The glory train: Why not all customers are worth having on your journey

Once a startup or small business has commenced trading, the idiom “the train has left the station” sums up the situation: No more second thoughts, no turning back. Alan Manly, CEO of CampusQ and author of The Unlikely Entrepreneur, explains that if business plans were put to music, the lyrics of the folk song “This Train” would be particularly apt. Why? Entrepreneurs and hope go well together.

“This train is bound for glory, this train… “

The original version of ‘This Train’ was released as a black spiritual song of righteousness and hope in 1924 by the Florida Normal Industrial Institute Quartet.

The first time the song became a hit was a gospel version released by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, a black American gospel singer.  ‘This Train’ was released in her album titled Gospel Train [1958] back in 1958, during a time when gospel music was gaining immense popularity. The theme of hope persists in societies. Another version was released forty years later.

Black spiritual songs of inspiration and hope are perhaps an appropriate genre for entrepreneurs who often start on a little more than a wing and a prayer. The version known by most people is the one released by the Australian group The Seekers, in September 1963. The Seekers chose to modify the lyrics into a version suitable for the 60s.

However, the entrepreneur in charge must be careful as to what passengers are allowed on the Glory Train. The song goes on.

“This train am bound for glory
Don’t carry but the righteous and the holy”

Some would conclude this to mean the startup’s team. Sadly, companies also risk carrying customers who are not righteous or holy.

The lyrics go on to warn:

“This train don’t carry no gamblers, this train…”

Entrepreneurs will soon learn that their train will attract folks who will take the risk that they won’t need to pay their way. Slow payers ignore the bill for services, happily gambling that you won’t have good account receivables systems in place.

“This train am bound for glory, this train…”

No hypocrites

Anyone in business must expect that there will be false friends who distract you from your business goals pretending to be customers. Even competitors seeking market intelligence for free.

No midnight ramblers

“Ramblers” as in people who go from place to place with no real purpose. Mischief is their middle name. The nicest definition may be tyre kickers wasting your time.

“This train is built for speed now this train
This train is built for speed now
Fastest train you ever did see now”

This thought should always be in the mind of the entrepreneur. Time is priceless and time wasters are costly.

“Don’t carry nothing but the righteous and the holy.”

The interpretation of the righteous and holy is narrowed in business to the righteous being those who like the service/product and pay on time and holy being those above most and recommend you to others.

“This train is bound for glory, this train is bound for glory this train”

Not always right

The theme above highlights the dangers of losing focus on the sad fact that not all customers are worth having. Investopedia describes a customer as “an individual or business that purchases another company’s goods or services.”

We’ve all heard the quote ‘the customer is always right’. However, the full quote from Harry Selfridge is:

“The customer is always right, in matters of taste.”

This means that if they want to buy an ugly hat, let them—they’re still buying it. It doesn’t mean they’re always right, though. Cutting a saying in half often misses a lot of the meaning.

Not all customers are worth having if they don’t meet your business needs in accepting your product and service at a price you can sustain. They might be right in taste, but that doesn’t mean they are actually helping your business.

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