The phrase "the customer is always right" is a slogan that was popularized by retailers Marshall Field and Harry Gordon Selfridge in the early 20th century. César Ritz—a Swiss hotelier whose name the word "ritzy" is derived from—popularized a similar phrase, "the customer is never wrong." The problem with these phrases is that sometimes the customer is wrong. Sometimes customers lie or are dishonest, sometimes they don't know what they want, and sometimes they are ignorant of a product they are trying to buy—not knowing what a product will do or how to use it. Many workers, especially in retail, are encouraged to have the mindset that the customer is always right. The Customer is Wrong Day finally gives workers a day to be confident that sometimes they are right and the customer is wrong. They may even vocalize this position, telling customers they are wrong. But if workers' bosses aren't celebrating the day as well, this might get a little risky. It is not known why this day is celebrated at this time, but it may take place when it does because it is right after major shopping days such as Black Friday, when retail workers probably told a lot of customers that they were right when it might not have been the case. After all that "customer is always right" talk, it feels good to have a day to acknowledge that a customer can be wrong.

How to Observe

Celebrate the day by telling customers that are wrong that they are wrong. Don't pretend they are right and try to please them. Don't put up with any of their lies and tricks. If you see they are wrong tell them! Do this at your own risk of course, because not everyone knows today is Customer is Wrong Day. If things get too out of hand, make sure to tell your boss and the customer what today's holiday is. If you don't have to work a job that puts you in the situation where you have to pretend someone is right when they are really wrong, celebrate the day by reading these great examples of when customers have been wrong.

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