--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At IBM everybody sells! Every employee…" description: "\"At IBM everybody sells! Every employee has been trained to think that the customer comes first - everybody from the CEO, to the people in finance, to t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/buck-rodgers-30120_ceo_at-ibm-everybody-sells-every-employee-ha_2221184.jpg" --- # At IBM everybody sells! Every employee has been trained to… ![“At IBM everybody sells! Every employee has been trained to think that the customer comes first - everybody from the CEO, to the people in finance, to the receptionists, to those who work in manufacturing.” quote by Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/buck-rodgers-30120_ceo_at-ibm-everybody-sells-every-employee-ha_2221184.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/buck-rodgers-30120_ceo_at-ibm-everybody-sells-every-employee-ha_2221184.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/buck-rodgers-30120_ceo_at-ibm-everybody-sells-every-employee-ha_2221184.jpg) > “At IBM everybody sells! Every employee has been trained to think that the customer comes first - everybody from the CEO, to the people in finance, to the receptionists, to those who work in manufacturing.” [Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote emphasizes that IBM ingrains a customer‑first mindset across all levels, from leadership to support staff. **In simple terms:** IBM trains everyone to prioritize customers. Key Takeaway Adopt a customer‑centric approach in all roles. Themes customer focus corporate culture training leadership service Mood professional motivational Type business leadership When to use this quote - sales meetings - customer service training - product development - marketing strategy Key Concepts customer obsession organizational behavior brand promise Questions to Reflect On - How does a universal customer‑first mindset affect employee satisfaction? - What balance is needed between customer focus and internal priorities? A Different Perspective May overlook employee well‑being or internal processes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ceo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceo/) [Comes Everybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comes-everybody-2747929/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Customer Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer-comes-3432682/) [Customers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customers/) [Employee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employee/) [Everybody Sells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everybody-sells-3068688/) [Finance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finance/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Ibm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ibm/) [Manufacturing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manufacturing/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Receptionists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/receptionists/) [Sells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sells/) [Sells Employee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sells-employee-4957668/) [Think Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-customer-458477/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [“EVERYBODY SELLS Nerds might wish that distribution could be ignored and salesmen banished to another planet. All of us want to believe that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/everybody-sells-nerds-might-wish-that-distribution-could-be-ignored/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“Here Comes Everybody.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/here-comes-everybody/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [I learned from my first restaurant: Make customers happy, make sure the customer comes back again. And automatically, success has followed me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nobu-matsuhisa/i-learned-from-my-first-restaurant-make-customers-happy-make-sure-the/) [Nobu Matsuhisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nobu-matsuhisa/) > [The average customer comes into McDonald's three to four times a month, and I'm absolutely convinced that can fit in very comfortably into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-easterbrook/the-average-customer-comes-into-mcdonald-s-three-to-four-times-a/) [Steve Easterbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-easterbrook/) > [Any time a customer comes into contact with any aspect of a business, however remote, is an opportunity to form an impression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-carlzon/any-time-a-customer-comes-into-contact-with-any-aspect-of-a-business/) [Jan Carlzon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-carlzon/) > [“The store customer, who comes home with a package under his arm has learned nothing, except that a ten dollar bill is a source…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-nearing/the-store-customer-who-comes-home-with-a-package-under-his-arm-has/) [Helen Nearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-nearing/) > [The most important adage and the only adage is, the customer comes first, whatever the business, the customer comes first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-stokes/the-most-important-adage-and-the-only-adage-is-the-customer-comes/) [Kerry Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-stokes/) > [Even in the face of massive competition, don't think about the competition. Just think about the customer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccue/even-in-the-face-of-massive-competition-don-t-think-about-the-2/) [Mike McCue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccue/) > [The awkward moment when you think a customer is a salesperson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-awkward-moment-when-you-think-a-customer-is-a-salesperson/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If what we're really trying to do is stop the spread of HIV, we need to think about the customer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-lockwood/if-what-we-re-really-trying-to-do-is-stop-the-spread-of-hiv-we-need/) [Amy Lockwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-lockwood/) > [“Harvard economist Theodore Levitt was the first authority to write about what he called the total product.2 A total product has four dimensions that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-haaff/harvard-economist-theodore-levitt-was-the-first-authority-to-write/) [Brian de Haaff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-haaff/) > [Before you can pick a social-media strategy, you have to think of your customer and what the value proposition is for them. Social media…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-roth/before-you-can-pick-a-social-media-strategy-you-have-to-think-of-your/) [Carol Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-roth/) > [I think of customer service as an offense and not a defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-think-of-customer-service-as-an-offense-and-not-a-defense/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [Even in the face of massive competition, don't think about the competition. Literally don't think about them. Every time you're in a meeting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccue/even-in-the-face-of-massive-competition-don-t-think-about-the/) [Mike McCue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccue/) > [It's important to think of every customer as an online celebrity with followers, friends, & above all influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-kerpen/it-s-important-to-think-of-every-customer-as-an-online-celebrity-with/) [Dave Kerpen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-kerpen/) ## More by Buck Rodgers > [Good people need room to develop. They have to find their own voice . . . each IBMer is a businessperson working within the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-rodgers/good-people-need-room-to-develop-they-have-to-find-their-own-voice/) [Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) > [. . . top management should spend 40 to 50 percent of its time educating and motivating its people . