--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Foremost is the principle that the…" description: "\"Foremost is the principle that the purpose of consumer research is to understand the customer's needs and wishes, and thus design product and service t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/w-edwards-deming-1337_consumers_foremost-is-the-principle-that-the-purpo_2127869.jpg" --- # Foremost is the principle that the purpose of consumer… ![“Foremost is the principle that the purpose of consumer research is to understand the customer's needs and wishes, and thus design product and service that will provide better living for him in the future. A second principle is that no one can guess the future loss of business from a dissatisfied…” quote by W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/w-edwards-deming-1337_consumers_foremost-is-the-principle-that-the-purpo_2127869.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/w-edwards-deming-1337_consumers_foremost-is-the-principle-that-the-purpo_2127869.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/w-edwards-deming-1337_consumers_foremost-is-the-principle-that-the-purpo_2127869.jpg) > “Foremost is the principle that the purpose of consumer research is to understand the customer's needs and wishes, and thus design product and service that will provide better living for him in the future. A second principle is that no one can guess the future loss of business from a dissatisfied customer.” [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding customer needs drives better product design and future wellbeing; ignoring dissatisfaction risks loss. **In simple terms:** Know customers to design better; ignore complaints and lose business. Key Takeaway Prioritize listening to customers. Themes customer focus product design future planning Mood thoughtful strategic Type business advisory When to use this quote - business strategy - product development - customer service - risk mitigation Key Concepts marketing customer insight quality management Questions to Reflect On - How can we capture diverse customer wishes? - What systems ensure feedback translates into design? A Different Perspective Assuming all customers have identical needs can mislead. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumer/) [Consumers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumers/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [But this had been a sin of passion, not of principle, nor even purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/but-this-had-been-a-sin-of-passion-not-of-principle-nor-even-purpose/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“The retailer is interested in the consumers’ behaviour in each of the two or three hundred categories it offers, but owing to a lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-thain/the-retailer-is-interested-in-the-consumers-behaviour-in-each-of-the/) [Greg Thain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-thain/) > [“Is that not what consumer research is for—to find out before the fact what is going to happen? The answer is that Detroit never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvard-business-school-press/is-that-not-what-consumer-research-is-for-to-find-out-before-the-fact/) Harvard Business School Press > [No one knows the cost of a defective product - don't tell me you do. You know the cost of replacing it, but not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/no-one-knows-the-cost-of-a-defective-product-don-t-tell-me-you-do-you/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [The pace of digital innovation is astonishing. It's impossible to imagine life without the web, smartphones, social networks. And yet the consumer products and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hobsbawm/the-pace-of-digital-innovation-is-astonishing-it-s-impossible-to/) Andy Hobsbawm > [All American consumers have the same needs - to buy great consumer products, with savings and value, and with the convenience of easy delivery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-patricof/all-american-consumers-have-the-same-needs-to-buy-great-consumer/) [Alan Patricof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-patricof/) > [I'm not a consumer. I hate buying clothes. I don't have a mobile. I just don't need things. I don't like things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/i-m-not-a-consumer-i-hate-buying-clothes-i-don-t-have-a-mobile-i-just/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [I think with every successful consumer Internet business, there will be lawyers that are interested in going after your company, especially when they think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stoppelman/i-think-with-every-successful-consumer-internet-business-there-will/) [Jeremy Stoppelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stoppelman/) > [No matter who you are or what kind of company or organization you work for, your number-one job is to tell your story to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/no-matter-who-you-are-or-what-kind-of-company-or-organization-you/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [Economists use the word consume to mean "utilize economic goods," but the Shorter Oxford Dictionary's definition is more appropriate to ecologists: "To make away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-thein-durning/economists-use-the-word-consume-to-mean-utilize-economic-goods-but/) [Alan Thein Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-thein-durning/) > [With every decisions we make, the last question we ask is what does the consumer think of this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-fitzgerald/with-every-decisions-we-make-the-last-question-we-ask-is-what-does/) Niall FitzGerald > [I'm caught up probably just as much in the consumer culture as the next person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/i-m-caught-up-probably-just-as-much-in-the-consumer-culture-as-the/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [The broken consumer credit market had to be repaired by making sure that consumers had the right information and could use it effectively. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/the-broken-consumer-credit-market-had-to-be-repaired-by-making-sure/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is it is what consumers tell each other it is. - Scott Cook,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cook/a-brand-is-no-longer-what-we-tell-the-consumer-it-is-it-is-what/) [Scott Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cook/) ## More by W. Edwards Deming > [Absence of defects does not necessarily build business... Something more is required.