We opened a design center in the South of England last year as part of our strategy for being close to our customers and developing innovative products for exciting new markets.
I design for real people. I think of our customers all the time. There is no virtue whatsoever in creating clothing or accessories that are not practical.
This is what customers pay us for - to sweat all these details so it's easy and pleasant for them to use our computers. We're supposed to be really good at this. That doesn't mean we don't listen to customers but it's hard for them to tell you what they want when they've never seen anything remotely like it.
Brands must empower their community to be change agents in their own right. To that end they need to take on a mentoring role. This means the brand provides the tools techniques and strategies for their customers to become more effective marketers in achieving their own goals.
The creative destruction that social media is currently unleashing will change more than technology or the leader board of the Fortune 100. It is driving a qualitative shift in the nature of relationships between brands and their customers.
As Members of Congress we can now engage with our constituents via online innovations like the Huffington Post while a small business in rural Oregon can use the Internet to find customers around the world.
There are two ways to extend a business. Take inventory of what you're good at and extend out from your skills. Or determine what your customers need and work backward even if it requires learning new skills. Kindle is an example of working backward.
The jewelry business is a very very tough business - tougher than the computer business. You truly have to understand how to take care of your customers.
Business is not just doing deals business is having great products doing great engineering and providing tremendous service to customers. Finally business is a cobweb of human relationships.
Statistics suggest that when customers complain business owners and managers ought to get excited about it. The complaining customer represents a huge opportunity for more business.