---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many companies talk about customer…"
description: "\"Many companies talk about customer success, but how many actually put the customer first above all else, always?\" — Clara Shih"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/clara-shih-16281_always_many-companies-talk-about-customer-succe_579028.jpg"
---

#  Many companies talk about customer success, but how many…

![“Many companies talk about customer success, but how many actually put the customer first above all else, always?” quote by Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/clara-shih-16281_always_many-companies-talk-about-customer-succe_579028.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/clara-shih-16281_always_many-companies-talk-about-customer-succe_579028.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/clara-shih-16281_always_many-companies-talk-about-customer-succe_579028.jpg)

> “Many companies talk about customer success, but how many actually put the customer first above all else, always?”

[Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Companies claim customer success but rarely prioritize customers above all.

**In simple terms:** Many firms talk but don’t act on customer focus.

Key Takeaway

Put customers truly first.

Themes

customer service leadership culture

Mood

inspirational reflective

Type

business motivational

When to use this quote

- product design
- service training
- feedback loops

Key Concepts

customer centricity accountability trust

Questions to Reflect On

- How can firms measure genuine customer focus?
- What incentives drive true customer centricity?

A Different Perspective

Changing deep corporate habits is tough.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Actually Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually-customer-4763588/) [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Companies Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/companies-talk-596974/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Customer success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer-success/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-actually-554461/) [Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk/) [Talk Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-customer-4763587/)

## Related quotes

> [If you want to retain your identity and culture, we're a really great mothership. If you want to sell out... there are definitely other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-kotick/if-you-want-to-retain-your-identity-and-culture-we-re-a-really-great/)

[Bobby Kotick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-kotick/)

> [I really am genuinely happy for guys that get paid and have success when they actually work their tails off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/i-really-am-genuinely-happy-for-guys-that-get-paid-and-have-success/)

[Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/)

> [“the overall result was clear—happiness doesn’t just flow from success; it actually causes it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-overall-result-was-clear-happiness-doesn-t-just-flow-from-success/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Most of us are afraid of our success, that we will actually be great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-fishburne/most-of-us-are-afraid-of-our-success-that-we-will-actually-be-great/)

[Laurence Fishburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-fishburne/)

> [My concept of successful living is escaping the matrix, as we've talked about. It has very little to do with what people think success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/my-concept-of-successful-living-is-escaping-the-matrix-as-we-ve/)

[Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/)

> [Success is not an accident, success is actually a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-curry/success-is-not-an-accident-success-is-actually-a-choice/)

[Stephen Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-curry/)

> [“Success actually requires more than virtuosity. It calls for perseverance, marketing, attention to detail, and more than a little luck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-turkel/success-actually-requires-more-than-virtuosity-it-calls-for/)

[Bruce Turkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-turkel/)

> [Happiness doesn't just flow from success; it actually causes it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wiseman/happiness-doesn-t-just-flow-from-success-it-actually-causes-it/)

[Richard Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wiseman/)

> [It's so funny looking back, but my so-called overnight success actually took 15 years. I remember when I didn't have any money, and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-angel/it-s-so-funny-looking-back-but-my-so-called-overnight-success/)

[Criss Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-angel/)

> [Success is actually a short race-a sprint fueled by discipline just long enough for habit to kick in and take over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/success-is-actually-a-short-race-a-sprint-fueled-by-discipline-just/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Tony stood up and began pacing the room. “Jack,” he confessed, “my life that I defined as a success is actually a total shambles,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young-2/tony-stood-up-and-began-pacing-the-room-jack-he-confessed-my-life/)

[William P Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young-2/)

> [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/)

> [Company's vision must be driven by the aspirations of its customers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konosuke-matsushita/company-s-vision-must-be-driven-by-the-aspirations-of-its-customers/)

[Konosuke Matsushita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konosuke-matsushita/)

> [If you work just for money, you'll never make it, but if you love what you're doing and you always put the customer first,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/if-you-work-just-for-money-you-ll-never-make-it-but-if-you-love-what/)

[Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/)

> [The job can't be finished only improved to please the customer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/the-job-can-t-be-finished-only-improved-to-please-the-customer/)