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/absence-of-defects-does-not-necessarily-build-business-something-more/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [In Japan, a company worker's position is secure. He is retrained for another job if his present job is eliminated by productivity improvement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/in-japan-a-company-worker-s-position-is-secure-he-is-retrained-for/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [We are here to make another world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/we-are-here-to-make-another-world/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [It is a mistake to assume that if everybody does his job, it will be all right. The whole system may be in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/it-is-a-mistake-to-assume-that-if-everybody-does-his-job-it-will-be/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Innovation comes from the producer - not from the customer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/innovation-comes-from-the-producer-not-from-the-customer/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [The only useful function of a statistician is to make predictions, and thus to provide a basis for action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/the-only-useful-function-of-a-statistician-is-to-make-predictions-and/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [A leader is a coach, not a judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/a-leader-is-a-coach-not-a-judge/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [It does not happen all at once. There is no instant pudding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/it-does-not-happen-all-at-once-there-is-no-instant-pudding/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Sub-optimization is when everyone is for himself. Optimization is when everyone is working to help the company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/sub-optimization-is-when-everyone-is-for-himself-optimization-is-when/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [We know what we told him, but we don't know what he heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/we-know-what-we-told-him-but-we-don-t-know-what-he-heard/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Rational behavior requires theory. Reactive behavior requires only reflex action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/rational-behavior-requires-theory-reactive-behavior-requires-only/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [A manager of people needs to understand that all people are different. This is not ranking people. He needs to understand that the performance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/a-manager-of-people-needs-to-understand-that-all-people-are-different/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [“It is not enough to just do your best or work hard; You must know what to work on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/it-is-not-enough-to-just-do-your-best-or-work-hard-you-must-know-what/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [You have to manage a system. The system doesn't manage itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/you-have-to-manage-a-system-the-system-doesn-t-manage-itself/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Two basic rules of life are: 1) Change is inevitable. 2) Everybody resists change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/two-basic-rules-of-life-are-1-change-is-inevitable-2-everybody/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) [Explore all 255 W. Edwards Deming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) ## More Consumer quotes > [One of the Internet's highest-profile companies, Priceline once dreamed of transforming the way consumer goods are bought and sold by offering customers the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/one-of-the-internet-s-highest-profile-companies-priceline-once/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [At age 28, I had no retail experience, no consumer marketing experience and no real Internet experience. But I decided I wanted to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariam-naficy/at-age-28-i-had-no-retail-experience-no-consumer-marketing-experience/) [Mariam Naficy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariam-naficy/) > [Women now influence the majority of consumer purchases. It is women's votes that will secure victory at the next election, hence the altogether delicious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-pearson/women-now-influence-the-majority-of-consumer-purchases-it-is-women-s/) [Allison Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-pearson/) > [A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is it is what consumers tell each other it is. - Scott Cook,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cook/a-brand-is-no-longer-what-we-tell-the-consumer-it-is-it-is-what/) [Scott Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cook/) > [All of my work is meant to evoke a whole bunch of different layers of discord between the attraction and repulsion that we feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jordan/all-of-my-work-is-meant-to-evoke-a-whole-bunch-of-different-layers-of/) [Chris Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jordan/) > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [When I put on my consumer hat, and I'm buying tickets to be entertained, I'm not interested in seeing, like, 'Don Quixote.' Unless someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/when-i-put-on-my-consumer-hat-and-i-m-buying-tickets-to-be/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [The pharma pricing system was not built on the idea of consumer engagement. It was built... on market efficiencies. It was not built on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-bresch/the-pharma-pricing-system-was-not-built-on-the-idea-of-consumer/) [Heather Bresch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-bresch/) > [“We consumer and become exactly what we create. In all times.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lidia-yuknavitch/we-consumer-and-become-exactly-what-we-create-in-all-times/) [Lidia Yuknavitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lidia-yuknavitch/) > [The broken consumer credit market had to be repaired by making sure that consumers had the right information and could use it effectively. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/the-broken-consumer-credit-market-had-to-be-repaired-by-making-sure/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I'm caught up probably just as much in the consumer culture as the next person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/i-m-caught-up-probably-just-as-much-in-the-consumer-culture-as-the/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [Computing shows up in many different ways. You have computing that you wear, computing that you carry. What you think of as the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dell/computing-shows-up-in-many-different-ways-you-have-computing-that-you/) [Michael Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dell/) > [The problem is that the global arms trade is entirely free of international regulation. In a world in which the flow of consumer goods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/the-problem-is-that-the-global-arms-trade-is-entirely-free-of/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [With every decisions we make, the last question we ask is what does the consumer think of this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-fitzgerald/with-every-decisions-we-make-the-last-question-we-ask-is-what-does/) Niall FitzGerald > [The Dabo people are consumer marketing geniuses. This is exactly why we acquired them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-edelman/the-dabo-people-are-consumer-marketing-geniuses-this-is-exactly-why/) [Richard Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-edelman/) [Browse all 475 Consumer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Foremost is the principle that the purpose of consumer research is to understand the customer's needs and wishes, and thus design product and service that will provide better living for him in the future. A second principle is that no one can guess the future loss of business from a dissatisfied customer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. 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