
P1: OTA/XYZ P2: ABC
c21 JWBT144/Gordon September 16, 2009 14:46 Printer Name: Courier Westford, Westford, MA
21
Fixate on the Customer
A
lbert Einstein believed that a “Theory of Everything” in physics unified
the four primal forces of nature: gravity, strong nuclear force, weak nu-
clear force, and electromagnetic force. Our unifying theory for sustainable
success in business is so much simpler.
The Customer Is Everything!
In this chapter, we examine the customer from several perspectives:
r
The importance of building a customer-centered company
r
Tales of customer neglect and customer care
r
Mutually beneficial customer relationships
r
The welcome cost of customer capture
r
Eight steps to building a customer-driven company
The Importance of Building a Customer-Centered
Company
It is not possible to overemphasize the importance of building a customer-
centered company,
1
but I will try. By customer, I am referring not to one
individual customer, but to all customers for your products or services in your
marketplace.
There is no such thing as a business without willing buyers. Can there
be a sustainable, profitable business that does not focus, obsess, concentrate,
fixate, zero in on the customer? Most certainly not! This understanding must
shape all of your thinking and actions as you build your business. If you rivet
your attention on customer satisfaction, success will likely follow. Likely,
225