Customer Last

Providing great products and customer service were once the way great companies were built. Somewhere along the line, that era has ended. I can only imagine that many behemoths with atrocious customer service may now consider "shareholders" as the primary audience they serve. Executives sashay in on a promise, slash and burn, and leave with a golden parachute. Shareholders buy and sell, and the customer is left bewildered as to how a company that steadfastly abuses their goodwill could remain in business. Even a good name (branding, as it's called), is now bought and drained of every ounce of its lifeblood.