--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd rather spend money on things that…" description: "\"I'd rather spend money on things that improve the customer experience than on marketing.\" — Tony Hsieh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/tony-hsieh-6336_customer_i-d-rather-spend-money-on-things-that-im_3144310.png" --- # I'd rather spend money on things that improve the customer… ![“I'd rather spend money on things that improve the customer experience than on marketing.” quote by Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/tony-hsieh-6336_customer_i-d-rather-spend-money-on-things-that-im_3144310.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/tony-hsieh-6336_customer_i-d-rather-spend-money-on-things-that-im_3144310.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/tony-hsieh-6336_customer_i-d-rather-spend-money-on-things-that-im_3144310.png) > “I'd rather spend money on things that improve the customer experience than on marketing.” [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Investing in customer experience yields lasting value, while marketing alone is short‑term. **In simple terms:** Prioritize customers over ads. Key Takeaway Allocate resources to improve service. Themes customer focus value creation business strategy Mood optimistic pragmatic Type advice business When to use this quote - retail - e‑commerce - service industry - startup growth Key Concepts Experience design customer loyalty Questions to Reflect On - How can you enhance your service? - What experience gaps exist? A Different Perspective Marketing can still be essential for awareness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Customer experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer-experience/) [Customers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customers/) [Experience Marketing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience-marketing-3366639/) [Improve Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improve-customer-2768148/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Marketing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marketing/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Spend money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spend-money/) ## Related quotes > [But there's still so much you can do with technology to improve the customer experience. And that's the sense in which I believe it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/but-there-s-still-so-much-you-can-do-with-technology-to-improve-the/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [When you run the Walt Disney Co., you gain a fair amount of experience in customer-facing businesses, particularly in site-based entertainment. I have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-iger/when-you-run-the-walt-disney-co-you-gain-a-fair-amount-of-experience/) [Bob Iger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-iger/) > [Service Over the years, the number one driver of our growth at Zappos has been repeat customers and word of mouth. Our philosophy has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/service-over-the-years-the-number-one-driver-of-our-growth-at-zappos/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Branding Through Customer Service Over the years, the number one driver of our growth at Zappos has been repeat customers and word of mouth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/branding-through-customer-service-over-the-years-the-number-one/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [I believe that all brands will become storytellers, editors and publishers, all stores will become magazines, and all media companies will become stores. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-massenet/i-believe-that-all-brands-will-become-storytellers-editors-and/) [Natalie Massenet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-massenet/) > [ If we have 99% \[market\] share of Ford Company, the question to us is 'How do we improve the customer satisfaction in order to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dell/if-we-have-99-market-share-of-ford-company-the-question-to-us-is-how/) [Michael Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dell/) > [“Personalized interactions greatly improve customer service and let customers know that your company cares about them and their problems.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-auliq-ice/personalized-interactions-greatly-improve-customer-service-and-let/) [Oscar Auliq-Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-auliq-ice/) > [Companies are starting to measure how effective their customer service is and trying to understand what they can do to improve the customer service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjay-kumar/companies-are-starting-to-measure-how-effective-their-customer/) [Sanjay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjay-kumar/) > [Our belief is that if you get the culture right, most of the other stuff, like great customer service, or building a great long-term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/our-belief-is-that-if-you-get-the-culture-right-most-of-the-other/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Some businesses offer such a lousy customer experience that they are prime candidates for competition from Internet based stores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/some-businesses-offer-such-a-lousy-customer-experience-that-they-are/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [Getting service right is more than just a nice to do; it's a must do. American consumers are willing to spend more with companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bush/getting-service-right-is-more-than-just-a-nice-to-do-it-s-a-must-do/) [Jim Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bush/) > [Highly engaged employees make the customer experience. Disengaged employees break it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-r-clark/highly-engaged-employees-make-the-customer-experience-disengaged/) [Timothy R. Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-r-clark/) > [You've got to start with the customer experience and work backwards to the technology. You can't start with the technology and try to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/you-ve-got-to-start-with-the-customer-experience-and-work-backwards/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [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/) > [“In the innovation age customer experience is key. Your impression defines their expression”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fela-durotoye/in-the-innovation-age-customer-experience-is-key-your-impression/) [Fela Durotoye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fela-durotoye/) ## More by Tony Hsieh > [Things are never as bad or as good as they seem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/things-are-never-as-bad-or-as-good-as-they-seem/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [After what seemed like an eternity, we finally reached the summit just as the sun was rising. I couldn't believe that we had actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/after-what-seemed-like-an-eternity-we-finally-reached-the-summit-just/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Branding Through Customer Service Over the years, the number one driver of our growth at Zappos has been repeat customers and word of mouth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/branding-through-customer-service-over-the-years-the-number-one/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [If I was going to go into an office I wanted it to be with people I would choose to be around even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/if-i-was-going-to-go-into-an-office-i-wanted-it-to-be-with-people-i/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Never accept or be too comfortable with the status quo, because the companies that get into trouble are historically the ones that aren't able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/never-accept-or-be-too-comfortable-with-the-status-quo-because-the/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Have fun. The game is a lot more enjoyable when you're trying to do more than just make money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/have-fun-the-game-is-a-lot-more-enjoyable-when-you-re-trying-to-do/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Our belief is that if you get the culture right, most of the other stuff, like great customer service, or building a great long-term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/our-belief-is-that-if-you-get-the-culture-right-most-of-the-other/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Twitter is like hugging. Just because it's hard to measure the return on investment doesn't mean there isn't value there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/twitter-is-like-hugging-just-because-it-s-hard-to-measure-the-return/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Sorry, investing was pretty boring and I really missed being part of building something. I felt like I was always standing on the sidelines,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/sorry-investing-was-pretty-boring-and-i-really-missed-being-part-of/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Problems are just mile markers. Each one we pass means we've gotten better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/problems-are-just-mile-markers-each-one-we-pass-means-we-ve-gotten/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [I think when people say they dread going into work on Monday morning, it's because they know they are leaving a piece of themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/i-think-when-people-say-they-dread-going-into-work-on-monday-morning/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [“that your business can avoid making some of the same ones.   7. You want to figure out the right balance of profits, passion, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/that-your-business-can-avoid-making-some-of-the-same-ones-7-you-want/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Inspire other communities and cities to reinvent themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/inspire-other-communities-and-cities-to-reinvent-themselves/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Learn by doing. Theory is nice, but nothing replaces actual experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/learn-by-doing-theory-is-nice-but-nothing-replaces-actual-experience/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [Most companies are very quick to hire and slow to fire, when really it should be the other way around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/most-companies-are-very-quick-to-hire-and-slow-to-fire-when-really-it/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) [Explore all 99 Tony Hsieh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "I'd rather spend money on things that improve the customer experience than on marketing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Hsieh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/i-d-rather-spend-money-on-things-that-improve-the-customer-experience/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Customer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/i-d-rather-spend-money-on-things-that-improve-the-customer-experience/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/tony-hsieh-6336_customer_i-d-rather-spend-money-on-things-that-im_3144310.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/tony-hsieh-6336_customer_i-d-rather-spend-money-on-things-that-im_3144310.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/tony-hsieh-6336_customer_i-d-rather-spend-money-on-things-that-im_3144310.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'd rather spend money on things that improve the customer experience than on marketing.” — Tony Hsieh", "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": "Tony Hsieh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'd rather spend money on things...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/i-d-rather-spend-money-on-things-that-improve-the-customer-experience/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/i-d-rather-spend-money-on-things-that-improve-the-customer-experience/#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 } } ] } ```