Who said "the customer is always right"?

Question

Who said "the customer is always right"?

Answer 1

The customer is always right

Meaning

The trading policy that states a company's keenness to be seen to put the customer first.

Origin

Several retail concern used this as a slogan from the early 20th century onward. In the USA it is particularly associated with Marshall Field's department store, Chicago (established in the late 19th century). The store is an icon of the city, although it is set to lose its name in 2006 when, following a takeover, it becomes renamed as Macy's. In the UK, Harry Gordon Selfridge (1857-1947) the founder of London's Selfridges store (opened in 1909), is credited with championing its use. The Wisconsin born Selfridge worked for Field from 1879 to 1901. Both men were dynamic and creative businessmen and it's highly likely that one of them coined the phrase, although we don't know which.

Of course, these entrepreneurs didn't intend to be taken literally. What they were attempting to do was to make the customer feel special by inculcating into their staff the disposition to behave as if the customer was right, even when they weren't.

The trading policy and the phrase were well-known by the early 20th century. From the Kansas City Star, January 1911 we have a piece about a local country store that was modelled on Field's/Selfridges:

[George E.] "Scott has done in the country what Marshall Field did in Chicago, Wannamaker did in New York and Selfridge in London. In his store he follows the Field rule and assumes that the customer is always right."

Whether the phrase was coined by Field or Selfridge it is fair to call it American. What we can't do is credit them with the idea behind it. In 1908 César Ritz (1850-1918), the celebrated French hotelier is credited with saying 'Le client n'a jamais tort' - 'The customer is never wrong'. That's not the phrase that people now remember, but it can hardly be said to be any different in meaning to 'the customer is always right'.

Answer 2

Why the customer of course.

Answer 3

ha! i work in a petrol station, and many super markets.

trust me, the worse thing is where the customer thinks they're right, when in actual fact they have no clue what they are talking about and are sooo wrong its unbelieveable!

customers are so stupid and rude at times its amazing they have managed to not only figure out how to open their front door and make their way to the store, but that they having managed to get beaten up along the way!

Answer 4

In the USA it is particularly associated with Marshall Field's department store, Chicago (established in the late 19th century).

In the UK, Harry Gordon Selfridge (1857-1947) the founder of London's Selfridges store (opened in 1909), is credited with championing its use.

This of course is not meant to be fact, the customer can't always be right. It is more a philosophy on how to treat them..< my interpretation anyway>

Answer 5

The customer.

Answer 6

The customer so they could complain and say that they have to take them seriously because the customer is always right.

Answer 7

In the USA this is most associated with Marshall Field's department store in Chicago.  Harry Gordon Selfridge is generally thought to have coined the phrase for his London based Selfridge's department store (opened in 1909).

Answer 8

Lots of Bosses in Various Enterprises that are terrified they Lose Custom through Greed not out kindness!

Answer 9

I wish I knew.  I need the answer for my crossword today.

Answer 10

Definitely the costumer, they unfortunately cannot comprehend otherwise.

Answer 11

Whoever it was, I don't think its true anymore.  Service is getting worse everywhere.