On one hand, you’ve got the “customer is always right” crowd, who argue that you should build your product solely based on customer feedback and needs. On the other hand, you’ve got the “money talks” crew, who argue that your product also needs to align with your company’s overall strategy and revenue goals.

So, who’s right? Spoiler alert: it’s not that simple.

Here’s the thing: your customers are important. They’re the ones paying your bills, after all. But, just because they want something, doesn’t mean it’s the right thing for your business. And, just because something aligns with your company’s goals, doesn’t mean it’s what your customers actually want.

The key is to find a balance. And, believe it or not, it’s not that hard to do.

Here are three real-world examples of companies that had to balance customer needs and business goals in their product management, especially revenue related business goals:

1. Netflix: a streaming service company. Netflix’s customers want a wide variety of content to choose from, including both licensed shows and movies as well as original content produced by Netflix. But Netflix’s business goal is to increase its subscriber base and revenue.
   In the early days, Netflix mostly relied on licensed content, but over time they realized that producing their own exclusive content would be a better way to attract and retain subscribers, this strategy is known as “content arbitrage” which consist in creating original content that can’t be found anywhere else, this way they could differentiate themselves from the competition.
   One example of this strategy was the release of the popular show “Stranger Things” which helped Netflix to increase its subscriber base and revenue. This show aligns with both the customers’ needs for new and exciting content, as well as the company’s business goal of increasing revenue.
   
2. Apple: Apple is known for its sleek and user-friendly products, such as the iPhone and iPad. The company’s customers value design, simplicity, and ease of use. However, Apple’s business goal is to increase revenue and profits through the sale of their products. To balance these competing priorities, Apple often releases new versions of their products with updated features and design, while also maintaining the simplicity and ease of use that their customers value. For example, the release of the iPhone X in 2017 which had a new design, Face ID and an improved camera, but still kept the simplicity and ease of use that customers were used to.
   
3. Amazon: Amazon’s customers value convenience, variety, and low prices. The company’s business goal is to increase revenue and profits through the sale of products and services, such as Prime subscriptions and advertising. To balance these competing priorities, Amazon often uses data and analytics to determine which products to stock and promote, while also offering a wide variety of products at competitive prices. For example, the launch of Amazon Dash buttons, which allows customers to reorder their favorite products with just one press of a button, it was a way to make buying process more convenient for customers and also increase sales for Amazon.
   
4. Google: Google’s customers value fast and accurate search results, as well as a variety of other services such as email and online storage. The company’s business goal is to increase revenue and profits through advertising, which is closely tied to the number of users and the amount of time they spend using Google’s services. To balance these competing priorities, Google uses a combination of algorithms and human editors to provide the most relevant search results, while also continually updating and improving the user experience of its other services. For example, the launch of Google Photos, which had a user-friendly interface, advanced features such as automatic tagging, organization, and easy to share, which not only provided great user experience but also helped Google to increase revenue through advertisement by keeping users engaged for longer periods of time.

These examples show how each company had to find a balance between meeting customer needs and achieving business goals in order to be successful. Each company used different strategies and tactics to find that balance, but all of them were able to maintain customer satisfaction while also achieving business success.