People, whether they are employees or customers, are the core of every company worldwide. Companies are created by people and for people, and they cannot survive without either of these two groups. In this essay, I will discuss whether companies should prioritize employees over customers or put customers first.
Advocates of putting employees first argue that happy employees can lead to happy customers. Traditionally, customer satisfaction has been the main goal of companies, but recently, they have started to understand that it is impossible to achieve customer satisfaction without the help of their employees. As a result, companies have begun to focus on the well-being of their workforce. For example, many companies now provide facilities like daycare centers, gyms, and sports centers within their office premises. Some organizations also host events for employees such as award functions and health checkups to show their employees that they are valued.
On the other hand, supporters of putting customers first argue that customers are the lifeblood of the business. The relationship between an organization and a customer is important. The extent to which customers are willing to spend depends on how well they are treated. Therefore, companies today are putting in great efforts to achieve customer satisfaction. They are spending a lot of time and energy finding out what is important to customers. We can say that customers will always be important to a company because, without happy customers, any company can face failure.
I believe that the happiness of both employees and customers needs to be balanced. Both groups need to be heard and respected to create a win-win situation. This question is like asking “Heart first or lungs first?” You cannot live if either of them stops working. Organizations need to realize that their customers will only be happy if the people serving their customers are happy. Employees are the key touchpoints to understanding the customer better, so an organization can develop and deliver products and services that meet customers’ needs and expectations.
In conclusion, I would like to mention that although the customer has always been the king of a company, in today’s competitive market, organizations need to consider their employees’ happiness simultaneously. If approached as mutually exclusive efforts, they are doomed to lose both.