The customer needs to pay
“Companies need to sustain their operations, therefore, the customer needs to pay the price for it.” Customers are not responsible for your operations. They don’t care. They will NOT care. They’re not supposed to. Customers are responsible for their own things. For their decisions. Good AND bad. What they pay (you) for is for the feeling of how your things help them closer to theirs. Your customers owe you nothing. So, just help them. They’ll pay you gladly for your help.