customer is always right, the

the customer is always right

A phrase commonly used in the service or retail industry as a reminder to respect the customer's wishes, and therefore please them, often without regard to how unreasonable they may be. Well, the customer is always right, so if she thinks that her meal is undercooked, make her something else.See also: always, customer, right

customer is always right

Prov. In order to keep customers happy, the people who serve them should always obey their wishes. (Often cited as a principle of good business dealings; customers sometimes say it to the people serving them in order to try to get good service.) When I began working at the gift shop, my boss told me, "Remember, the customer is always right, no matter how stupid or rude you may think he is being."See also: always, customer, right

customer is always right, the

A commercial paean to the buyer. This phrase was introduced in the 1930s by H. Gordon Selfridge, an American who founded Selfridge’s, a large department store in Great Britain. A highly successful salesman who personally oversaw his retail operation, he insisted that his staff always defer to customers, whether they were right or wrong. The refrain was taken up by other businesses and has survived.See also: always, customer