What single rule appears in the Nordstrom employee handbook?

The single rule traditionally associated with Nordstrom’s employee handbook is “Use your best judgment.” The famous policy was presented as a deliberately brief statement of trust and responsibility rather than a long list of detailed instructions.

Nordstrom’s handbook became part of the company’s customer-service legend because it encouraged employees to solve problems directly and treat shoppers well without constantly seeking permission. The broader message was that staff members were expected to exercise initiative and make sensible decisions in the customer’s interest.

The rule is often misquoted as “The customer is always right,” but that phrase is not Nordstrom’s celebrated handbook rule. “Sell” and “Smile” are also sometimes mentioned as supposed Nordstrom rules, yet the traditional one-line formulation is “Use your best judgment.”

Modern employees receive more extensive policies and legal guidance than the legendary one-page handbook suggested. Even so, the phrase remains closely tied to Nordstrom’s service culture and its history as a Seattle-founded department-store company.