Devoted to Managers and those that seek to improve their management skills

"Your customers will tell you when you're wrong"

There's been increasing pressure over the years to adhere to a lot of outside interests that really have nothing to do with business. Another thing that this does is take the focus off of our customers and onto other issues that aren't what business is made for.

Walton always knew what it was that made Wal-Mart (WMT), and he refused to take his focus off of it. That outraged a lot of people that didn't like the company.

In spite of all the rhetoric, and in many cases outright lies, Walton kept his focus on the customers of the business, and they rewarded him and the store with the vote of their dollars.

I think we're in crucial times in business where people are pressuring them as if they're some type of political entity (which they shouldn't be) - it's not what they're good at.

We need to suck it in a lot more in my opinion and go back to focusing on our customers and how to serve them best. That's the purpose of business.

 And when the demogogues and ranters that try to attack your company start their campaigns against us, like they've done with Wal-Mart, the key thing we must do is not try to please them, but look to see what our customers are telling us. The voice of our customers, when it comes down to it, is their dollars. What are they voting through their actions? That's the bottom line. That's the real story being written and spoken.

If their actions back up your initiatives, than they've spoken their thoughts toward you. They're not necessarily listening to those that are simply ranting. After a while the ranters pretty much expose themselves and their private agendas, like they have in their attacks on Wal-Mart.

We really must resist overreacting to the endless pressures that mount toward any successful business. At the end of the day, we're in business to serve our customers, and nothing else. To get off of track onto other issues is to open ourselves up to real failure as we chase after everyone else's endless interests.

We're not in business to serve special interests, we're in business to serve our customers. Be careful never to forget that.

Other Sam Walton Sources:

Sam Walton

Sam Walton: 10 Rules for Building a Successful Business

Sam Walton - Retail Success Story

Sam Walton and Wal-Mart

How Wal-Mart Got Started

Sam Walton: King Of The Discounters

Sam Walton: Great From the Start

Is Wal-Mart Too Powerful?

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