Raise your hand if…you would say that instead of “putting the customer first,” your company actually puts the customer second or even third (behind such goals as chasing profits, serving internal interests and responding to the capricious whims of your executives.)

(SFX:  The sound of zero hands being raised)

Of course, every company in the known universe says “…oh, yes, we are definitely and proudly customer-centric.  Always have been!”  And I’m sure every company sincerely believes they are.

But let’s challenge the truth behind that belief.

Take the following three-question quiz and see if you have to honestly answer YES to any of the questions:

1) Are there a lot of rules and regulations in your customer contracts (fine print, legalese, clearly-spelled-out exceptions for things like “force majure“)?
Whose interests are being served by this tortured language?  Your legal department?  Finance?

Does your company have any clauses to ensure the customer always gets the best end of the bargain, even if it means the company has to take a hit?  (If so, I’m gonna stop blogging immediately, and run over there to sign up!)

2) Does your company measure “net promoter score” (NPS)?
NPS is based on a customer’s willingness to recommend your company, and many companies use this system to measure the overall loyalty of their customers.  Every company wants loyal customers, right?

But has any customer ever said, “I hope that after my transaction with this company, I’ll be willing to recommend them!”?  Companies want loyalty and recommendations.  Customers just want what they want, an interaction that benefits them in some way.

3) Does your company state proudly, “We want to have a relationship with our customers!”?
This is the one that really gets me.  A relationship.  Seriously?  Because I am not familiar with many/any customers who’ve ever said, “The one thing I’m hoping for is to have a deep, lifelong relationship with the companies I do business with.”

Now…customers do say, “I want to be treated with respect,” and, “I want this company to do what they said they were gonna do…at the exact price they originally quoted,” and even, “I love it when companies bend/break the rules in order to give me a better deal.”

But that’s not a relationship.  At best it’s a track record of successful transactions over a period of time.  Customers don’t want relationships.  Companies want relationships.  Customers just want what they want.

So, if you had to say YES to any of these questions, it’s time to reconsider the way you communicate your position on customer-centricity.

I’m definitely not saying all companies exist only for greed (…which, “for lack of a better word, is good.  Greed is right, greed works.  Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.” G. Gecko, Wall Street).

What I am saying is that there are very few big companies in the world that exist PRIMARILY to serve the needs and interests of their customers first.  And it’s OK if your company is not one of them.  As long as you aren’t claiming otherwise.

How about YOU?  Is your company truly customer-centric, or really more company-centric?