You've heard it a thousand times:
"The customer is always right."
Maybe your manager drilled it into your head during training. Maybe an angry customer smugly threw it at you to get their way. (Or maybe you were the one who said it... I really hope not.)
But have you ever wondered where that phrase actually came from?
My curiosity got the better of me—so I dug around. Turns out, the earliest mention was in a Boston Globe article in 1905, credited to department store owner Marshall Field (of Marshall Field & Company). Other retail icons like Harry Gordon Selfridge (Selfridges) and John Wanamaker (Wanamaker's) also backed the idea.
But now, more than a century later, it's worth asking:
Is the customer always right? And more importantly—should they be?
What may have worked in the early days of retail doesn't necessarily fly today. In modern workplaces, blindly taking a customer's side at the expense of your employees is a great way to really, really anger your staff and make them quit.
Let's break down when you should side with your customer and when you shouldn't.
Three situations where taking the customer's side is the right move:
- When there's a legitimate mistake on your end.
If your company made an error—like shipping the wrong product or delivering a subpar product or service—acknowledge it and take the customer's side. Showing accountability and making things right could prevent a customer from leaving.
- When a policy is unclear or miscommunicated.
If your customer misunderstood a policy due to vague wording or a miscommunication from your staff, it's fair to give them the benefit of the doubt. Clarify the policy moving forward, but resolve the issue in their favor to show goodwill.
- When their complaint is constructive and valid.
Some customers might swear and question your intelligence, but others genuinely highlight areas for improvement—like product flaws or confusing policies. These are the ones worth listening to. Take their feedback seriously, fix the issue, and thank them for speaking up.
Three situations where you should NOT take the customer's side:
- When they are being rude or aggressive towards your staff.
If a customer is shouting, insulting, or harassing your employees, don't let it slide. No sale is worth sacrificing the well-being or dignity of your team.
Take this scenario: a customer demands a refund for a dress that has very clearly been worn (something I had to deal with in retail many times). When your employee calmly explains the policy, the customer becomes verbally aggressive, shouting and swearing at your employee in front of everyone.
Managers often want to avoid a scene, smooth things over, and move on quickly. But letting that kind of behavior go unchecked doesn't solve the problem—it feeds it. It tells that customer (and anyone watching) that disrespect works. It teaches your team that you won't stand up for them.
As a former retail employee who also had to deal with manager's taking the customers' side, I cannot stress this enough: Losing a rude, self-entitled customer who brings in a lot of business is certainly a loss. But losing good employees who no longer feel safe or supported will cost you even more, I can promise you that.
- When the customer is breaking rules or policies.
Store policies exist for a reason, and customers don't get a free pass to override them just because they're angry. And if you're worried again about their meltdown causing a scene, don't be—when an adult throws a temper tantrum, they're the ones leaving a bad impression, not you.
For instance, when your employee calmly but firmly tells a customer that their kids can't tear open toy boxes or explains that an expired discount code can't be applied, stand behind your staff. It's about enforcing boundaries and showing your team that their judgment is trusted.
In my retail experience, I've dealt with customers pulling stunts like switching price tags. Imagine me scanning a $450 Louis Vuitton wallet, only for it to come up as a $2.99 washcloth. Then came the argument: "If you guys priced it wrong, that's your problem." Fortunately, in these cases, my manager always backed me up, and that made all the difference. Employees need to know you've got their back—especially when the rules are being blatantly ignored.
- When the customer is flat-out wrong.
Some customers... just don't know what they're talking about. Like a customer who insists that a particular laptop comes with a touchscreen feature, even though it clearly doesn't. Or when a customer at a restaurant demands a completely custom dish that's not on the menu but rather a combination of ingredients from multiple dishes.
When your employee sets them straight (tactfully, of course—because that's how you trained them), they're just doing their job. Backing them up in these situations not only reinforces their confidence but also prevents misinformation from spreading.
Why having your employee's back matters:
- It's good for morale. When you take the customer's side every time, employees feel undervalued—at the very least. Imagine you're an employee defending the company's honor, only to get thrown under the bus by your manager. Crappy feeling, isn't it?
- It increases loyalty and trust. If you want your team to have your back, they need to know you've got theirs. If you consistently side with customers, you risk losing their trust—and once trust is gone, good luck getting it back.
- Setting boundaries for customers is an absolute must. Customers need to understand that bad behavior won't be tolerated. When you stand up for your team, you're sending the message that respect is mandatory.
I already know what some of you might be thinking: "But what if I lose business because I don't take the customers' side?" Well, here's my response to that:
If a customer's loyalty hinges solely on being treated like royalty and disrespecting your employees in the process, they're not the kind of customer you should be catering to. Focus on the customers who are kind and respectful. Protecting your team's dignity and creating a work environment based on respect will attract the right kind of clients. Cutting down one bad apple tree is worth it if you want to protect an entire orchard.
Remember, disrespected employees who don't have you to back them up won't go the extra mile. Why would they, when they know you won't stand up for them? So, if you're known as a company that throws employees under the bus, all I can say is, good luck, because you're going to need it.
"The customer is always right" is as outdated as 12-hour workdays, giant 1980s cellphones, and fax machines. It belongs in the past.
Draw the line with unreasonable customers and stand with your team. When your employees feel valued, they bring value.
