18/10/2026
IF EVERYONE DESERVES A HIGHER SALARY, WHO IS SUPPOSED TO PAY FOR IT WHEN EVERYONE REFUSES HIGHER PRICES?
When we're employees, we demand better salaries. When we're customers, we demand cheaper prices. And when businesses raise prices to cover costs, we accuse the owners of being greedy.
So who is actually being unreasonable — the customer, the employee, or the business owner?
When we become customers, suddenly we become experts in everything.
The food is too expensive. The service is poor. The staff are incompetent. The product could be better. The owner is making too much profit.
And our favourite argument?
"I'm paying, so I deserve the best!"
Fair enough. But have you ever imagined yourself sitting in the business owner's chair?
Let's say someone invests RM1 million to start a restaurant, café, wedding venue or small hotel.
A RM1 million bank loan could mean around RM10,000 in monthly repayments, depending on the financing terms.
That's before rental, salaries, EPF, SOCSO, utilities, maintenance, insurance, licences and taxes.
Whether customers walk through the door or not, those bills still arrive.
But as customers, we don't see any of that.
We see a plate of food selling for RM20 and start calculating the cost of chicken, rice and vegetables.
"Wow! This restaurant is making a fortune!"
Really?
What about the chef, waiter, cleaner, air-conditioning, comfortable chairs, clean toilets and the building itself?
We want five-star facilities, excellent service, well-trained employees and premium quality.
But preferably at roadside stall prices.
Here's where things become interesting.
When we're employees, we demand higher salaries, annual increments, bonuses, medical benefits and better working conditions.
When employers refuse, we call them greedy.
But when we're customers and businesses increase prices by RM2, we complain that they're greedy too.
So we want businesses to pay employees more while charging customers less.
Can someone explain how that mathematics works?
Then there's the issue of employees.
When service is poor, we say, "Just sack the staff and hire someone better!"
Have we ever recruited, trained and managed employees ourselves?
Replacing an employee costs money. Training takes time. Experienced employees have value, even when they make mistakes.
Of course, not every business deserves sympathy.
Some owners overcharge. Some deliver terrible service. Some use operating costs as excuses for inefficiency.
Customers have every right to demand value for money.
But businesses also need reasonable profits to survive, improve and create employment.
I've spent decades working and doing business, yet I admit that when I become a customer, I sometimes forget these realities myself.
It's easy to criticise when someone else is paying the bills.
Now, here's what I'd genuinely like to debate.
If we expect businesses to pay better salaries, provide excellent service and invest in better facilities, shouldn't we also accept higher prices?
Or should business owners simply accept smaller profits?
And here's another uncomfortable question:
When you complain that something is expensive, are you really concerned about fair pricing, or simply about paying less?
I'm interested in hearing from both sides.
Business owners, are customers becoming unreasonable?
Customers, are business owners using rising costs to justify excessive prices?
Let's hear both sides. There may be more than one right answer.
