“The customer is always right” is the proverb that built modern customer service. Here is what it means, where it comes from, how to use it, and a few sayings that share its spirit.
What Does “The Customer Is Always Right” Mean?
The proverb means that a business should treat its customers’ wishes and complaints as valid and important — giving them the benefit of the doubt and going out of its way to keep them satisfied. It is less a statement of literal fact than a rule of good service: even when a customer is mistaken, it is usually wiser and more profitable to listen, accommodate, and keep their goodwill than to win an argument and lose their custom.
Origin of the Proverb
The slogan dates from the early years of the twentieth century, when a new generation of department-store pioneers transformed how shops treated their customers. It is associated above all with Marshall Field of Chicago and his one-time employee Harry Gordon Selfridge, who later founded the famous Selfridge’s store in London; the retailer John Wanamaker is also credited. The earliest known print mention, in 1905, describes Marshall Field as following the principle that “the customer is always right.” The phrase was revolutionary at a time when “let the buyer beware” was still the rule.
Examples in a Sentence
- “Just refund her and apologise — the customer is always right.”
- “Our whole training is built on the idea that the customer is always right.”
- “He wasn’t really at fault, but the customer is always right, so he replaced the item.”
Similar Proverbs
- The customer is king — the customer’s satisfaction comes first.
- Customers are jade; merchandise is grass — a Chinese proverb valuing the buyer above the goods.
- A good shop never lacks customers — treat people well and they will return.
- Look after your customers and they will look after you — service breeds loyalty.
For more sayings about business and good sense, see our smart thoughts and the full library of proverbs and their meanings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “the customer is always right” mean?
It means a business should treat customers’ wishes and complaints as important and keep them satisfied — even when they are mistaken — because their goodwill is worth more than winning an argument.
Where does the proverb come from?
It is a retail slogan from the early 1900s, associated with department-store pioneers Marshall Field and Harry Gordon Selfridge; the earliest known print mention is from 1905.
Is the customer really always right?
Not literally — customers are sometimes wrong. The phrase is a rule of good service, meaning it usually pays to keep their goodwill rather than to win an argument.