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Focus on Your Customers

© Bert Markgraf

You can, very frequently, observe even large, successful companies shift their focus away from their customers to some other target, usually an internal one or a competitor. You can then also usually observe the disastrous results.

What possessed Coca Cola to introduce "New Coke?" Certainly their customers weren't clamoring for a new cola. There were probably a number of things customers would have liked to see but the "New Coke" wasn't one of them. The company eventually shifted its focus back where it belonged, to the customers, and came up with a good solution to satisfy them.

I've said before that small business is even more vulnerable to shifting focus. This is because everyone involved is fulfilling so many roles that it is difficult to keep your eye on the one thing that counts - your customers. Sure, you can design the world's greatest web site but is that what the customer wanted or did he want a simpler site finished last week?

Although I preach the importance of customer-focus and try to practice it in my business, I was nevertheless surprised by a series of examples given on this site. This is the Small Business Resource Network and the site gives a sample of their articles - they charge you for a subscription.

Under the heading of "Tips on Writing Persuasively", the article subtly changes the focus of sentences from the writer to the reader. The difference in tone is substantial. Even in such a minor and subtle way, customer focus influences how you write, how persuasive you are and how successful.