Hey Reader,

You've heard the quote "the customer is always right," right? (Yes, I know the whole quote is "the customer is always right in matters of taste" but no one actually says that)

Sometimes the customer actually is right, sometimes they're wrong but you (the business owner) need to humor them, and sometimes they're wrong and you hold the line.

And... sometimes you compromise and everyone wins.

In addition to Balanced FI & my virtual bookkeeping firm, my husband and I rent our travel trailer out on Airbnb. It's been a great side hustle that has been making the loan payments for us, while still allowing our family to camp as much as we can.

We've had annoying renters and great renters, but this week we ran into a new customer service situation. Why do you care? Because it's a perfect example of good customer service working out for everyone's benefit.

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A couple requested to rent our camper for 7 nights. I had to approve it manually, so I warned the renter that a stay of that length would require emptying the black & gray tanks at least once but possibly up to 3 times depending on water usage.

They are not familiar with RVs, so she wasn't expecting this and wanted to cancel the reservation. With our cancellation policy, she wasn't entitled to a refund, but she asked for one anyway... that's over $700 we'd lose out on!

My first instinct was to say sorry and only refund half, because the chance of renting out again in that short time is slim. My husband was calmer and suggested talking to the renter more.

I messaged her back to see why she wanted to cancel; it was because of the tank dumping situation (which involves moving the camper). I told her it depends on usage - if they're gone a lot, they wouldn't fill the black tank & we wouldn't need to empty the tanks during the stay.

In the end, we compromised. She changed her booking to 4 nights, which means we won't have to empty the tanks.

✅She walked away with an affordable, comfortable place to stay on her vacation.

✅We walked away with a $400 payout instead of the $0 we were looking at.

Win-win!

Join me in making customer service easier!

If you’re overwhelmed by customer service requests flooding your inbox, you need to check out Dama Jue’s Airtable Support Hub training. It’s all about setting up a simple, effective system to manage customer inquiries without the stress.

As one of her customers, I’ve seen it in action and always wondered how it worked, so I just grabbed this training. Expect a glow-up to my customer service process SOON! Check it out here and see how it can help you streamline your business too.

I've loved every training of Dama's I've purchased, and you will too. Trust.

Before you go, let's be friends! Find me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest (all @ balancedfi)

Enjoy,

P.S. Let this inspire you to approach customer service with fresh eyes. They don't always win, you don't always win... it's a give & take. Let Dama's Airtable Support Hub training make the process less painful.

P.P.S. This email contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Even if I wasn't an affiliate, I'd still promote this training though!

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