9.9. Lesson 87: Harvest Complaints
Edison avidly devoured feedback from his customers, especially the complaints. In these he found his inspiration and guidance for innovation and improvement. When one of his key associates, Francis Upton, neglected customer complaints concerning faulty lamps, Edison scolded him for not having learned "the Lamp business ie the Carbonization of filaments." The "financing is rather easy," Edison wrote in a note to him. "I suggest you do like the rest of us learn the business thoroughly & not be dependent on others = you are degenerating into a mere business man—Money isn't the only thing in this mud ball of ours."
NOTE
A successful business may be built on the complaints of customers, provided they are harvested ...
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