Consumers & the sense of entitlement

If its a repeat or a second-time usage of a service by a consumer, the provider must beware. 'Cos the consumer comes in with a sense of entitlement, a default set of expectations. Meet it or better it, you have a satisfied consumer, else its a litany of complaints. Note that it doesn't matter whether the sense of entitlement is justified or not.

A similar scene plays out in my office many a times. Students walk in complaining about the grades they receive. The sense of entitlement they come with is, 'I deserve better grades'. Doesn't matter that the work turned in just doesn't meet standards that call for better grades. As Prof. Marshall Grossman at the University of Maryland states, “I tell my classes that if they just do what they are supposed to do and meet the standard requirements, they will earn a C. That is the default grade. But they see the default grade as an A.”

The difference between students and consumers is limited to me not having to change grades if I think the work's shoddy, and you, the service provider having to capitulate to the expectations of consumers.

There are exceptions, of course.