One philosophy that plagues many a small business owner is that notion that “The customer is always right.” While total customer satisfaction should be one of the goals of your company, there may be cases where in you don’t have to consider everyone who enters your store a valued customer.

It’s probably unavoidable to get that one assertive customer who would always find faults in everything - your store, your products, your employee… Given the previously mentioned philosophy, many managers would always try to appease the customer and address what he or she is complaining about. Some issues can be quickly addressed like by offering some sort of compensation or granting requests.

However, problems get more complicated when people are involved. A customer complaining about your employee is one big pickle of which you, unfortunately, have to take a nasty bite. In such cases, many employers often blame their employees unnecessarily to appease the customer. Bad publicity, after all, can be a business killer so the employee can always take the fall. But is this attitude just?

Just in case you get into such a mucky situation, here’s what you can do. As a business owner or manager, be objective. Try to calm everyone down. Interrogating one party in front of the other will just definitely aggravate the situation (as one would definitely put the blame on the other). Since you have more control over your employee, just send him or her to the back room first and talk to the person later.

Deal with the irate customer first. With a cool head, try to hear the customer’s side. If the customer demands something be sure to give in up to where your company’s policy allows it. If the customer is reasonable, you will be able to resolve the matter without much concession on your part. Many of these unappeasable customers are just out for a random kill. Believe it or not but such customers should not be tolerated. Fire the customer if you have to. They can always take the business elsewhere.

Since you probably get to see your employee more, take into account the worker’s history. Has your employee upheld a good or shady track record in your business? How consistent is the matter to your worker’s daily outlook?

Talk things over with your employee without any accusing tone (even if you’re sure that the employee’s the one at fault). Discuss ways on handling similar situations so as to prepare the person more next time.