Is the customer always right?

There is a question in my mind I would like to raise it in this post. The question is simple. Is the customer always right? Can the feedback from the customer be the sole criterion for determining the efficacy of a product or a service?

Before I answer this question, I would like to share something with you. Today I got a call from a well meaning faculty who trains students at a reputed institute on soft skills. Last week, he had given me a wonderful opportunity to speak for a day to the students on the topic of "Team building and client communication".

He had called me to inform me that the feedback from the students was good and that he will give me more sessions.

I was very happy to hear this. While I never wanted to be a trainer or a motivational speaker in true sense, but there is some knowledge and experience that I wanted to share with people especially students which in my humble opinion may help them in their lives.

But then there was another thing that set me thinking. Can the feedback from the students be the sole criterion to determine the efficacy of a lecture or competence of a faculty?

Let's assume I have done a lot of research on the topic given to me as a speaker which was team building skills and communication skills. I select the top team building games from harvard business review and stanford business program and all the best business schools in the country. I also reach out to the trainers in top multi national companies and use the best possible materials and techniques.

But lets suppose the students are not able to appreciate those ideas or say a majority of the class does not believe that the lecture was good. Should I be degraded and stopped from training?

On the contrary suppose I update myself with all the latest jokes from tamil movies and use it in my lecture. Then I make a very generic presentation which has little content or technicality.

Now since I have added a lot of jokes and stories that appeals to the local tamil audience, the same would sell well and all students are happy. So the students rate me as "the best trainer" in the feedback form.

Now would I have done a service or a great disservice to the community of students and profession? Am I a trainer or an entertainer? Is my job to give knowledge or create happiness with jokes.

These are very pertinent question and this single question goes into the heart of the issue. Is the customer always right?

Assume a doctor gives a light medicine which the patient wants rather than the medicine he actually needs for his disease. What would happen?

In my case I am of the opinion that customer is not always right in certain fields and his feedback while very important should not be the sole criterion to judge the efficacy or quality.

A multi-pronged approach which takes into account various factors including customer feedback, analysis of technical materials, analysis of faculty's knowledge of the subject to evaluate quality of faculty or lecture would do more justice in that case.
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