The Law of the Customer

"The customer always acts to satisfy his or her interests by seeking the very most and best at the lowest possible price."

More so in today’s world than ever before, customers are always looking at the most economic way to get what they want or need.

They look to get the most for their money … how much more can they get for less cost. They want it now and as cheap as possible … this is how people have been conditioned to think.

Customers want the very most for the very least and they will buy from whoever they feel can best give it to them. And they are always right. Customers want the very most for the very least and they will buy from whoever they feel can best give it to them. And they are always right.

To survive and thrive in business, you must deal daily with completely self centered, capricious, impatient customers who want what they want, when and how they want it, and who will go elsewhere at a moment’s notice. Just like you.

By the way, it is important to distinguish between facts and problems. They are quite different and confusion over which is which can cause you a lot of stress. By definition, a fact just is. It is something that is inevitable in life and is something that one just had to accept. It is what it is. On the other hand, a problem is something can be solved.   One can use their imagination and creativity to find a solution to a problem.

In the business world today, it is very important to separate the facts from the problems. You shouldn’t become upset or stressed about facts, they are what they are and you can’t change them since you cannot do anything about facts. You need to ask yourself, “Is this a problem, or is this a fact?” Past events, by the way, are all facts. The only effect you can have on them is the way you interpret them and react to them. What matters is what you do now, not what happened or who is to blame or what you could have done differently.

The first part of The Law of the Customer says,

“Customers are both demanding and ruthless; they reward highly those companies that serve them best and allow those companies that serve them poorly to fail.”

Sam Walton once said, 'We all have the same boss, the customer,

and he can fire us any time he wants by deciding to buy somewhere

else.' Past events, by the way, are all facts. The only effect you can have on them is the way you interpret them and react to them. What matters is what you do now, not what happened or who is to blame or what you could have done differently. Sam Walton once said, 'We all have the same boss, the customer,

and he can fire us any time he wants by deciding to buy somewhere

else.' Past events, by the way, are all facts. The only effect you can have on them is the way you interpret them and react to them. What matters is what you do now, not what happened or who is to blame or what you could have done differently.

The first part of The Law of the Customer says,

“Customers are both demanding and ruthless; they reward highly those companies that serve them best and allow those companies that serve them poorly to fail.”

{quotes right}Sam Walton once said, 'We all have the same boss, the customer,

and he can fire us any time he wants by deciding to buy somewhere

else.'

Customers care more about themselves and their satisfaction than they do about whether or not your business succeeds or fails. Why is it that some businesses succeed and some fail? Those that fail either were not able to or did not want to adjust their goods or services to satisfy enough customers to keep their business going and growing. Customers started telling their friends and family of their experiences and slowly the customers went elsewhere.

The second part of this law is:

"Customers always behave rationally in pursuing the path of least resistance to get the things they want."

Most buying behavior is aimed at achieving greater personal satisfaction and becoming better off in life. Customers these days are very smart and many do their research before making their purchases. Customers have the internet at their disposal and can research you and your competitor and see where they can get the best value for their money. In addition, as far as the consumer in concerned, they are always right.

As a business owner, when you hang up your shingle, you are putting yourself and your business at the mercy of your customers and making sure that they are happy every day. From the moment you open your doors, the customer determines what you will sell, how much of it you will sell, at what price you will sell it, and how much money you will make. It is only by catering to the customer’s whims and desires that you can survive and thrive in business. From the moment you open your doors, the customer determines what you will sell, how much of it you will sell, at what price you will sell it, and how much money you will make. It is only by catering to the customer’s whims and desires that you can survive and thrive in business.

The third part of the Law of the Customer says:

"Proper business planning always begins with the customer as the central focus of attention and discussion."

People in companies need to keep in touch with the feelings and needs of their customers. They need to look at things from the customer’s perspective and see what that reality is. Many tend to talk only among themselves and lose touch with the customer’s reality. If you are in business, and if what you do affects your customer, you should always ask yourself, “If the customer was sitting here listening to us, what would the customer be thinking? if what you do affects your customer, you should always ask yourself, “If the customer was sitting here listening to us, what would the customer be thinking?
What would the customer say? Would the customer approve or disapprove of what we’re planning to do?

By the way, the subject of the “customer” is very important. Some people within organizations have the mistaken idea that they have no customers because they don’t interact with the person who buys the product or service from the company. This can be a fatal mistake in thinking. It can sabotage your career without your even knowing it.

The truth is that everyone has at least one customer and many have a number of customers. You primary customer is the one who determines how much you are paid, how much you are worth and how quickly you will advance in your company.

By this definition, unless you are the owner yourself, your primary customer is your boss. How well you please your boss determines how far and how fast you move ahead. By this definition, unless you are the owner yourself, your primary customer is your boss. How well you please your boss determines how far and how fast you move ahead.
If you are a manager, and you have people working under you, your staff members are also your customers. How you treat them and satisfy them will determine how they satisfy your customers.

Everyone’s level of success in business is determined by how well they satisfy their most important customers. Everyone’s level of success in business is determined by how well they satisfy their most important customers.

How you can apply this law immediately:

1. Make a list of all your customers, both inside and outside of your business. Put down the names of your boss and coworkers, your outside customers and contacts, everyone with whom you deal, including your staff.

2. Make a plan today to increase your value to the most important of these people in some way. What results would you ideally like to achieve in your relationships with these customers? Resolve to do something every day to increase the level of satisfaction your key customers enjoy when dealing with you and your company.

By Brian Tracy - The 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws Of Business Success