--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you don't know who your customer is…" description: "\"If you don't know who your customer is, you don't know what quality is.\" — Eric Ries" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/eric-ries-2911_customer_if-you-don-t-know-who-your-customer-is-y_2962887.png" --- # If you don't know who your customer is, you don't know… ![“If you don't know who your customer is, you don't know what quality is.” quote by Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/eric-ries-2911_customer_if-you-don-t-know-who-your-customer-is-y_2962887.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/eric-ries-2911_customer_if-you-don-t-know-who-your-customer-is-y_2962887.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/eric-ries-2911_customer_if-you-don-t-know-who-your-customer-is-y_2962887.png) > “If you don't know who your customer is, you don't know what quality is.” [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. Understanding the customer is essential to defining and delivering quality products. **In simple terms:** Know your customer to define quality. Key Takeaway Identify your target market first. Themes customer focus quality product development Mood analytical focused Type business strategic When to use this quote - startup planning - product design - service improvement - marketing strategy Key Concepts Lean methodology market research Questions to Reflect On - Who truly benefits from your product? - How do you validate customer needs? A Different Perspective If you misidentify the customer, quality metrics become irrelevant. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) ## Related quotes > [If we do not know who the customer is, we do not know what quality is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/if-we-do-not-know-who-the-customer-is-we-do-not-know-what-quality-is/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Without a customer, you don't have a business - all you have is a hobby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-peppers/without-a-customer-you-don-t-have-a-business-all-you-have-is-a-hobby/) [Don Peppers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-peppers/) > [Everything you need to know about a customer has been written by them or about them. And it lives on the Internet. All you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-gitomer/everything-you-need-to-know-about-a-customer-has-been-written-by-them/) [Jeffrey Gitomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-gitomer/) > [Even though quality cannot be defined, you know what quality is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/even-though-quality-cannot-be-defined-you-know-what-quality-is/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [I know I have the quality to prove myself any time I am given the chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelechi-iheanacho/i-know-i-have-the-quality-to-prove-myself-any-time-i-am-given-the/) [Kelechi Iheanacho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelechi-iheanacho/) > [Know thyself. Know the customer. Innovate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-comstock/know-thyself-know-the-customer-innovate/) [Beth Comstock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-comstock/) > [What people in business think they know about the customer and market is likely to be more wrong than right...the customer rarely buys what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/what-people-in-business-think-they-know-about-the-customer-and-market/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Everybody is looking at their base business and saying, "What else is it? Sure, we do this, but while we're doing that, what else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-moelis/everybody-is-looking-at-their-base-business-and-saying-what-else-is/) [Ken Moelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-moelis/) > [“First, know your customer. There’s no substitute for engaging with customers and users directly. All the numbers in the world can’t explain why something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-croll/first-know-your-customer-there-s-no-substitute-for-engaging-with/) [Alistair Croll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-croll/) > [We know what the customer wants, and so we're buying in a totally different way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-williamson/we-know-what-the-customer-wants-and-so-we-re-buying-in-a-totally/) [Matthew Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-williamson/) > [“Don’t worry, it’ll work out.” Really? How do you know? It’s unbelievable. When your business partners tell you not to worry because “It’ll work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-green/don-t-worry-it-ll-work-out-really-how-do-you-know-it-s-unbelievable/) [Bill Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-green/) > [Everyone should know my quality and what I bring to the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xabi-alonso/everyone-should-know-my-quality-and-what-i-bring-to-the-team/) [Xabi Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xabi-alonso/) > [I don't need to explain myself. All the managers I've had know my quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marouane-fellaini/i-don-t-need-to-explain-myself-all-the-managers-i-ve-had-know-my/) [Marouane Fellaini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marouane-fellaini/) > [“We know the quality of another’s heart through her voice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/we-know-the-quality-of-another-s-heart-through-her-voice/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [Is there some principal of nature which states that we never know the quality of what we have until it is gone?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/is-there-some-principal-of-nature-which-states-that-we-never-know-the/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) ## 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 Customer quotes > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [Don't think OF the market. Think AS the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fishman/don-t-think-of-the-market-think-as-the-market/) Michael Fishman > [If Wall Street crashes, does Main Street follow? Not necessarily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/if-wall-street-crashes-does-main-street-follow-not-necessarily/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [The exact details of how you practice value investing will vary investor to investor, but the fundamental principle of scouring the world, looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-tilson/the-exact-details-of-how-you-practice-value-investing-will-vary/) [Whitney Tilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-tilson/) > [The best way to hold customers is to constantly figure out how to give them more for less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/the-best-way-to-hold-customers-is-to-constantly-figure-out-how-to/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [Perhaps the most important reason to be skeptical of government inflation numbers is that the government, like a fox campaigning to guard a hen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/perhaps-the-most-important-reason-to-be-skeptical-of-government/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [When the dollar collapses, it's not doing it in a vacuum. If the dollar loses value, it's doing so relative to some other currency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/when-the-dollar-collapses-it-s-not-doing-it-in-a-vacuum-if-the-dollar/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [Corporations invest in sophisticated CRM, or Customer Relationship Management, programs to effectively oversee their relationship with their customers at every point during the buying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-ostrofsky/corporations-invest-in-sophisticated-crm-or-customer-relationship/) [Marc Ostrofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-ostrofsky/) > [I believe confusion is good. Worldwide market leaders gain when there is confusion in the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subhash-chandra/i-believe-confusion-is-good-worldwide-market-leaders-gain-when-there/) [Subhash Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subhash-chandra/) > [Damn inflation, full speed ahead,' Greenspan has said in both action and word. I think an investor should believe him and invest accordingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gross/damn-inflation-full-speed-ahead-greenspan-has-said-in-both-action-and/) [Bill Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gross/) > [“When companies get big, they devote most of their care and feeding to the business that got them big. This is as it should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/when-companies-get-big-they-devote-most-of-their-care-and-feeding-to/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [“Salesmanship is usually the art of making it the prospect’s problem, the salesperson’s need or desire to earn money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/salesmanship-is-usually-the-art-of-making-it-the-prospect-s-problem/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) [Browse all 9,257 Customer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you don't know who your customer is, you don't know what quality is.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Ries" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/if-you-don-t-know-who-your-customer-is-you-don-t-know-what-quality-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Customer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/if-you-don-t-know-who-your-customer-is-you-don-t-know-what-quality-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/eric-ries-2911_customer_if-you-don-t-know-who-your-customer-is-y_2962887.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/eric-ries-2911_customer_if-you-don-t-know-who-your-customer-is-y_2962887.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/eric-ries-2911_customer_if-you-don-t-know-who-your-customer-is-y_2962887.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you don't know who your customer is, you don't know what quality is.” — Eric Ries", "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": "Eric Ries", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you don't know who your...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/if-you-don-t-know-who-your-customer-is-you-don-t-know-what-quality-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/if-you-don-t-know-who-your-customer-is-you-don-t-know-what-quality-is/#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 } } ] } ```