've dreamed up, creating the perfect invitations, cards, stationary and so much more. With papers from Japan, Italy, Tibet and many other places, you really will be amazed that paper could be so beautiful!

If you live in Philadelphia or in the surrounding area you must not only browse the website but really go visit the store too. Casa Papel is located at 804 North 2nd Street in Northern Liberties Philadelphia. To schedule a free consultation call 267-761-9149 or e-mail hello@casapapel.com.

Also, please sign up for their newsletter here! You don't want to miss out on special offers, events, workshops and more! Follow Casa Papel on Twitter @CasaPapel!

The 15 Most Hated Companies in America

We all, without a doubt, have an ongoing list of companies that we dislike for a myriad of reasons ranging from poor customer service to poor quality of product.

Recently, 24/7 Wall St. has examined these issues with corporations to create a list of the 15 most hated companies in America. The list was created based on five criteria: employee impressions, return to shareholders, customer satisfaction numbers and reputation figures, brand valuation changes and lastly, views of taxpayers, Congress, and the Administration of these companies. 24/7 Wall St. analyzed hundreds of companies and produced the top 15 most hated corporations.

Surprisingly, some of the companies you would expect to see due to recent news or established poor reputations did not make the list such as Goldman Sachs, AT&T, Comcast and Wal-Mart.

Here are just a few of the companies that made the Top 15:


1. AIG: AIG is the most hated company in America; the prominent reason being taxpayers extreme dislike for the firm for receiving $180 billion in government aid. Additionally, employee morale is incredibly low due to the company firing a large amount of employees and operates to turn around its operations. In the last two years, AIG lost over 99% of its value, wiping out the firm's equity investors.

4. Hertz: Hertz, the largest car rental company in the US, has been suffering from financial problems that has resulted in massive layoffs. The company was also placed on the Audit Integrity list of American companies most likely to go bankrupt. The company also makes the Glassdoor list of "worst companies to work for" and Vanno gives Hertz low ratings in both customer and employee satisfaction.

8. Dell: Dell's shares are off over 30% over the last two years while its competitors Hewlett-Packard and IBM have shown impressive gains. The company also trails Apple, Toshiba and HP in many Customer Reports measurements of laptop computers by screen size and their score on the Customer Service Index has dropped from a 78 to a 75 out of 100. Additionally, Dell has laid off a massive amount of employees which included 8,000 in 2008 and at least 1,400 last year with their most recent group of layoffs fired in November.

12. Rite Aid's: Their stock is down nearly 50% over the last five years and and nearly 30% over the last two. The company has repeated labor problems and has faced legal and political actions because of the treatment of their employees and received low reputation scores from both Glassdoor and Vanno. With over 5,000 stores, tens of thousands of low-paid workers and millions of customers serving a population that is unhappy with the health care system, their reputation is unlikely to improve anytime soon.

Check out the full list here.

The Customer Is NOT Always Right

"The customer is always right" is a company mantra that has been recited by almost every business since the phrase was coined by Harry Gordon Selfridge, the founder of Selfridge's department store in London in 1909. Most businesses utilize the phrase in order to:

1. Convince customers they will get good service at the company.
2. Convince employees to give customers good service.

However, as Alexander Kjerulf points out in his article- "the customer is always right" mentality is actually detrimental to many businesses and goes on to list the five main reasons why.

1. It makes employees unhappy. You can't treat your employees like serfs- you have to value them. If they think you won't support them when a customer is out of line, even the smallest problem can cause resentment.
2. It gives abrasive customers an unfair advantage. Abusive customers using the slogan "the customer is always right" can demand just about anything. By definition, they're right and this makes the employees jobs much harder.
3. Some customers are bad for business. Most businesses think the "more customers the better" but sometimes businesses are better without the abrasive customers.
4. It results in worse customer service. When the company and management continuously side with customers instead of employees it sends a clear message: employees are not valued, treating employees fairly is not important and the employees have no right to respect from customers. At that point, employees stop caring about customer service and the best a customer can hope for is fake good service.
5. Some customers are just plain wrong. The fact is that some customers are just wrong and businesses are better without them.

As a retail employee myself, I found this article to be incredibly valid and valuable. There are often times when an unreasonable customer is preferred over an employee and the results of the situation are always counter productive in providing good customer service, leading to disgruntled employees who feel unappreciated.

What do you think? Is the customer really always right or should businesses consider nixing this mantra for good?