The Customer Code

Creating a company your customers love.

The Customer Code Series with Dharmesh Shah

We're publishing a one-time only series by HubSpot co-founder Dharmesh Shah. Once a week, he'll do a deep dive into each tenet of the HubSpot Customer Code and explain how to bring it to life in your own company. Sign up below to be the first to get each post in your inbox.

Note: You will only receive emails for new posts. Your welcome email will include links to already-published posts, or you can find below in the "The Customer Code Tenets" section.

What Is The Customer Code?

Customers are more independent, more impatient, and less trusting of businesses. They share their dissatisfaction widely and loudly, and they can easily choose one of your many competitors.

But they’re also your greatest source of growth. And yet many businesses, while they say they are customer-first, are actually customer … eventually.

The Customer Code outlines a shared set of principles and beliefs on how to build a company that customers love. It’s not about what you sell, but how you sell. It’s about making your customers more successful, building relationships by doing the right thing, and focusing on the long-term even when it’s not the easiest path.

At HubSpot, we believe that by focusing on your customers, your business will grow better. This is growth with a conscience. This is how you succeed with soul. And this is what it takes to create a company that's truly remarkable.

Why You Need to Solve for the Customer

Watch HubSpot's co-founder and CTO Dharmesh Shah deliver the keynote at INBOUND 2018 on how to build a company customers love.

Our Commitment

We've made our own mistakes over the years when it comes to putting our customers first. So we're taking our own advice and have graded our performance against the Customer Code tenets. Our promise is that we'll evaluate our decisions and processes against these principles, work tirelessly to improve our grade, and report back on our progress. We only succeed when you do, so let's grow better, together.

HS_report card

Grade your company against these tenets by downloading this blank report card. 

Have feedback? Email us at customercode@hubspot.com.

HubSpot

Customer Code

Now it's your turn.

We want your feedback. Submit a report card on how HubSpot is doing in helping millions of companies grow better.

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The Customer Code Tenets

  1. customer-code-earn-my-attention.png

    Earn my attention, don't steal it.

    Your time is precious. So is your customer's. Give them something they'll value before you take up their time.
    Read the blog post.

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  2. sg-defaults_doge.png

    Treat me like a person, not a persona.

    It's fine to market to a persona, but you build relationships with a person. Be prepared to interact with them how, where, and when they want.
    Read the blog post.

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  3. Solve for my success, not your systems.

    Don't make your process your customer's problem. They care more about their own problems than your departments.
    Read the blog post.

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  4. Use my data, but don't abuse it.

    Your customers shouldn't be in a relationship with someone who doesn't remember their name. Give them a personalized experience, but don't sell them out (or creep them out).
    Read the blog post.

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  5. Ask for feedback, and act on it.

    No one knows your customer experience better than your customers. Ask them how you can improve — and do it.

    Tweet This
  1. customer-code-own-your-screwups.png

    Own your screw-ups.

    Everyone makes mistakes. It's how you deal with them that sets you apart. Say you're sorry, be sorry, and make it better.

    Tweet This
  2. customer-code-help-me-help-you.png

    Help me help you, by helping myself.

    Your customers know what they need. Give them ways to answer their own questions and solve their own problems.

    Tweet This
  3. customer-code-i-dont-mind-paying

    I don't mind paying, but I do mind being played.

    Customers shouldn't need a math degree to figure out their bill. Keep your pricing open, clear, and fair.

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  4. customer-code-dont-block-the-exit

    Don't block the exit.

    You make signing up so easy. Don’t make leaving so hard.

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  5. customer-code-do-the-right-thing

    Do the right thing, even when it's hard.

    Especially when it's hard. What you do defines your company's destiny.

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