Cherish your unhappy customers

Every time any one of our users complained about our products, I used to go on the defensive, tried to hold my own. Or worse — I let myself get bogged down with the feeling that they didn’t love our products. That there was no need in the market.

In hindsight, I was so completely wrong.

Looking back, there were two things I failed to see. Two things that I think a lot of the startup founders and employees fail to see even today -

- The very fact that you have people complaining about your product, means that there is a need of the product in the market.

- And, if they are going all out to bitch about your product, that just means that your product is that much more valuable to them.

These might just be your most valuable customers. Happy customers, or indifferent customers hardly ever came to us and told us how we were messing up. It was only the people who genuinely liked the products, and wanted it to succeed who took the pains to tell us what they felt, or where we were fucking up.

To me there can be no better validation for your idea than unhappy customers. They should be your number one priority, because they see your success as their success.

So, next time someone says how your product sucks, cherish them. Be friends with them, and make them a part of your journey.