I love your product...but I hate you!

It's a pretty bold statement.  Not very many people would actually say it to your face, but loads of people are probably saying it with their actions.

It comes down to customer service.  There's lots of literature out there on offering supreme customer service.  Following the stories of company's like Zappo's, or even in my discussion on Starbucks...these companies have an excellent product, but at the end of the day, people come back because the product is SERVED to them in a timely, courteous and engaging manner.  It is called...customer service!

Think about it like this:

Are you more likely to be loyal to a Pay-at-the-Pump gas station or your barber?  Setting aside promotions, price and loyalty cards...the gas station is a steady commodity business.  You go to the one on the corner because it's close or the one with the lowest price...all of those factors are completely unrelated to the silhouette you can see through the glass while you fill your gas tank.  On the other hand, your barber knows you and your hair.  There is a relationship.  The only thing is, that unlike that gas station (that you always go to because its close and unless it burns to the ground...it's your place!), the barber could lose you as a customer.  A few bad haircuts, some racial slurs or recurring body odor...your faithfulness to said barber can at times be quite volatile.

This is where TRUE customer service comes into play.  Old Tony can't change the fact that he smells or that he's never heard of the internet, but as long as he delivers the goods (a rocking haircut) and keeps me in a good place through conversation and compliments.

The simple fact is that product is king...but customer service is queen, and it almost goes without saying that if the Queen ain't there, the King ain't happy.  Your customers will like your for your product, love you for your customer service and ultimately remain a customer because of both.

So when your sitting in a product development meeting, the first question that should be asked is not about how to add additional functions, features or add-ons, but rather: What does the customer want and how can we execute on it?

Customers come for product but stay for customer service.