--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Customers don't care how much time…" description: "\"Customers don't care how much time something takes to build. They care only if it serves their needs.\" — Eric Ries" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/eric-ries-2911_care_customers-don-t-care-how-much-time-somet_1741537.png" --- # Customers don't care how much time something takes to… ![“Customers don't care how much time something takes to build. They care only if it serves their needs.” quote by Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/eric-ries-2911_care_customers-don-t-care-how-much-time-somet_1741537.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/eric-ries-2911_care_customers-don-t-care-how-much-time-somet_1741537.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/eric-ries-2911_care_customers-don-t-care-how-much-time-somet_1741537.png) > “Customers don't care how much time something takes to build. They care only if it serves their needs.” [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Customers care only about outcomes, not the effort behind them; value matters over process. **In simple terms:** Customers want results, not how long it takes. Key Takeaway Deliver solutions that meet needs efficiently. Themes customer focus value efficiency product development Mood pragmatic focused Type business strategic When to use this quote - software launches - service design - product roadmaps - marketing campaigns Key Concepts lean methodology outcome orientation Questions to Reflect On - How can you measure true customer value? - What processes truly improve outcomes? A Different Perspective Over‑optimizing process can waste resources without adding value. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ## Related quotes > [“It takes a while to build a dream”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-perry/it-takes-a-while-to-build-a-dream/) [Tyler Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-perry/) > [It takes so much to build a relationship but so little to tear it down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-so-much-to-build-a-relationship-but-so-little-to-tear-it-down/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Customers don't know what they want. There's plenty of good psychology research that shows that people are not able to accurately predict how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/customers-don-t-know-what-they-want-there-s-plenty-of-good-psychology/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [“Customers don't care at all whether you close the deal or not. They care about improving their business.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-ross/customers-don-t-care-at-all-whether-you-close-the-deal-or-not-they/) [Aaron Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-ross/) > [Customers don't always know what they want. The decline in coffee-drinking was due to the fact that most of the coffee people bought was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/customers-don-t-always-know-what-they-want-the-decline-in-coffee/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [Original visions are often wrong. Companies have to morph as they learn what customers don't want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/original-visions-are-often-wrong-companies-have-to-morph-as-they/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [Customers don't expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-porter/customers-don-t-expect-you-to-be-perfect-they-do-expect-you-to-fix/) Don Porter > [Listen to your customers, but don't always build exactly what they're telling you. This is a really key distinction around building enterprise software.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-levie/listen-to-your-customers-but-don-t-always-build-exactly-what-they-re/) [Aaron Levie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-levie/) > [Without our customers, we don't have a business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leanne-caret/without-our-customers-we-don-t-have-a-business/) [Leanne Caret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leanne-caret/) > [“We found that suppliers of nonstrategic products and services don’t fully appreciate this purchasing task. So when they try to land a deal, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-found-that-suppliers-of-nonstrategic-products-and-services-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Loyal customers, they don't just come back, they dont simply recommend you, they insist that their friends do business with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/loyal-customers-they-don-t-just-come-back-they-dont-simply-recommend/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Customers don't measure you on how hard you tried, they measure you on what you deliver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/customers-don-t-measure-you-on-how-hard-you-tried-they-measure-you-on/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“Using flawed segmentation schemes, they often introduce products that customers don’t want, because they aim at a target that is irrelevant to what customers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/using-flawed-segmentation-schemes-they-often-introduce-products-that/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [“Your customers don't buy your product to do your company a favor,” Eghbal said. “They're doing it because your product makes their lives better.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-handley/your-customers-don-t-buy-your-product-to-do-your-company-a-favor/) [Ann Handley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-handley/) > [“Should I have taken him by the hand and led him over to the Zappa? No. I won't spoon-feed the customers. If you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvonne-prinz/should-i-have-taken-him-by-the-hand-and-led-him-over-to-the-zappa-no/) [Yvonne Prinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvonne-prinz/) ## More by Eric Ries > [The lesson of the MVP is that any additional work beyond what was required to start learning is waste, no matter how important it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/the-lesson-of-the-mvp-is-that-any-additional-work-beyond-what-was/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [HubSpot has used the lean startup method to build a spectacularly successful company. What I particularly love about HubSpot is that they are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/hubspot-has-used-the-lean-startup-method-to-build-a-spectacularly/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [By the time that product is ready to be distributed widely, it will already have established customers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/by-the-time-that-product-is-ready-to-be-distributed-widely-it-will/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [It was 1999, and we were building a way for college kids to create online profiles for the purpose of sharing... with employers. Oops.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/it-was-1999-and-we-were-building-a-way-for-college-kids-to-create/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Except in very narrow cases, where there's breakthrough science that needs patent production, worrying about competitors is a waste of time. If you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/except-in-very-narrow-cases-where-there-s-breakthrough-science-that/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [“waiting too long to release can lead to the ultimate waste: making something that nobody wants.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/waiting-too-long-to-release-can-lead-to-the-ultimate-waste-making/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [There's nothing wrong with raising venture capital. Many lean startups are ambitious and are able to deploy large amounts of capital. What differentiates them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-raising-venture-capital-many-lean-startups/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [“In the Lean Startup model, every product, every feature, every marketing campaign—everything a startup does—is understood to be an experiment designed to achieve validated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/in-the-lean-startup-model-every-product-every-feature-every-marketing/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Learning is the essential unit of progress for startups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/learning-is-the-essential-unit-of-progress-for-startups/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [“...a long-term reputation is only at risk when companies engage in vocal launch activities such as PR and building hype. When a product fails…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/a-long-term-reputation-is-only-at-risk-when-companies-engage-in-vocal/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [The minimum viable product is that version of a new product which allows a team to collect the maximum amount of validated learning about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/the-minimum-viable-product-is-that-version-of-a-new-product-which/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Every startup has a chance to change the world, by bringing not just a new product, but an entirely new institution into existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/every-startup-has-a-chance-to-change-the-world-by-bringing-not-just-a/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Entrepreneurs can't forecast accurately, because they are trying something fundamentally new. So they will often be laughably behind plan - and on the brink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/entrepreneurs-can-t-forecast-accurately-because-they-are-trying/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Meritocracy is a good thing. Whenever possibly, people should be judged based on their work and results, not superficial qualities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/meritocracy-is-a-good-thing-whenever-possibly-people-should-be-judged/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [The lean startup method is not about cost, it is about speed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/the-lean-startup-method-is-not-about-cost-it-is-about-speed/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) [Explore all 138 Eric Ries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) ## More Care quotes > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [We all know what it feels like to love someone and care about them and want to protect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/we-all-know-what-it-feels-like-to-love-someone-and-care-about-them/) [Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [What makes you care about nature, about the planet? Is it really that you're afraid of what's going to happen if you don't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/what-makes-you-care-about-nature-about-the-planet-is-it-really-that/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [I don't care if you make a print on a bath mat, just as long as it is a good print.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/i-don-t-care-if-you-make-a-print-on-a-bath-mat-just-as-long-as-it-is/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. If we care to look, all the signs are present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-world-s-problems-are-by-and-large-human-problems-the-unavoidable/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) [Browse all 19,019 Care quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Customers don't care how much time something takes to build. 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