What Can the Voice of the Customer Do for Your Business? Let’s Uncover the Magic
The Future of Customer-Centricity: Learn How User Personas Can Supercharge A Product Manager to Succeed
What on earth is insight, and how does it play detective in the world of business decisions?
Insight, my dear friend, is like the Sherlock Holmes of business — it’s the mastermind that skillfully points the way to innovative actions. But here’s the million-dollar question: What flavor of insight serves as the golden compass for business decisions?
Now, imagine insight as a jigsaw puzzle with three quirky pieces:
- Situation
- Objective
- Sense
The trio, much like a swift response to customer demands, unveils consumer insights and paves the way for sustained business expansion.
Let’s play detective, shall we?
Picture this: summertime is here, and online searches are flooded with sunscreen-related keywords (Situation). One might jump to the conclusion that folks are just avoiding those pesky tan lines. But wait, there’s more! Let’s ask the real question — what’s the goal here (Objective)? Flawless skin, a splash of moisture, and a timeless look without those pesky signs of aging. Ah-ha, now we’re getting somewhere. This is what lies behind those sunscreen quests — the pursuit of glowing, youthful skin.
This SOS model not only shows us the market’s size and what’s driving the masses but also unveils their wildest dreams about life’s scenarios. So, let’s connect the dots: good sun protection means no more fine lines, blemishes, or pesky dark spots, and that’s what we call “anti-aging.” Skin whitening is just one piece of the puzzle!
And here’s the kicker, mate. When a brand doesn’t dig deep into the “why” (Sense), it’s like making a sandwich with only one slice of bread — a bit lacking. Focus solely on skin whitening in sunscreen products without addressing consumers’ various “skin-deep” desires for that radiant look, and guess what? You’re leaving the treasure chest of product potential untouched.
This concept clearly echoes the wisdom we’ve gathered in the realm of product management — the mighty Voice of the Customer (VoC). To craft a solid value proposition before unleashing a new product upon the world, delving into the realm of VoC analysis is like deciphering the secret code to unearth customer preferences and pet peeves [1].
So, remember, it’s the trio — the three primary colors of insight — that make the magic happen. Without one, it’s like trying to solve a mystery with just one clue. Take, for example, this nugget: “50% of office workers are loyal to convenience stores for their daily breakfast.” A peek into their behavior tells us they’re fans, but can it predict if they’ll still be fans next month? The plot thickens, and that’s where the future becomes a tad murky.
Roll up the sleeves and get down to the nitty-gritty
Why do folks go for breakfast at the corner convenience store? Well, it’s the hustle and bustle of life, the never-ending quest for a few extra minutes of snooze. In a nutshell, it’s all about “busy bees needing a quick and hassle-free breakfast.” But here’s the twist — this kind of analysis often funnels us into a one-size-fits-all approach, like whipping up bite-sized breakfast miracles promising fullness in a single nibble. However, in a world where every brand is vying for the same slice of the pie, we need to think bigger and better.
To unearth the voice of the customer, Custer recommends constructing personas through interviews with individuals who engage with your process or product. [2] These folks are the primary users of your products. Let’s say we have Alexander, the prime user this plan is geared toward. This persona pinpoints the issues that the new product should address in enhancing the user experience, including the demand for on-the-go, quick-bite options. Moreover, Daniels offers an innovative approach involving ChatGPT to kickstart user persona initiatives. [3]
Ready to dive into this world of insight with us?
With a hefty load of behavioral data, motivations that could move mountains, and a treasure trove of customer expectations, this is where brands can let their creative juices flow.
And if we peek beneath the surface, beneath the motives and actions, we’re painting a picture of an idyllic life: savoring a meal in absolute comfort and relishing the exquisite beauty of existence. This isn’t just about shaking up the breakfast offerings at convenience stores; it’s the birth of exciting brunch ventures. It even paves diverse pathways for unrelated industries.
In a nutshell, remarkable insight isn’t just about addressing immediate hassles for consumers; it’s the spark for creativity, igniting an industrial renaissance. Once you’ve locked onto the compass of market demands, the need for action becomes crystal clear. The rest is a comprehensive blueprint for “how to act.” This is what defines the “distinctiveness in individual businesses.” And, of course, helping product managers identify when to hold back from action is a critical compass to evade budget blowouts. So, what do you think?
Reference:
[1] A. Osterwalder et al, Value Proposition Design: How to Create Products and Services Customers Want (2014), Wiley & Sons
[2] L. Custer, Mapping The Way: Improve The Customer Experience with Customer Journey Maps, Quality Progress, Vol. 51(5), pp. 46–51.
[3] D. Daniels, How to Use ChatGPT to Jumpstart Your Buyer Persona Project (2023), BrainKraft
