“It’s not enough that we win; all others must lose.” – Larry Ellison
Heard this one yesterday. I’m all in for competition, but business isn’t about war (at some point I used to think like Genghis Khan too). It isn’t about beating competitors just for the heck of it. I find this focus on competing to beat competitors ridiculous.
The focus SHOULD be on the customer winning.
Google Chrome helped internet users win
Google Chrome just became the most used browser on the planet. And there are many reasons why Chrome has become the preferred browser. But, was Google aiming to kill Internet Explorer and Firefox when they started rethinking the browser? Nope. They were aiming for internet users to win. They thought about how we, internet users, should have a better, faster and safer browsing experience.
Here are three ways to help customers win:
- Be impatient for customers. Continuing with the Google Chrome example, Google grew impatient for its users (pretty much everyone on the planet) browsing experience. They didn’t think Microsoft of Mozilla had their interest aligned with internet users and decided they had to do something about it.
- Let them know you have their best interests in mind. When Google launched Google Chrome, it let users know WHY they created a browsers. Of course, there was a strategic interest. But if Google Chrome hadn’t transcended the browser experience for, it would’ve been a major disappointment for Google and its users.
- Care about the ecosystem. With Google Chrome, Google advanced the rate of innovation in the browsing experience. It forced Microsoft, Mozilla, Opera and Apple to react. This works for the better of everyone. Competition breeds innovation.
If your product or service helps customers/clients win, you win.