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-rodgers/top-management-should-spend-40-to-50-percent-of-its-time-educating/) [Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) > [While every body wants it, most don't want to give it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-rodgers/while-every-body-wants-it-most-don-t-want-to-give-it/) [Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) > [. . . the world is filled with the kind of customers who deserve the care and attention I advocate, and I'd be willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-rodgers/the-world-is-filled-with-the-kind-of-customers-who-deserve-the-care/) [Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) > [There are countless ways of attaining greatness, but any road to reaching one's maximum potential must be built on a bedrock of respect for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-rodgers/there-are-countless-ways-of-attaining-greatness-but-any-road-to/) [Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) > [First, there is the law. It must be obeyed. But the law is the minimum. You must act ethically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-rodgers/first-there-is-the-law-it-must-be-obeyed-but-the-law-is-the-minimum/) [Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) > [We depend on you to do the right thing; right for both you and the company. It is no exaggeration to say that IBM's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-rodgers/we-depend-on-you-to-do-the-right-thing-right-for-both-you-and-the/) [Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) > [You can't talk about leadership without talking about responsibility and accountability...you can't separate the two. A leader must delegate responsibility and provide the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-rodgers/you-can-t-talk-about-leadership-without-talking-about-responsibility/) [Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) > [A real leader has the ability to motivate others to their highest level of achievement; then gives them the opportunity and the freedom to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-rodgers/a-real-leader-has-the-ability-to-motivate-others-to-their-highest/) [Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) > [Don't make misrepresentations to anyone you deal with. If you believe the other person may have misunderstood you, correct any misunderstanding you find exists.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-rodgers/don-t-make-misrepresentations-to-anyone-you-deal-with-if-you-believe/) [Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) > [IBM doesn't want its people to get frustrated and restless because it has them reaching for carrots they can't quit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-rodgers/ibm-doesn-t-want-its-people-to-get-frustrated-and-restless-because-it/) [Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) > [There are countless ways of achieving greatness, but any road to achieving one's maximum potential must be built on a bedrock of respect for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-rodgers/there-are-countless-ways-of-achieving-greatness-but-any-road-to/) [Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) > [Leadership is the ability of a single individual through his or her actions to motivate others to higher levels of achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-rodgers/leadership-is-the-ability-of-a-single-individual-through-his-or-her/) [Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) > [The ultimate compliment a customer can make to an organization about one of its marketing people is: "I'm not sure whether your sales rep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-rodgers/the-ultimate-compliment-a-customer-can-make-to-an-organization-about/) [Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) > [People buy products for what they can do, not for what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-rodgers/people-buy-products-for-what-they-can-do-not-for-what-they-are/) [Buck Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) [Explore all 17 Buck Rodgers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-rodgers/) ## More Ceo quotes > [When you're young and you have money, you become the CEO, automatically, of life, of your family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-haim/when-you-re-young-and-you-have-money-you-become-the-ceo-automatically/) [Corey Haim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-haim/) > [I took on the role of CEO, which involves directing the Management Team and overall day-to-day operations of 500.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-tsai/i-took-on-the-role-of-ceo-which-involves-directing-the-management/) [Christine Tsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-tsai/) > [I learned a lesson that I don't ever want to be a CEO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilcox/i-learned-a-lesson-that-i-don-t-ever-want-to-be-a-ceo/) [Larry Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilcox/) > [Strategy is not a solo sport, even if you're the CEO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-mckeown/strategy-is-not-a-solo-sport-even-if-you-re-the-ceo/) [Max McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-mckeown/) > [For any CEO that is skeptical at all: you have to create a social enterprise today!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-ahrendts/for-any-ceo-that-is-skeptical-at-all-you-have-to-create-a-social/) [Angela Ahrendts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-ahrendts/) > [I draw the line at some things. Some things I won't do for any amount of money. Like for instance, there's a couple of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-draw-the-line-at-some-things-some-things-i-won-t-do-for-any-amount/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [I want to share that I had and still do, and a great relationship with Angela Ahrendts. She was the CEO of Burberry. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-e-glaser/i-want-to-share-that-i-had-and-still-do-and-a-great-relationship-with/) [Judith E. Glaser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-e-glaser/) > [If the CEO is not going to give you a fair chance, you're probably not going to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/if-the-ceo-is-not-going-to-give-you-a-fair-chance-you-re-probably-not/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-have-always-said-if-there-ever-came-a-day-when-i-could-no-longer/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Governor Romney may be running for CEO, I'm running for President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/governor-romney-may-be-running-for-ceo-i-m-running-for-president/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [Culture is what happens when the CEO isn't in the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collison/culture-is-what-happens-when-the-ceo-isn-t-in-the-room/) [John Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collison/) > [Political journalists love graduate student intelligence, the ability to make clever allusions in seminars, and in 1999-2000 they hassled George W. Bush for not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/political-journalists-love-graduate-student-intelligence-the-ability/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [The deck is still stacked in favor of those already at the top. And there's something wrong with that. There's something wrong when CEOs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-deck-is-still-stacked-in-favor-of-those-already-at-the-top-and/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [While they're in WWE, we absolutely have a health and wellness policy. I'll probably always say 'we,' even though I've resigned as the CEO.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-mcmahon/while-they-re-in-wwe-we-absolutely-have-a-health-and-wellness-policy/) [Linda McMahon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-mcmahon/) > [It doesn't make much sense and it's nil premium. They're going to have co-CEOs...which is a very uncomfortable structure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/it-doesn-t-make-much-sense-and-it-s-nil-premium-they-re-going-to-have/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) [Browse all 668 Ceo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceo/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "At IBM everybody sells! 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