The strategy conversation you can only have here
The customer is not always right.
If we listened to all customers and they were all correct all the time then what we had to offer would be watered down to the lowest common denominator and would be worthless.
The other aspect of customer relationships that we sometimes get wrong is working for people who haven't yet paid.
Customers by definition only become customers once they have agreed to exchange money for what we have to offer.
Letters of intent don't pay the rent (thanks David McWilliam 1999).
People and companies who threaten to be customers by making promises which they do not follow through on, do not deserve to be treated as customers.
The same goes for those who were once customers but stopped paying.
These are two cases where listening to customers doesn't work.
Save your uniqueness for the customers who appreciate it.
If you are running around hoping that your customers one day miraculously turn into well paying and supportive advocates for your work, something which has not happened to date, then you are possibly in an abusive relationship.
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