...it all depends on your/your comapny's approach to it...If you use complaince to drive real beneficial security changes in an organization, you reap the rewards.
You're absolutely correct, and ideally that would be the case. However, with security still being seen as a cost by so many companies (though it's getting better) that may be easier said than done. In so many companies, what the CEO and BOD really care about is being compliant with regs while spending the least money possible to do so.
I understand that I work for a business, and that the business of business is business...but if you lose your customer base because you didn't do all you could to protect their info, you'll have no business being in business.