Customer Obsession in IT

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What is Customer Obsession? Why do I care about it? Why should you care about it?  When I worked for Amazon Web Services, we had these awesome leadership principles. The first one was Customer Obsession.

As per the Amazon definition: "Leaders start with the customer and work backwards. They work vigorously to earn and keep customer trust. Although leaders pay attention to competitors, they obsess over customers. " 

 I work in the information tech world and I see that many in the industry have forgotten (or simply don't care) about the customer. It is very troubling as the customer is why we are here and why we do what we do. If people do not trust a vendor or its products --they have choices, they will leave. 

 I hear so many times of a fear of vendor lock in and I say who cares --I mean our cars are not opensource home built machines,  we drive Fords, BMWs, Teslas, and etc. With the exception of gas and tires --we are pretty much locked in! 

 So, why doesn't this "vendor lock in" bother us? Because we love our cars! Why? Because Tesla or whomever --made a car we love!

 Same thing needs to happen in IT --build products and services that your consumers love (or will love). 

 How? Start with Customer Obsession --ask the customer (user) what they want, ask them how they want it to work. Listen to their complaints and don't think how to combat them with "that's how it works" --ask youself, can this work better. 

 Remember Steve Jobs was a Unicorn (he knew what customers wanted before they asked)! 

 For the rest of us (non Steve Jobs types), listen to your customers, followup with your customers (don't assume), and don't tell them what they want! 

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