Customers are not always right.

A few days ago, I was working in a restaurant. Not because I suddenly became a food critic, but because NEPA (or whatever we’re calling them these days) decided we didn’t need light that day.

While I was quietly minding my business, a woman walked in to buy food. She asked for the price of their meat, and the sales rep calmly replied, “₦700.”
The woman immediately disagreed, “No, it’s ₦500. I’ve bought it here before.”

The sales rep politely repeated, “It’s ₦700.”

Now, while calculating her bill, the sales rep accidentally wrote ₦500 instead of ₦700. She noticed right away and laughed it off, saying playfully,
“Ah, it’s you that made me write ₦500.”

But instead of laughing back, the customer clung to that slip like it was proof from heaven that she was right. She insisted the price was ₦500, and before anyone could explain, her voice was getting louder, her tone sharper.

From my table, I was watching this unfold, wondering when exactly the “rude” part happened, because the sales rep had been nothing but polite.

And then it hit me…
We’ve repeated “the customer is always right” so much that some people think paying for a product means they can treat people however they want.

But here’s the thing
The customer is not always right.
And even when they are, respect should go both ways.

This isn’t just a lesson for restaurants.
It’s for any business, brand, or creator:
If you make “people-pleasing” your business model, you’ll attract customers who see you as a doormat, not a partner.

Stand by your values. Stand by your people. And remember, a good brand protects its team just as much as it serves its customers.

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