Is Customer Perception Reality?

Customer Perception is truth. Maybe the customer has never experienced (nor anyone else) a situation but they believe it to be true anyway (Faith). Is it not the same as believing there must be additional species of fish yet to be found/discovered? I perceive this to be true even though I or no one else has seen the species as of yet.

I perceive the Universe to be expanding based on the works of people much more smarter than me. But how far will it expand? If it is true all stars are pulling away from our Sun at a speed relative to the distance it is from our Sun does that not mean eventually they will all meet at a certain starting point? Do they collide because they get into each other’s way? Or do their starting points for this to be true predetermine it?

I perceive this to be true because if I started to walk away from the home I live in and go due West or East or North or South would I not eventually come back to my starting point? Taking it a step further if my neighbor did the same thing at the same time would we finish at the same time? Obviously this is no, but none the less he too would return to his starting point based on the size and speed of his steps compared to mine.

Mathematical equations probably prove my thoughts to be false, but are they? Can my perceptions be so simple? Why not? Does it take an Astrophysicist to explain that if I plant a seed and care for it and make sure it gets water, light and good soil will it not grow?

Is it any less perceptive to command the seed to grow if I stand on my backyard deck and tell it to do so? Your perception would say that can not be true, but I say the perception is not in the command of my voice, but that nature in its simplicity (water, light & soil) may allow this to happen.

So if I look to the sky and command the galaxies of starts to meet at their starting point it will happen? Perception tells me yes this will happen, not because of my command but by the simplicity of nature.

Does it really matter if my perception is correct or not? Not really, the outcome will be the same because of the simplicity of common sense. But whose common sense, yours or mine, does it matter? I say not.

My knowledge is limited by my understanding of data, facts, information and application, but my thoughts/ imagination can perceive anything to be true.

Now tell me that Customer Perception is not Reality and I will tell you to start walking. In business you should use your customers imagination, perception and creativity to create new products even if you believe that you know more than your customer.


Below is a related recent post by qg on Customers. To see all posts on Customers click on Customer located next to LABELS at the end of the post.

http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2007/07/will-focusing-on-customers-bring.html