This past September 23rd an institution turned 59 years old.

This institution is neither a bank nor a company, not even a department of something. That day was the birth of a body of work that has spanned 5 decades, thousands of prose, endless movements and marathon recitals. September 23rd 1949 was the day that Bruce Springsteen came to be in a tiny town north of Asbury Park called Long Branch.

Springsteen is obviously well-known for a few things – his prescient lyrics, his ability to channel the disenchanted, he’s been a slogan during presidential campaigns, won a Grammy and an Oscar and, when needed, has harnessed the voices of Guthrie, Seeger and Dylan – but what is most impressive is the fervour with which his customers support his efforts.

His singular focus on the audience, his customers, while on stage has become legendary – on par with his music – in fact; self-proclaimed non-fans flock to his shows out of curiosity and walk away in bewilderment. How does he do it? How does he keep a legion of fans coming back while enticing others to buy tickets for the first time? It’s pretty simple, he says, he leaves everything on stage every single night.

What happens behind the scenes is where the lessons are truly learned.

It starts with his product, the music. His lyrics strike a chord because they speak the same language and resonate in a way that connects the music with the listener – they speak to all our intricacies. His live performances are tantamount to a religious revival – hands swaying to the music in unison. His is the complete offering, a 40-year in the making success, built one raving fan at a time…the way business should be built.

Springsteen’s only goal as he steps on the stage every night is to give his customers an experience that measures up to the value they put on the ticket they purchased. He wants to give them their money’s worth. People come to see his legendary 3 hour live performances solely as a result of other peoples’ experiences and they leave as fans – his entire career has been about getting people in the door for a trial and sending them home in a state of disbelief as sometime during the night, they became raging fans.

His was a conscious effort – the shows became legendary before his music did – and as awareness grew, he set himself apart from the other Jersey Shore performers by going steps beyond what they offered, by becoming known for what he provides – great value – as opposed to what his competitors provide – a standard offering. His meticulous, almost maniacal focus on the outcome – on the stage or in the studio — ensured a completely unique experience for his customers and, as a result, they brought their friends to his shows and indoctrinated them.

Springsteen learned very early on that customer satisfaction is very different from a completely satisfied customer.

Business today should take heed of Springsteen’s search for connection with his fans. He built his reputation through a singular desire to outperform, out write and outlast his competition and companies that follow this mantra will have customers as unwavering as Springsteen’s focus on the crowd at his feet.