If the customer comes first, where does that leave employees?

Ranking your important audiences is a dangerous game to play, whoever comes in second is bound to get pissed

How many companies “put the customer first”?

It’s probably the most generic corporate philosophy out there. And, in many ways, it makes sense. Without customers, most organizations would cease to exist. So they damn well better put their customers first.

That said, I’ve never agreed with the concept. I just think it’s dangerous to start ranking and prioritizing your different audiences or stakeholders. It’s sort of like a parent favoring one child over another.

If customers are always first, who’s second? Do employees come before shareholders? Where do your distributors fit in? Outside contractors? What about the board of directors, or your lobbyists and legislators? If you’re putting one group first, that must mean you’re putting another group last.