You shouldn’t ever talk down to a customer
Have you ever had someone come to your home to sell you something or fix something only to feel like an idiot by the time they leave? They may have talked to you like you were a child or as if you had no idea what you were talking about.
Both of these should send up red flags to you that you are dealing with the wrong person.
As a business owner I strive to train my staff to treat everyone equally and with respect. I own a small HVAC repair company and I expect that each technician follow these guidelines. Years ago I learned my lesson about employees that did not. I received a call from a customer who had used our services for at least ten years. She was very upset about her recent appointment because she felt like the technician had disrespected her and talked to her like she was incompetent. I apologized to her and refunded the cost of her service call. When I questioned the technician and he gave me an attitude I let him go. From that time on I have stressed my values to each employee from my receptionist to my sales staff and technicians. Have a good reputation for service and workmanship can mean a lot and even make or break a company. By building a solid reputation I have been able to expand my business and I hope to never run into any other individuals that acted the way that particular person did. All my employees work hard to build our customer base and make sure that everyone is happy with the job that we do.