The best way to achieve and sustain business results

Who do you put first in your business: Your people or customers? Your response will most likely determine your long-term business success.

A few months ago, Idaho Business Review honored 17 leaders with its 2024 CEO of Influence award. For only the second time since the awards program began in 2011, IBR presented a former CEO of Influence honoree with its Link of Distinction award for influencing positive change in conducting business in Idaho and inspiring the next generation of leaders.

This year, that person was Chris Taylor, CEO of Fisher’s Technology . Beyond Taylor’s appreciation for and recognition of his team, his comments in IBR’s May 24 print edition were notable.

During a call with Taylor a few weeks after the award ceremony, he told me, “My job is to obsess over my team so they can obsess over our customers.” He added, “I’ve learned that when I put my people first, they, in turn, put our customers first. In doing so, our team can focus on our mission to make our customers extremely happy with their office technology.”

As simple as his leadership approach may sound, it is surprisingly uncommon. The best-performing companies seem to understand and apply what Taylor is doing, but most others fail to do so consistently, especially as they grow.

Here are some past and present examples from various industries that reinforce an important concept that should be more common in business today.

Three decades ago, the Harvard Business Review (HBR) published an article titled “Putting the Service-Profit Chain to Work.” In 1997, the authors wrote more extensively on the topic in their book, “The Service Profit Chain: How Leading Companies Link Profit and Growth to Loyalty, Satisfaction, and Value.”

In their foundational and original 1994 HBR article, the authors shared their findings after studying Southwest Airlines, ServiceMaster and other outstanding service companies to learn how they created value and why they succeeded. Based on their analyses, they developed the service-profit chain, a comprehensive system of links or relationships known to drive company profits and revenue growth. They found that value creation begins with internal service quality for employees and ends with customer loyalty as the primary driver of profitability and growth. Further, they noted that leaders within these companies prioritized service to employees, listening to, recognizing and enabling them to deliver exceptional service and create value for their customers.

In 2013, Paul Spiegelman and Britt Berrett wrote about a similar concept in their provocatively titled book, “Patients Come Second: Leading Change by Changing the Way You Lead.” The authors argued that the best way for health care organizations to deliver an exceptional patient experience is to invest in their employees and for leaders to prioritize employee engagement. Further, they proposed that when you take care of your employees, they will care for your customers (patients).

Today, The Home Depot, offers yet another related example to study. Their website includes an inverted pyramid graphic with a simple premise from their founders that starts with putting customers and associates first. Further, a video of co-founder, Bernie Marcus, offers the following closing message: “Take care of the associates. They will take care of the customers. And everything else takes care of itself.” Notice what comes first in Bernie’s message and the similarities to the previous examples. Consider this the leadership lens, which focuses the leader’s role on putting employees first, in service and support to the customer.

To see The Home Depot’s philosophy in action, visit any of its stores, and one of its associates will greet you and ask how they can help you find what you need. You will also often notice the words

“I put customers FIRST” listed below their name and toward the top center of their iconic orange apron. Consider this the business lens, which, as Taylor also noted about his company’s mission, focuses on the customer and puts them first and foremost as the organization’s top priority.

Pause for a moment to consider your preferred store, real estate group, law firm, bank, health care provider or office technology partner. Why do you choose them over their competitors? Is it their cost, quality, service or a combination of the three? Come to think of it, why do your customers choose you?

In summary, customer-centric organizations look outward, putting the customer first and at the center of their decisions. These organizations are filled with employees obsessed with designing products and services that meet customers’ needs and exceed their expectations.

Customer-centric organizations led by employee-focused leadership teams look outward but focus inward. They set the company’s direction to serve customers’ needs and then focus on caring for their people, putting them first.

If you haven’t yet done so, identify and invest in what drives customer loyalty and, ultimately, profitability and growth in your business. As you’ll soon find or be reminded, it all starts with your people. Be the leader they need and put them first so they can serve and put your customers first. As we’ve learned from Taylor and several others, it’s the best way to achieve and sustain business results.

Ben Quintana is a leadership adviser, professional speaker and award-winning educator. He teaches MBA courses in leadership, business communication and strategic human resources at Boise State University, where he received the 2024 Adjunct Faculty Member of the Year Award. He can be reached at

ben@benquintana.com.

Copyright © 2024 BridgeTower Media. All Rights Reserved.

For top headlines, breaking news and more, visit idahobusinessreview.com or sign up for our newsletter .