Customers are always important

Money CNN on small businesses and optimism.

 

I pretty much hit the roof when I read the final 5 words of the article: "Customers are so important now."

 

I'm sorry, when are customers not important?

 

I started this blog a while ago.  And even then I was saying

No customers = No company

 

If you don't have customers, you don't have a business, you're running a hobby.

 

Don't mistake someone who gives you money for services as a real customer. 

 

While it might look, and feel like a real transaction, there are those users that end up sucking a lot of time/energy/resources in making them happy.  It would have always been better to not take their transaction.

 

The key element is recognizing them, before they start costing your company real resources.

 

But a real customer, that is vital to your business, and vital to your success.  A transaction that lets your business survive another day, and progress along the path to success.  A transaction that helps your business grow, not shrink, not become distracted.  But real advancement.

 

Don't mistake activity for advancement.

Don't mistake monetary transaction for real commerce.

 

It's hard.  It is supposed to be hard.

 

But never forget your customers.

They are the ones who decided if you deserve to exist.