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If I had a business, of course I would only care about my customer's money. I freely admit I wouldn't care about my customers personally at all (as long my prac

If I had a business, of course I would only care about my customer's money. I freely admit I wouldn't care about my customers personally at all (as long my practices didn't oppose my morals, like mugging customers as they came in the door or something). I don't think there is anything wrong with that, because what makes money in the long-term is making my customers happy. I wouldn't care about my customers, but that doesn't matter because my customers would still be treated about the same as if I did (in an attempt to get them to buy more from me or tell their friends about me). Of course, telling my customers this unpleasant truth might scare them away, so I would probably pretend to value my customers to their face. But I'm not a businessperson. Maybe sincerely caring about your customers is the way to success. I wouldn't know.

MikeMacMan 17y ago
I personally would find it hard to get motivated to build a product for money alone. At the very least, I need to be passionate about the problem that my software is solving, and ideally I want to like, respect, and identify with my customers. I'm as greedy as the next guy, but my desire to make a lot of money alone can't sustain the kind of effort needed to launch and nurture a startup.
madair 17y ago
The article seems to focus on the claim of caring, versus actually caring. The success-implications of caring is a lot more complicated. Obviously something inconsiderate can be very financially successful, but then the customers invent the guillotine, cutting short a winning streak. The lassez faire capitalists like to say that's letting the market decide. But I like to think that it is the brilliant but illiterate & poverty stricken ethicists who do the deciding at that point, although with heavy potential for a reign of terror. And it can get pretty messy.

MikeMacMan 17y ago

I personally would find it hard to get motivated to build a product for money alone. At the very least, I need to be passionate about the problem that my software is solving, and ideally I want to like, respect, and identify with my customers. I'm as greedy as the next guy, but my desire to make a lot of money alone can't sustain the kind of effort needed to launch and nurture a startup.

madair 17y ago

The article seems to focus on the claim of caring, versus actually caring. The success-implications of caring is a lot more complicated. Obviously something inconsiderate can be very financially successful, but then the customers invent the guillotine, cutting short a winning streak. The lassez faire capitalists like to say that's letting the market decide. But I like to think that it is the brilliant but illiterate & poverty stricken ethicists who do the deciding at that point, although with heavy potential for a reign of terror. And it can get pretty messy.