That Old Chestnut "The Customer's Always Right"? It's Costing You. Here's Why.

For donkey's years, businesses have nodded along to the mantra: "The customer is always right." It sounds like the gold standard for service, doesn't it? A lovely sentiment, often plastered on office walls. But let's be honest – in the real world of 2025, clinging to this idea without a hefty dose of common sense can be a recipe for headaches, heartaches, and a haemorrhaging budget.

That Old Chestnut "The Customer's Always Right"? It's Costing You. Here's Why.

It's time we had a proper chat about this, and a few other sales "truisms" that might be doing more harm than good. Because sometimes, bending over backwards for every single person who walks through your door (real or virtual) isn't just tough; it's downright bad for business.

When "Always Right" Goes Wrong

Think about it. What happens when you treat every customer demand, no matter how outlandish, as gospel?

• Your Resources Get Stretched Thin: Constantly offering discounts, making endless revisions, or catering to one-off special requests eats into your profits and your team's precious time. Time that could be spent delighting your genuinely great customers.

  
  

• Your Team Takes a Beating: Forcing your staff to grin and bear it with rude, demanding, or downright abusive individuals is a fast track to burnout. Good people leave, and morale plummets.

  
  

• Your Brand Can Suffer: If word gets out that you'll do anything to please anyone, it can devalue your offering. It might even attract more of the wrong kind of customer.

  
  

Consider a boutique marketing agency that lived by the "always right" rule. They had clients who’d demand daily campaign overhauls, haggle over every invoice, and generally treat the team like personal assistants. The result? Within a couple of years, half their best people had walked, and profits were taking a nosedive. It was only when they got tough – setting clear boundaries, vetting new clients properly, and yes, even "firing" a few toxic accounts – that things turned around. Their revenue actually tripled, and staff turnover dropped significantly.

It’s Okay to Choose Your Customers

The most successful businesses aren't afraid to be selective. They understand that not every pound, dollar, or euro of revenue is good revenue.

• Know Your Ideal Client: Have a clear picture of who you want to serve. What are their needs? What's their budget? Crucially, what's their attitude?

  
  

• Set Clear Boundaries: It’s perfectly fine to say "no" to unreasonable demands or requests for endless discounts that chip away at your value.

  
  

• Have the Courage to Part Ways: If a client is consistently causing more stress and expense than they're worth, it's often healthier for everyone to politely disengage.

  
  

The project management platform Basecamp famously did this. They realised that a segment of their customers was demanding features that didn't fit their core vision, treating support staff poorly, and generally slowing down innovation for everyone else. So, they made the bold move to let go of those accounts. The outcome? A happier team, faster product improvements, and a stronger business focused on serving customers who truly aligned with their product.

As CEO Jason Fried put it, they'd "rather have fewer, better customers than a million headaches."

Other Sales Myths That Need Debunking

It's not just the "customer is always right" line that needs a rethink. Here are a few others:

1. "Never Turn Down a Sale": Rubbish. Taking on any business, especially from clients who are a bad fit, can tie up your resources, lead to scope creep, and ultimately damage your profit margins. Qualifying who you want to work with is smart, not snobby.

   
   

2. "More Leads are Always Better": Not if they're low-quality. Chasing a flood of unsuitable leads is a massive time sink for your sales team. A smaller number of genuinely interested, well-matched prospects is far more valuable.

   
   

3. "Always Offer a Discount to Seal the Deal": If your main closing tactic is to slash prices, you're in a race to the bottom. Focus on clearly communicating the value you deliver, so your pricing feels justified.

   
   

The Real Path to Success: Serve the Right Customers Brilliantly

The business landscape has changed. Blindly appeasing everyone is no longer a viable strategy. True success comes from understanding your worth, identifying the customers who will genuinely benefit from (and appreciate) what you offer, and building strong, mutually respectful relationships with them.

It's about being selective. It’s about protecting your team. And it’s about building a sustainable, profitable business based on real value, not just endless accommodation. So, give yourself permission to say "no" sometimes. Your business, and your sanity, will thank you for it.