Everybody says their customers are #1, but c’mon now – are they really?
Companies might offer lip service, or even take steps to put their customers in focus, but at the end of the day, what do the core company values say about who (or what) is truly important?
Take a look at Exxon Mobil’s guiding principles:
“Exxon Mobil Corporation is committed to being the world’s premier petroleum and petrochemical company. To that end, we must continuously achieve superior financial and operating results while simultaneously adhering to high ethical standards.”
That statement made me want to puke.
Sure, ethical standards and financial results are all well and good, but this statement is all about THEM. Where do the customers fit into all of this?
Obviously they are a lot more concerned with their bottom line, their ego, and lining their shareholders’ pockets… than they are about providing us with the best product possible.
And yet, do they wonder why they don’t have the same adamant fan base of customers as say… Apple, Harley, or Zappos?
Exxon is missing one huge reality that all business owners will eventually have to face – none of their customers care. Nobody cares about them; all they want to know is “what’s in it for me?”
Now, take a look at the Zappos mission statement:
“We believe that if we continue to focus on providing the absolute best service and the absolute best shopping experience, then we can continue to grow as a company.”
Notice the difference?
It doesn’t say anything about financials, internal operations, or anything of the sort – it’s all about YOU, and the service they can provide.
Who would you rather do business with?
Customer loyalty starts with
loyalty to your customers.
Zappos understands this, and that’s why they have such a great and supportive customer base… gas companies like Exxon Mobil have customers who will abandon them at the slightest sniff of a lower price…
Maybe if they were more focused on giving us a better reason to be loyal, this wouldn’t be the case!
Customers couldn’t care less about superior financial results or operational efficiency – they care about whether or not you’re putting them first, and if you’re willing to go the extra mile to provide them with the solution they need.
If exceeding customer expectations and providing the greatest advantage possible is at the top of your priority list, the people you do business with will repay you with loyalty and support.
So, which are you? A Zappos or an Exxon? Where do your priorities really lie?
In your corner,
Charlie
