Example: Amazon
Amazon is considered a prime example of customer focus worldwide.
Founder Jeff Bezos has emphasized for years:
“We start with the customer and work backwards.”
This philosophy is reflected in numerous elements:
- User-friendly platform: Easy navigation, personalized recommendations, and a fast ordering process.
- Prime service: Fast delivery, streaming offers, and exclusive benefits.
- Customer-centric innovation: Features such as “1-Click ordering” or voice-controlled shopping with Alexa.
- Excellent customer service: Generous return policies and a hotline available around the clock.
Learning factor: Amazon shows how important it is to involve customers in product development and service design on an ongoing basis.
Example: dm – drugstore markt
dm has been one of the most popular retail companies in Germany for years.
The company combines economic success with a clear understanding of values and puts people – both employees and customers – at the center of everything it does.
Particularly noteworthy:
- Employee focus = customer focus: Well-trained, self-reliant employees lead to better customer experiences.
- Customer-friendly services: Longer opening hours, price stability, and many additional services such as photo booths and product testing.
- Genuine willingness to engage in dialogue: dm actively seeks dialogue with customers – via feedback systems, social media, or in stores.
Learning factor: Customer focus begins with valuing your own employees.
Example: IKEA
IKEA combines low prices with a holistic customer experience:
- Well-designed shopping experiences: children’s play areas, restaurants, clear signage.
- Systematic self-service: customers can do a lot themselves – with sufficient support from staff.
- Customer-focused product development: IKEA systematically collects feedback to improve its products.
Learning factor: Customer focus also means designing a holistic customer experience – from the parking lot to the returns counter.
Example: Apple
Apple focuses on a strong brand experience and customer loyalty through design, service, and innovation:
- Intuitive products: User-friendliness is a top priority for hardware and software.
- Genius Bar in stores: Personal, expert support in stores.
- Ecosystem strategy: Devices, software, and services work together seamlessly to make customers’ everyday lives easier.
Learning factor: Customer focus is not just about service—it's about a consistent, positive brand experience.
Conclusion: Customer focus is no coincidence
What all of the companies mentioned have in common is a consistent focus on the needs, wishes, and perspectives of their customers.
They invest in processes, technologies, and a corporate culture that puts people at the center.
The result: long-term customer loyalty, high satisfaction, and sustainable business success.
Companies that want to learn how to achieve customer focus should not only pay attention to short-term customer satisfaction, but also create a holistic system—from mindset to customer contact.
More about Customer Orientation
- Customer Centricity: The path to sustainable business success
- Customer orientation: Importance and paths to success
- 8 Success factors of customer orientation
- 6 Methods of customer orientation
- Customer orientation in marketing: The success factor for long-term growth
- Customer centricity: Strategies and actions
- Customer focus vs. service focus: Two sides of the same coin?
- Agility in the context of customer centricity: How agile companies are closer to their customers
