Companies duping theircustomershas almost become routine, to the point where it often goes unnoticed. Limited-time offers, greenwashing, and false discounting are all used to lure in as many consumers as possible. However, thecustomersaren’t always saints either, fabricating lies for their benefit, which sometimes make the employees’ job impossible.
Luckily,this workerhad a sharp eye when an entitled couple tried deceiving them to score free catering from their business. The story they attempted to sell them, unfortunately, wasn’t convincing enough, and the employee pulled up camera footage, which caught them completely red-handed.
Scroll down to find the full story and conversation with associate professor of marketingDeidre Popovich, PhD, consumer psychology researcher and chief behavioral officer atClicksuasion Labs,Dr. Michael Barbera, and former psychotherapist turned customer researcherHannah Shamji, who kindly agreed to share a few insights on why customers might be dishonest.
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Not all customers that customer service employees come across are truthful
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These two even spun a crazy story about an accident with a delivery driver just to get free catering for their party
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60% of people can’t have a 10-minute conversation without lying
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According to a University of Massachusetts study,60%of people can’t have a 10-minute conversation without lying. Considering this, it’s no surprise thatcustomersare dishonest to customer service employees too.
Clients may resort to deception for many reasons. One that associate professor of marketingDeidre Popovich, PhD, provides is wanting to get back at companies that they feel are taking advantage of the average consumer and prioritizing profits. “Consumers may lie when they feel the company “owes them” or they rationalize that their lie won’t really hurt the company financially,” she says.
Former psychotherapist turned customer researcherHannah Shamji, proposes that another big one is the desire to look good or be liked. “This is called social desirability bias—when people say things that sound nice or that they think others want to hear. So, they might give a company positive feedback even if it’s not honest. They might also lie to avoid conflict or awkwardness in the conversation. If they think their opinion will be upsetting or introduce friction, they’ll give quick, safe answers instead. These “white lies” are usually unconscious and well-intentioned but center around wanting to keep things smooth and agreeable,” she explains.
Consumer psychology researcher and chief behavioral officer atClicksuasion Labs,Dr. Michael Barbera, agrees that most consumers don’t have any intentions to deceive businesses. “Often, what appears to be dishonesty can be more accurately seen as miscommunication or a misunderstanding of policies. However, there are some individuals who do engage in dishonest practices intentionally, aiming to gain personal benefits such as refunds or discounts. By recognizing the difference between these two behaviors, businesses can address genuine miscommunication while also identifying bad actors.”
Lyingcustomerscan have a negative impact on a company’s bottom line, says Popovich. “Consumers may make false complaints with the hopes of getting financially compensated, they may return products frequently, or they may falsely claim they never received a product in order to get a refund. In each of these cases, retailers lose revenue from consumer fraud.”
Such behavior of customers can also affect other fellow consumers who are honest, notes Dr. Barbera. “When customers lie, it can lead businesses to implement more restrictive policies, such as shorter return periods or more stringent refund processes. These policies, while aimed at reducing fraud, can unintentionally impact the experience for honest consumers, adding friction to their shopping journey.”
Expert’s comment on the original poster’s situation
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“When employees consistently communicate and apply policies in a fair and transparent manner, it reduces any incentive for customers to stretch the truth. Training that emphasizes empathy, clarity, and consistency enables employees to foster genuine relationships, making customers more inclined to act honestly and openly.”
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