6 Signs You're Failing to Put Your Customers First

1. You're laser-focused on profits
"The money comes from customers," Callaway points out. "Sam Walton used to say there was only one person who could fire everyone in his company including Walton, and that was the customer."
"The only way you can grow is by increasing the number of customers."

2. You let the little things slide
Often, just as in a marriage, it's the little things not the big things that erode a relationship," Callaway says. It's important to keep the same level of service and engagement.

3. If it ain't broke, you don't fix it
Following this bit of conventional wisdom can destroy your forward momentum, Callaway says. "You won't innovate," he says. Instead, he advises, always be looking for ways to do things better. "If you take the position that if it's not broke you won't fix it, your business will stagnate and your competitors will blow past you," he says.
"Businesses slip when you don't think about moving forward. If you don't go forward, you're going backward."

4.  Your philosophy is that the customer is always right
They're not, and when you see a customer acting against his or her own interests, you must say something, Callaway advises. 

5. You avoid problem customers
Many business experts (including me) recommend firing bad customers in order to focus more attention on the better customers--the ones who really help make your business a success. Callaway strongly disagrees. "I think that's the road to the poorhouse," he says. "You have to serve every client." You never know when a good customer will become a bad one or vice versa, he adds. "It's not our job to fire customers, it's their job to fire us if we don't do things right."

6. You're not always completely honest
It's better to be honest all the time, especially since getting caught in a lie is almost guaranteed to lose you a customer.

reference : http://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/6-signs-youre-failing-to-put-your-customers-first.html

"If you don’t ask, the answer is always no."

Few nice quotes from this interview with Angus Davis of Swipely:

“If you’re going to work with smart people, you want to be as close as possible to them so you can learn from them.”

"If you don’t ask, the answer is always no."

ref : http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/25/business/angus-davis-of-swipely-on-working-around-flaws.html?_r=0

The Toyota Way - genchi gembutsu

"In my Toyota interviews, when I asked what distinguishes the Toyota Way from other management approaches, the most common first response was genchi gembutsu - whether I was in manufacturing, product development, sales, distribution or public affairs. You cannot be sure you understand any part of any business problem unless you go and see for yourself firsthand. It is unacceptable to take anything for granted or to rely on the reports of others."

Ref: The Lean Startup

Susan Mazza - Source of great leadership

"Ultimately, it is who you are being, not your words, that is the real source of great leadership - the kind of leadership that inspires others to be and do their very best."