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Added customer value is the number one key to success The number one key to success and profitability in product innovation is developing and delivering a unique, superior and differentiated product; a product with new and unique benefits for the customer; and a new product that boasts a compelling value proposition that will excite the customer and the user. Voice of the customer (VoC) is the process of capturing the customers and users needs, preferences and aversions in order to understand exactly what product or service we need to develop to excite the customer. Great potential for higher growth and profits Our research and consulting work shows that most companies are far from being experts in this crucial area. Most companies can substantially boost their growth and profits by improving their skills in developing products that really offer the customers something new and exciting. The below programme is an example of how you can train a group of your own people to do voice of customer work.
Participants from your company: 10-20 product developers and marketing people Goals: programme results to enable participants to use methodologies to analyse and chart user needs and convert these needs into new-product requirements; to ensure that three groups of five individuals complete at least three different sessions involving a specific analysis method; to chart and define user needs for selected products; to define how these methods can and should be used in the future at your company; to work out checklists or describe methodologies that can be used in future development efforts. Programme Part 1 (two-day workshop): VoC theory and exercises: how to analyse customer and user needs and planning an analysis programme Day 1: Theory and exercises with selected methods The importance of working with user needs. How to work with users or customers in the various phases of the development process. Methodology for making a needs analysis: interviews, focus groups, observation, brainstorming with users and customers, and more. Reviewing checklists or guides for the most important methods. Practising selected methods. Planning fieldwork, including methodology, users/customers and scope. The workshop will require three groups of five individuals, each of which works with a specific analysis method involving at least three different customers or user groups. These efforts are expected to involve 1) interviews, 2) reverse brainstorming and user analysis, and 3) observation. Preparing an analysis plan. Defining the requirements for and choice of possible case enterprises (this could be prepared in part before the seminar, if preferred). Part 1, day 2: Contact to possible businesses Morning: the groups contact, select and make arrangements with case businesses (could take place together with the sales department). Afternoon: we meet to conclude who is to be visited and when. Part 2 (23 days within 2 weeks): Practical fieldwork charting user needs Each group carries out the analysis activities planned. The trainer takes part in the first meeting of each group (this can include additional meetings, if desired); Each group compiles analysis results. Part 3 (day 1): Conclusions and lessons learned Each group reports on its results and the lessons learned, including the strengths and weaknesses of the methods. The validity of the results is assessed. (Are additional analyses required?) Checklists/guides for analysing user and customer needs are updated on the basis of the lessons learned. The planning of how to organise a user analysis and incorporate it into product-development efforts. Completion work Documentation of the results. Comments Various target groups that will probably be included in the user-analysis efforts The target groups that will be included will be decided. These groups can be quite different from company to company. Examples from B2B products are. The direct customer Purchasing people, users and service staff in the customer's organisation Final customers and end users (our customers customers) Methods that usually are included in the programme 1) Customer interviews A small group carries out visits to customers involving structured interviews and the inspection of each venue where the product will be/is used. Where: to be carried out at each individual customer. Duration: a morning or an afternoon. 2) Reverse brainstorming and user analysis A meeting lasting two or three hours with a group of users/customers from various businesses where reverse brainstorming is used to identify problems. After this, brainstorming or other creative techniques to find possible solutions. Where: at your company or outside the company Duration: 23 hours. Who: users/customers from various businesses. Comments: Can be widened into an entire innovation day with customers. 3) Observation and process analysis a day in the life of the product The analysis group carries out a time-and-costs study of what takes place during the course of a whole day. The use of the product and the time and costs expended are identified. Examples of other possible methods Using of an external group of experts. Ethnography Monitoring legislation. Ideas bank. Performance analysis. Lead user survey: collaborate with advanced users (who have modified the standard product, for instance). Focus groups. Get more information Order more information via our contact page |
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