--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If most companies don’t really know why…" description: "\"“If most companies don’t really know why their customers are their customers or why their employees are their employees, then how do they know how to a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/simon-sinek-349_customer_if-most-companies-don-t-really-know-why_3006463.png" --- # If most companies don’t really know why their customers… ![“If most companies don’t really know why their customers are their customers or why their employees are their employees, then how do they know how to attract more employees and encourage loyalty among those they already have?” quote by Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/simon-sinek-349_customer_if-most-companies-don-t-really-know-why_3006463.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/simon-sinek-349_customer_if-most-companies-don-t-really-know-why_3006463.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/simon-sinek-349_customer_if-most-companies-don-t-really-know-why_3006463.png) > ““If most companies don’t really know why their customers are their customers or why their employees are their employees, then how do they know how to attract more employees and encourage loyalty among those they already have?”” [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) ## 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 why behind customers and employees is essential for attracting talent and building loyalty. **In simple terms:** Know why people choose you. Key Takeaway Align purpose with audience needs. Themes leadership customer insight employee engagement Mood analytical strategic Type business motivational When to use this quote - market research - HR onboarding - brand storytelling Key Concepts business strategy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What methods reveal deeper motivations? - How do you translate insight into action? A Different Perspective Companies may struggle to uncover true motivations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) ## Related quotes > [“Empathy is not something we offer to our customers or our employees from nine to five... (it) is... 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I spend 50% or more of my time with customers and employees, and I can't wait…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-m-mulcahy/most-of-my-career-has-been-in-sales-i-spend-50-or-more-of-my-time/) [Anne M. Mulcahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-m-mulcahy/) > [We're very much in the people business in that there are two important groups you have to work with: customers and employees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-deluca/we-re-very-much-in-the-people-business-in-that-there-are-two/) [Fred DeLuca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-deluca/) > [When a company gets bigger, when it begins to bring on employees, it naturally goes through this tendency of wanting to control, of wanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-randolph/when-a-company-gets-bigger-when-it-begins-to-bring-on-employees-it/) [Marc Randolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-randolph/) > [Customers first, employees second, and shareholders third,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/customers-first-employees-second-and-shareholders-third/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Customers are first, Employees are Second and the Shareholders are third.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/think-maverick/customers-are-first-employees-are-second-and-the-shareholders-are/) Think Maverick > [Who comes first? Don't be silly, says King Hal; it's employees. That is - and this dear Watson, is elementary - if you genuinely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/who-comes-first-don-t-be-silly-says-king-hal-it-s-employees-that-is/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [What do you really believe makes a difference in the company? For me it's really clear. It's about customers and employees. Everything else follows.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-m-mulcahy/what-do-you-really-believe-makes-a-difference-in-the-company-for-me/) [Anne M. Mulcahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-m-mulcahy/) > [Nordstrom believes that great service begins with showing courtesy to everyone-customers, employees, and vendors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-spector/nordstrom-believes-that-great-service-begins-with-showing-courtesy-to/) [Robert Spector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-spector/) > [The lesson for businesses is you are dealing with real people. Those are your customers, those are your employees, those are your bosses, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-thaler/the-lesson-for-businesses-is-you-are-dealing-with-real-people-those/) [Richard Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-thaler/) > [I always want to know whether the customers are satisfied; customer satisfaction is, after all, my ultimate goal!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-lauda/i-always-want-to-know-whether-the-customers-are-satisfied-customer/) [Niki Lauda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-lauda/) > [The outside-in discipline requires that you have an explicit customer-based reason for everything you do in the marketplace. Managers need to create what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-bund/the-outside-in-discipline-requires-that-you-have-an-explicit-customer/) [Barbara Bund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-bund/) > [Most of all, I discovered that in order to succeed with a product, you must truly get to know your customers and build something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-benioff/most-of-all-i-discovered-that-in-order-to-succeed-with-a-product-you/) [Marc Benioff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-benioff/) ## More by Simon Sinek > [Notoriously outspoken, his sentences always punctuated with profanities, General George S. Patton was the epitome of what a leader should be like - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/notoriously-outspoken-his-sentences-always-punctuated-with/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [“When you are with Marines gathering to eat, you will notice that the most junior are served first and the most senior are served…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/when-you-are-with-marines-gathering-to-eat-you-will-notice-that-the/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [A parent does not do everything for their kid. A parent that does everything for their kid produces a kid with no self-confidence. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/a-parent-does-not-do-everything-for-their-kid-a-parent-that-does/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [Don't wait for perfection before you start. Start somewhere so you can have something tangible you can work to perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/don-t-wait-for-perfection-before-you-start-start-somewhere-so-you-can/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [Followers want to be taken care of. Leaders want to take care of others. We can all be leaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/followers-want-to-be-taken-care-of-leaders-want-to-take-care-of/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [“Goethe, the great nineteenth-century thinker, reportedly summed up, “You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/goethe-the-great-nineteenth-century-thinker-reportedly-summed-up-you/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [Pursue the thing inside us and others will help us. 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By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/when-a-why-goes-fuzzy-it-becomes-much-more-difficult-to-maintain-the/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [“Without the protection of our leaders, everyone outside the inner circle is forced to work alone or in small tribes to protect and advance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/without-the-protection-of-our-leaders-everyone-outside-the-inner/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [Any great and inspiring leader or organization that ever existed set out to do something completely unrealistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/any-great-and-inspiring-leader-or-organization-that-ever-existed-set/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [I try to find, celebrate and teach leaders how to build platforms that will inspire others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/i-try-to-find-celebrate-and-teach-leaders-how-to-build-platforms-that/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [Instead of showing up to let everyone know how great we are, show up to find out how great everyone else is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/instead-of-showing-up-to-let-everyone-know-how-great-we-are-show-up/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [Knowledge is understanding based on what has been studied and learned. Wisdom is understanding based on what has been felt and experienced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/knowledge-is-understanding-based-on-what-has-been-studied-and-learned/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [There's only one of me. With you using the why in the center of your work helps me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/there-s-only-one-of-me-with-you-using-the-why-in-the-center-of-your/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [“they didn't examine the problem and accumulate data to figure out the best solution - they engineered the outcome they wanted from the beginning.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/they-didn-t-examine-the-problem-and-accumulate-data-to-figure-out-the/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) [Explore all 654 Simon Sinek quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) ## 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. 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