Don't be so focused on customer needs that you ignore the competition

Every now and then, I hear some asshat say that they are not concerned about their competition, and intend to only focus on satisfying their customer’s needs.

I think this is incredibly stupid and naive. After all, your customers are not married to you. They did not make a vow of till death do us part. People, on the other hand, DO make this vow, yet still 50% of marriages fall apart.

If anything you are just dating your customers, maybe they’d even call you their girl/boyfriend. But they are always on the look out for something better.

Sticking your head in the sand and pretending the competition does not exist is flat-out dumb.