Filling the doughnut hole: Anatomy of great customer experience
Opinion
By
Grace Ngugi
| Nov 19, 2025
When you think of a doughnut, the first thing that likely comes to mind is its shape: round, with a hole in the middle.
It’s simple, iconic, and universally loved. But beyond the glaze and sprinkles lies a metaphor that businesses can learn from.
The perceived shape of a doughnut is round and centred; it can be a powerful lens through which we can view customer centricity. First, the round shape depicts its symmetry and balance. A doughnut is symmetrical. No matter how you turn it, it retains its balance and wholeness.
In business, this kind of balance is essential. Customer-centric organisations ensure that every part of the company, from product development to marketing to after-sales support, is aligned around the customer.
This symmetry also reflects consistency. Customers expect the same quality of experience whether they are talking to sales, logging into an app, or contacting support.
A doughnut-shaped organisation isn’t lopsided; it doesn’t favour one department or function over another. Everything is in harmony, revolving around a shared purpose. Secondly, the hole in the middle symbolises focus on the core. The doughnut’s hole, the space in the centre, is often overlooked, but it’s crucial to its identity.
It’s what gives the doughnut its form, symmetry, and appeal. Metaphorically, that centre represents the customer.
Customer-centric organisations recognise that everything they build—every product feature, policy, or experience—should be designed around the customer, not just with them in mind.
They are the core reason the company exists in the first place. But here’s the twist: the customer, like the doughnut hole, isn’t something you “fill in”; you design around them. This shift in thinking moves businesses from pushing products outward to pulling needs inward.
Thirdly, the outer ring, which can be taken to mean creating delightful experiences. While the hole is the core, the outer ring is what people see, taste, and talk about. It’s where experience happens. In business, this is your brand, your service delivery, and your physical or digital touchpoints.
Customer-centricity demands that these experiences be delightful, accessible, and inclusive. Just like no one wants a dry, flavourless doughnut, customers don’t want generic, impersonal experiences. The more thoughtfully crafted your outer layer is, the more personalised the interactions, the more seamless the user journeys, and the more intuitive the design, the more likely you are to win loyalty.
The infinite loop signifies always circling the customer. A doughnut has no beginning or end; it’s a loop. In customer-centric organisations, the customer journey doesn’t stop at purchase. It continues in the form of support, engagement, advocacy, and co-creation.
Think of every interaction as part of a continuous loop. Data from one touchpoint should inform and improve the next. Customer feedback should circle back into product innovation. It’s not a one-and-done transaction; it’s a relationship. A round, evolving, and interconnected experience.
Finally, customisation is the sprinkles, the cherry on the doughnut. The finishing touch. Doughnuts come in hundreds of flavours and toppings, from plain to classic glazed cream.
In the same way, customer-centric businesses recognise that no two customers are the same. To fit individual needs and preferences, they use data, insights, and empathy to personalise offerings.
The writer is the founder, The Loop Consulting, and an adjunct lecturer at a local private university