The Business of Life

Looking Through Your Customers' Eyes

Following is another excerpt from my forthcoming book, The Business of Relationships. It deals with one of the most important qualities of successful long-term relationships of every sort. Having perspective is key to achieving balance and a sense of purpose in your relationships. This quote from Tom Peters offers a sound business principle that can be easily adapted to your personal relationships as well. I hope you enjoy it...


“The challenge is to view every element of every operation through the customer's lens, to constantly attempt to redefine each element of the business in terms of the customer's perceptions.” - Tom Peters

Tom Peters is an author and consultant who became one of the first business guru-celebrities with the publication of his book In Search of Excellence in 1982 followed by a series of PBS programs featuring him as host. His early career included stints with the Department of Defense and as a senior White House drug abuse advisor during the Nixon administration. He worked as a management consultant wih McKinsey & Company, eventually becoming a partner before leaving to form his independent practice in 1981. Peters is the author of 14 best-selling books including Thriving on Chaos, The Pursuit of WOW!, Leadership and The New World of WOW. He still maintains an active speaking and writing regimen and, while previous works emphasized empowerment and problem-solving methodologies, his recent books emphasize personal responsibility as a core trait for surviving in the new economy.

Peters was a dynamic presenter and proponent of the 'quality' initiatives of the early 1980's and his first book certainly is grounded in that philosophy. To have a quote that recognizes the importance of viewing all your operations through the customer's eyes and experiences certainly is not surprising. In fact, the customer-centric or customer-intimate model is even today one of the three organizational models or stances (operational efficiency and innovation are the others) that businesses espouse. It is also not too difficult for me to see how this customer-intimate model can also apply to relationships.

Think of those important people again... your kids, spouse, colleagues, parents, friends, lovers and partners. They are your customers. In every sense of the word, they are consumers and, hopefully, repeat buyers as well. They consume what you have to offer. So what is it that you're offering? What is your 'business' providing to your 'customers'? Is it understanding and compassion? Is it empathy and assurance? Is it support and love? Or is it indifference and judgmentalism? Is it blame and criticism? Is it anger and withdrawal? Does your business function in a way that makes your customers want to return?

We could fill shelves with all the books written recently about the new power of consumers. Take their central ideas and they all say the same thing - The Customer is Number One! Look at your important relationships the same way. Peters says to look “through the customer's lens” and “redefine each element of the business.” I need to look inward and make sure that what I'm offering puts my customer first . I have to be committed to the extra effort. It doesn't mean that I'm a pushover, wimp, doormat or milk-toast but I have to get outside of myself to make sure my customers are happy. It certainly doesn't mean that my 'return policy' has no boundaries but I must be sensitive in dealing with issues that are important to them. If your customers are important, that's what you do.

The old saying goes, “It's a lot easier to sell more to an existing customer than to find a new one.” I know that I struggle daily to put my most important 'customers' first but I sure don't want to have to hunt for new ones either. So, for me, I'll try to take a few minutes to productively work through a teenager's tantrum. I'll listen empathetically to my wife instead of short-circuiting conversation to diagnose and fix what I think is the problem. I'll offer support before advice to a colleague who is going through a divorce. As Tom Peters emphasizes personal responsibility being critical to success in the new economy, it should also be key to personal relationships. Hopefully, it will be a key perspective for you as well.

Labels: business consultants, customer focus, customer intimate model, customer perceptions, McKinsey and Company, personal relationships, perspective, Tom Peters

posted by Tom Hagerty @ 7:33 AM