When Mr Ryan, the Dublin greengrocer, was asked how business was forty years ago he would likely have counted the day’s takings. But that wasn’t his only measure of success. The connection with loyal customers was the lifeblood of his business. Mr Ryan relied on repeat business. His survival depended on his ability to create enough value for customers to stop them walking the extra five minutes to the supermarket up the road in Terenure village.  He couldn’t compete on range and price, but he could compete on connection.

In an increasingly competitive and globalised world, we often forget that the amount of money in the register at the end of the day isn’t the only metric of success. More isn’t the only means by which to measure greatness.

A great company—whatever its size, respects and nurtures the people it employs and the customers it serves. A great company doesn’t just thrive because it’s profitable, it’s profitable because it helps people to thrive. Great companies leave the world better than they found it—which is why those of us responsible for creating and building businesses must be as clear about the way we get to our destination, as we are about what that destination is.

So, what does this mean in practice? We need to give our customers reasons to stay connected to us and not just reasons to buy from us today. Like Ryan’s, the businesses that are doing good and doing well are the ones that are closest to their customers. How’s your business?

Image by Garry Knight