Superconsumers

chapter 5

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

 

Just about every company considers itself customer-centric if it uses focus groups, surveys, and ethnographies. But the truth is, very few firms develop deep relationships with their consumers. They don’t seriously participate in a twoway dialogue, and they only reach out to consumers on their own terms, on their own turf, and on their own time. It is not a real relationship, because it is one-way and the companies can’t feel real empathy for consumers.

Mark Cuban, an early internet billionaire and the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, has famously said, “You don’t own your business. Your customers do.” Given this observation, you don’t need just to spend time with your customers. You need to build a friendship ...