Years ago when I worked at Amazon, leaders made customer experience a priority and empowered us to …

All these things matter when you try to build an enduring company instead of the embrace, squeeze, and run strategy. I don't think that happens a lot any more, if we are lucky one company might keep its course for 20 years and then it gets sold or the founder moves on.

I once took a hard look at our user surveys. As a software engineer I’m not really expected to care. All our happiest customers talked about the service experience. All our grumpiest customers talk about the service experience. None of our users gave two shits about the software. All they cared about was did we solve their problem on that day when they needed us. That’s when I realized we’re a software-enabled service company. It changed how I prioritize things.

I just had an Amazon package stolen from my porch with $500 of items in it that I needed quickly. I reordered everything for delivery next day, and started a chat in the app. The only thing they wanted to know was if I wanted the refund on my credit card or as a gift balance. (I’ve been an Amazon customer since 1997, so that might factor in.) But on the other hand, the quality of the actual product catalog is now abysmal. Way too many clones of Ali Express items with literally random brand names and scam listings. I still sort of trust “Sold by Amazon” listings, but they’re making it harder to filter on that. So in this area the accounting department is clearly outranking the customer experience department.