In today’s business world, companies often define themselves by what they sell – books, food, insurance, consulting services. They invest in marketing campaigns, train sales teams, and build systems to sell these offerings.
However, a crucial question is often overlooked: What do your customers think and feel about what you offer?
Successful businesses and entrepreneurs who thrive know that redefining their business from the perspective of the customer is the key to growth because, in truth, your customer is your business. Without customers, products sit idle, and services go unutilized. Beyond that, customers demand more than just a product; they want experiences. To make a lasting impact, businesses need more than just a flashy catalogue.
Customers choose to spend their money where they feel understood, valued, and supported. When a customer feels overlooked or underserved, they’ll find someone else who delivers what they need. This presents a crucial question that any entrepreneur growing a business must ask themselves: how well do you understand your customer?
One good example of a company that asked this question and reaped the reward of answering it correctly is Netflix. The company started as a DVD rental service, a viable business model in the early days of the internet when consumers were transitioning from VHS tapes. Netflix could have stuck to its model, but instead, it listened to its customers’ growing desire for convenience. By shifting to video streaming, the firm didn’t just follow a tech trend—they solved a customer problem, making it easier for people to watch what they want when they want. This focus on customer needs transformed the company in the space of a few years into one of the most valuable tech firms in the world and a global household name.
Customer Service Week is a timely reminder that customer experience isn’t just a department; it is the entire business. Every interaction—whether face-to-face, over the phone, or online—is an opportunity to redefine how customers perceive your brand.
Another example is Amazon’s rise to dominance. It wasn’t just because of the extensive product catalogue the online store offered in its early years. The firm’s relentless focus on customer service—whether it’s one-click purchases, fast delivery, or seamless returns—laid the foundation for a loyal customer base. Amazon built systems around customer experience with offerings like Amazon Prime, ensuring their business was defined by the value they brought to the customer, not just the products they sold.
Thriving businesses and entrepreneurs learn early enough to move away from merely providing a service or selling a product, to building relationships with their customers. For business executives and owners, this means stepping out of the boardrooms and into the lives of their customers. How do they experience the service? How do they feel when they interact with the brand? Honest answers to these questions provide insights that inform business decisions.
While data provides a lot of information, nothing is more powerful than listening to active feedback from your diverse customer pool and transforming it into meaningful action.
I recently attended an Executive Program at Harvard Business School, where we explored strategies that define successful entrepreneurs and businesses. One discussion stood out for me: the real shift in business success happens when companies transition from selling products or services to offering experiences. Reflecting on this discussion, especially as we commemorate Customer Service Week, I see more clearly why it is no longer enough to push sales—successful businesses must put the customer at the centre of everything they do.
In a world where a single negative review can spread like wildfire, the question “What is your business?” is no longer a philosophical exercise but a practical necessity. If your customer service is an afterthought, it’s time to reconsider your strategy. Every business today is, fundamentally, in the business of people. The companies that will dominate the future are the ones that redefine success as customer satisfaction, loyalty, and trust.
This Customer Service Week, take a moment to reflect: Are you in the business of selling, or are you in the business of creating value for your customer? That distinction could mean the difference between surviving today and thriving tomorrow.
The time to act is now. Businesses that redefine themselves around their customers will be the ones that not only survive but dominate in the years to come. Take the steps today to protect what matters most—your customers. In doing so, you’ll protect the future of your business.
Monica Chege is the head of marketing at Jubilee Heath Insurance Monica.Chege@jubileekenya.com