[W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/)

## More by Clara Shih

> [My high school, the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, showed me that anything is possible and that you're never too young to think big.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/my-high-school-the-illinois-mathematics-and-science-academy-showed-me/)

[Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/)

> [Social media provides the modern-day version of mystery shopping and walking the halls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/social-media-provides-the-modern-day-version-of-mystery-shopping-and/)

[Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/)

> [With new technologies promising endless conveniences also comes new vulnerabilities in terms of privacy and security. And nobody is immune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/with-new-technologies-promising-endless-conveniences-also-comes-new/)

[Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/)

> [Looking back at my first job, even when I was asked to do something seemingly menial, unglamorous, or very difficult, I always went all-in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/looking-back-at-my-first-job-even-when-i-was-asked-to-do-something/)

[Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/)

> [Only in high school when I began programming computers, did I become interested in tech and start-ups, which led me to attend Stanford and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/only-in-high-school-when-i-began-programming-computers-did-i-become/)

[Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/)

> [I believe that rather than it being a case of humans versus machines, the future of financial advice more likely lies somewhere in between,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/i-believe-that-rather-than-it-being-a-case-of-humans-versus-machines/)

[Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/)

> [I was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to the United States with my family when I was 4. I spent most of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/i-was-born-in-hong-kong-and-immigrated-to-the-united-states-with-my/)

[Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/)

> [Companies can't delegate social media to the new college grad and think they have it covered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/companies-can-t-delegate-social-media-to-the-new-college-grad-and/)

[Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/)

> [Strong emotional connections between individuals, customers, and salespeople that trust each other will always be 10 times more powerful than the most expensive ad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/strong-emotional-connections-between-individuals-customers-and/)

[Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/)

> [There is, in fact, nothing easy about being an entrepreneur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/there-is-in-fact-nothing-easy-about-being-an-entrepreneur/)

[Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/)

> [Like many of my fellow entrepreneurs, I didn't create Hearsay Social with my co-founder Steve Garrity because it would be fun and easy, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/like-many-of-my-fellow-entrepreneurs-i-didn-t-create-hearsay-social/)

[Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/)

> [If there can be three certain things in life, instead of two, it might be death, taxes, and data.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/if-there-can-be-three-certain-things-in-life-instead-of-two-it-might/)

[Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/)

> [When startups succeed, they do so against all odds. In the beginning, you have nothing except for your own talents and resources. By definition,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/when-startups-succeed-they-do-so-against-all-odds-in-the-beginning/)

[Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/)

> [Though decisions regarding work/life balance are important and vary widely from person to person, it may not be wise in the long run to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/though-decisions-regarding-work-life-balance-are-important-and-vary/)

[Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/)

> [I wrote 'The Facebook Era' because I felt like it needed to be written, and I was one of the people who might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/i-wrote-the-facebook-era-because-i-felt-like-it-needed-to-be-written/)

[Clara Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/)

[Explore all 40 Clara Shih quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/)

## More Always quotes

> [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/)

[Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/)

> [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/)

[Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/)

> [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/)

[Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/)

> [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/)

[William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/)

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/)

[Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/)

> [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/)

[Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/)

> [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/)

[Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/)

> [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/)

[Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/)

> [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/)

[Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/)

> [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/)

[Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/)

> [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/)

[Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/)

> [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/)

[Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/)

> [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/)

[Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/)

[Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Many companies talk about customer success, but how many actually put the customer first above all else, always?",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Clara Shih"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/many-companies-talk-about-customer-success-but-how-many-actually-put/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Always"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/many-companies-talk-about-customer-success-but-how-many-actually-put/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/clara-shih-16281_always_many-companies-talk-about-customer-succe_579028.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/clara-shih-16281_always_many-companies-talk-about-customer-succe_579028.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/clara-shih-16281_always_many-companies-talk-about-customer-succe_579028.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Many companies talk about customer success, but how many actually put the customer first above all else…” — Clara Shih",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Clara Shih",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-shih/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Many companies talk about customer success,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/many-companies-talk-about-customer-success-but-how-many-actually-put/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-shih/many-companies-talk-about-customer-success-but-how-many-actually-put/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
