Oddly enough, that was a guiding principle of both Jeff Bezos and Steve Jobs. To many, it sounds like hyperbole. But the reality is that Jobs turned around Apple and Bezos created one of the most successful companies in history by doing it.
Jan Carlzon, the former CEO of Scandinavian Airlines, is a testament to the power of a customer-centric approach. He turned around SAS in the 1990s by focusing on the customer, famously saying, “If you are not serving the customer, your job is to serve someone who is.” His success is a clear demonstration of the impact of this strategy.
There are dozens of examples, like Bezos, Jobs, and Carlzon.
Isn’t it odd that these leaders came to the same conclusion independently?
Isn’t it odd that nearly every major product innovation over the last decades somehow started with the customer and worked backward?
Understanding customers' needs and preferences is vital to creating a product or service that truly serves them. It is also about understanding how your engagement with the customer impacts the customer.
Customer-centricity does not mean brainlessly doing what the customer wants.
Companies that successfully implement customer-centricity programs do not sacrifice business performance for customer worship. Instead, they find a way to work around business constraints to optimize their market position.
The goal is not simply making customers happy at any cost; it is adding value to customers while growing at a margin within your capabilities.
My simple answer to the question “why it works” is that it changes the focus from internal conflicts or an internal lack of direction to uniting around a common cause.
A lot of energy is wasted inside companies battling over what to do next without an external perspective. Customer focus provides that perspective.
Pretty soon, you start seeing
Processes that do not add value, enabling cost savings.
Improved sales by focusing on supporting customer decision-making.
Improved sales by expanding business with a happy customer.
More impactful marketing campaigns focused on customer needs and pain points.
The first, quickest, and easiest part is changing attitudes. Believe it or not, most employees know, deep inside, that the customer is important. They may never admit it, but they do know it.
The question is, how do you link what the employee does to the customer? How do you link each department to the customer?
You have to start by understanding your customers. In B2B, that is difficult. There is not one single journey; there can be dozens.
Over time, knowing how the customer works reduces internal conflicts, improves decision-making, and even improves employee satisfaction. Everyone participates.
Do you want to improve something in your business? Start here.