Tech News is Dominated by New Products: Customers Need a Balance So Their Needs Are Being Met
Corporate announcements and product releases dominate the news. The technology milieu is also playing a major role in the news cycle. This type of new is about what is being offered by the vendors instead of what the customers want. Sometimes it is difficult to be certain what is real and what is not. The voice of the consumer is rarely heard despite the fact customer feedback is solicited by the most successful companies. A critical aspect is the process of customer on boarding. This term refers to the relationship between the customer and the product.
Tech Journalism
Tech journalism has become the tedious process of spec sheets proclaiming the successful production of mass products for the consumer. These stories may be celebrated but there is no understanding regarding the way digital technology is transforming societies, cities and industries at a faster pace than ever seen in the past. There seems to be a necessity and appeal for reporting driven by the announcers. Every day thousands of releases cover business technology and news blurbs have become common. These articles have catchy headlines to acquire the page views. The problem is this coverage is an oversaturated conglomeration of first impressions, product photos and spec sheets. This type of coverage has neglected meaningful and predictable user adoption. These fundamentals are critical for the organization.
The Breaking Story
Many reporters are lazy and the same stories are reported by everyone. The press release breaks and takes over the news coverage. Very few sources are conducting any real reporting. Nothing is changing because the critics are a minimum of three years old. The sites covering customer context such as the application of technology in regards to the consumer have become the exception. The issue is these stories require time for reflection and research so by the time they are published the news is considered old. The attention span of the readers has become shorter so they hardly glance at this type of story. This devastates an business supported by advertising where the motivation is profit.
The Products
Customers want specific features in their products to solve pressing issues that are not being supplied by the vendors. The thousands of gadgets are becoming indistinguishable from each other and appear to be testing technology to see what will sell. The business purchasers are much more rational. Their decisions are based on strategic fit, ROI analysis, vendor responsiveness and numerous factors that can be compared and documented. These customers are less concerned with the age of the technology than how it performs to improve results and solve problems. The news reflects the latest buzz words and profits instead of the needs of the customers. Articles providing analysis, background, case studies and user cases are required instead of simply spreadsheets. Customer success is being jeopardized by the limited information available through the media sources.
The Vendors
The best vendors ensure the needs of their customers are met while making certain they are not blindsided by their competitors. AWS is a good example of a company in touch with the needs of their customers and their data is solid. In 2017 the CEO stated customers do not want to compromise on the evolution of the cloud. He said customers should not have to accept less than everything they want. The company was able to quantify the reasons for all 1,300 updated and new services they were providing to consumers. Many people believe the best companies remain in touch and responsive to the needs of their customers.
The Customer and Vendor Relationship
The most successful solutions offered by vendors reflect what the consumer desires. Businesses centered around technology must ensure they are providing for the current and future requirements of their customers. Customers often remain unaware their problems have technological solutions. Customer advocacy marketing can tighten the bond between the customer and the vendor products by providing important product information which builds loyalty. The problem is many customers and vendors appear unwilling to share the details regarding the vendor products and the customer needs. This fuels the assumption that products are not being developed that people want to purchase.
The Solution
This paradox has no obvious solution. Customers still fail to understand they are the leaders regarding technology. These consumers are placing their focus on what will be instead of what is available. Remaining silent about what consumers want has no commercial advantage. The vendors need to realize the numerous advantages and benefits of sharing their roadmaps, case studies and research with the customers. This requires time to study the audience but the results are generally stellar.
