Control over the senses—the feedback from people—is the root of a business’s welfare. The company should formulate its policies according to the feedback it receives from the people, with proper modification. The way to do this is through humility. Humility is the root of the control of senses of a company. When company authorities deal with people with humility, they get proper and right responses.
Consider the case of Starbucks. When Howard Schultz returned as CEO in 2008, he initiated a series of customer-centric reforms. Starbucks launched My Starbucks Idea, a platform where customers could submit and vote on ideas. This humble approach to customer feedback resulted in numerous improvements, from free Wi-Fi to new product offerings. Starbucks’s willingness to listen and adapt to customer feedback, rooted in humility, helped restore its growth and brand loyalty.
On the other hand, look at Blackberry. Once a pioneer in the smartphone industry, Blackberry’s leadership failed to listen to customer feedback about evolving preferences for touchscreens and app ecosystems. Their overconfidence in their existing product design and security features led them to dismiss valuable feedback. As a result, they lost market share rapidly to competitors like Apple and Android. This lack of humility and responsiveness to feedback contributed significantly to their decline.
These examples highlight how humility in handling feedback can either propel a company to new heights or lead to its downfall. Engaging with customers respectfully and genuinely can yield valuable insights, fostering innovation and loyalty.
Reflecting on these stories, how can businesses today better incorporate humility into their feedback processes? Can you think of other companies that have succeeded or failed based on their approach to customer feedback? Share your thoughts and let’s discuss how humility and responsiveness can shape a company’s future.