The Most Common Error in Business

I think the most common error in business is to think the focus of  business is to make money -- make a profit.

I don't have anything against making money. In fact, I hope my writing and workshops enrich, encourage and help you both personally and professionally. I just think the focus has to constantly be the customer: listening to customers; pleasing customers; helping customers; showing kindness and thoughtfulness with daily attitudes and actions. Customers who are delighted with our service/product and keep coming back (and tell others about our business) are the root of business success. Profitability is the fruit of business success.

Peter Drucker says it best, "there's only one valid definition of business purpose -- the creation of a customer." Jack Welch, former CEO of GE, says, "the only job security any of us have is a satisfied customer."

When the customer has become an interruption in our busy day we're headed for trouble. But when the customer is the focus of each employee's attention and devotion we're headed for success.