We realized some time ago that setting our agenda by what the competition does would just make us followers. When you follow the competition, your future vision is nil. You only know what your immediate next step is, because your immediate next step is defined by what the competition has just pulled off.
By contrast, when you are customer-centric, you are concerned about what your CUSTOMER will need 1 year from now, 2 years from now, 5 years from now… and so on. That perspective REALLY expands your vision and allows you to pursue things looking more than just one step ahead. The now-classic example of the two alternative business methods is Apple vs. Microsoft. It was only about 20 years ago that Apple was weeks away from bankruptcy. Ironically, with the return of Steve Jobs, a friend of Bill Gates, Microsoft helped to finance Apple’s continuation. It was perhaps seen as throwing the dog a bone. Without Jobs, Apple had lost its rudder. However, in his absence, Steve had been a careful observer of what works in business and in life. He just KNEW with full passion that his return to Apple was a second chance to be in service to a world of full of prospective customers.
Then, as history revealed, Apple came out with one amazing product after the next from iPods, to MacBooks, iPhones, iPads, iTunes and more. We all watched as Apple found its legs, then ran right past Microsoft to become the world’s largest company. While Apple was creating inspired and inspirational products for the masses, Microsoft spun its wheels relentlessly focussed on trying to “win market-share”. It’s ironic that Microsoft became destined to lose, not gain market-share by making market-share their primary focus. Market-share is nothing more than a short-term win.
For example, have you ever heard of “Ben Franklin Retail Stores”? They used to be HUGE. They had huge market-share, before Wal-Mart came along with a customer-centric viewpoint. And now there’s Amazon who have amped up the volume on customer service by providing the world’s biggest store and next-day delivery all at the click of a mouse. Yet again, customer-centrism wins.
At Reaction Internet, we do not look longingly at what our competitors have. We don’t resent them. We don’t envy them. In fact, we don’t even think about them much except on occasion, to either admire their good work or to learn what not to do. We wish them well. Success is not a zero-sum game and we have plenty of opportunity to ply our trade and return home each day with the pride of accomplishing another day of customer satisfaction.