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People not sure what they want
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Editor’s note:
Surveys of what customers want are in vogue as the new year ushers in, as if they’re very scientific. The following article finds, however, that many customers really don’t know what they want.
“WHAT are my customers’ three major headaches?”
This is an important question, and not enough executives take the trouble to ask it.
Perhaps that’s because it’s tricky to answer.
Or perhaps it’s because the question will force companies to find problems with their products and services. But it’s a different way of looking at the customer that can produce some terrific new insights.
Over the last few weeks or months, many marketing teams around the world have been preparing plans for 2014 by trying to analyze the needs and wants of their customers. Unfortunately, much of this effort will be wasted. That’s because most customers don’t know what they want. They really don’t.
Had Henry Ford asked people in the late 19th century what new form of transport they wanted, many would have asked for faster horses. And as I’ve written before, nobody sent Steve Jobs an e-mail 10 years ago saying they needed an iPhone or an iPad.
Ford and Jobs didn’t create great products and global brands by worrying all the time about what people needed or wanted. Their genius was in realizing that human beings want products and services that make our lives easier, better and/or cheaper. Most of all, we want to minimize our headaches.
So as 2014 starts, ask yourselves what your customers’ biggest headaches are.
Enough plug sockets?
To start answering this question, you may need to “spend a day in the lives of your customers” and find out what bothers them. Then, figure out how you’re going to address these headaches.
If you’re in the hotel business, then spend some nights in one of your rooms. Are the beds comfortable? Are there enough plug sockets to recharge your computer, your phone and your iPod? Do you have to crawl under the table to find them?
Anticipating customer headaches does not always come easy, and even visionary people sometimes underestimate opportunities.
However, the good news is that the world is not short of headaches. Every one of these creates a big opportunity for companies and entrepreneurs to make a difference and add value for the customer.
These headaches don’t need to be in brand new sectors. They could be in much older industries such as shoes, coffee, furniture or watches.
After all, there’s no such thing as a mature market — just mature marketers. So step away from the daily rush and think about your customers’ headaches. Solve them in 2014, and you’ll increase your chances of having a fantastic year.
Dominique Turpin is president of IMD. This article is reprinted with permission from IMD.
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