Treat Customers as People First for Your Business to Thrive
What You Need to Know:
Can a business survive without people? Certainly not. It is people who breathe life into businesses. People make businesses work. They are involved in both production and consumption. Among these people, the most critical group is the customers—the lifeblood of any business. Customers are the ones who buy what businesses produce and, without them, no business can survive.
The Role of People in Business Whether your business operates as C2C, B2C, or B2B, people are always involved—either as end consumers or intermediaries. Even in B2B scenarios, the interactions happen through people within those businesses. A business without people is nothing more than a fantasy.
Customers fuel businesses by purchasing their products or services. These transactions create profits and generate wealth for shareholders. For this reason, designing products and services with the human factor in mind is essential. Businesses must ask themselves: What problems are our products and services solving for people?
For example, insurance offers peace of mind by mitigating risk. Supermarkets address the challenge of convenience by providing a one-stop shop. Telecommunications companies connect people across the globe. Ultimately, businesses must aim to create better human experiences. Does the human element inspire your product and service design?
Meeting Customer Needs
Most business activities are aimed at meeting customer needs and expectations. When customers succeed, businesses succeed. Take, for example, a bank: how does it support its customers' financial well-being?
Human beings share universal traits that influence how they experience businesses. The Qualtrics XM Institute identifies six key traits that guide these experiences. Among them are simplicity and emotional connection.
Simplifying the Customer Experience
While humans are inherently complex, they crave simplicity. This is why businesses must simplify not only their product and service designs but also their daily interactions with customers. Are your processes causing frustration or pain? If so, how can you reduce that pain and create a more seamless experience?
Empathy in Business
Humans are also irrational, which means feelings matter. Businesses have a unique opportunity to demonstrate empathy—not only when things go well but also in moments of dissatisfaction. Empathy should be woven into every aspect of a business, from leadership and strategy to innovation and culture.
The Human Connection
As businesses, we must never forget that customers are people first. Everything we do—our leadership, strategies, processes, and innovations—must reflect this understanding. The human connection is what transforms businesses into thriving ecosystems.
So, as you interact with your customers every day, ask yourself: Are we truly putting people first?
About Dr. Lucy Kiruthu
Management Consultant and Trainer
Connect on X: @KiruthuLucy