Talk to your customers
Those who succeed with digitisation, put the experiences, challenges and expectations of users and customers first, and use new digital technologies to generate added value for both customers and their business.
A lot of people are surprised by how much useful insight there is to be gained from just a short telephone call with a couple of customers, during which you ask simple questions. It’s easy to believe that you know your market and what the answers to those questions will be, but often surprises and new discoveries await.
Understanding your customers’ experiences, challenges and expectations is vital to achieving success.
The first task to be completed in the guide is therefore:
Call a few customers and ask simple, open questions.
If you are looking for new opportunities, you can ask more general questions, such as:
- What are the most important challenges you face?
- How satisfied are you with our products/services?
- Why are you satisfied/dissatisfied?
- What are you missing?
- What problem do you have with xx service/product?
- Do you have any suggestions for improvements or new solutions?
Come up with questions that are relevant to your customers. Take notes throughout. Based on the insight you have gained by talking to potential customers, you now have to assess how your business will help those customers.
If you already have a specific idea or project in mind, the aim is to determine whether you are on to something that the customer actually needs, wants or will start using. What challenge or problem can this solve for the customer? Is it a problem that the customer needs to solve, or it is not really that pressing? What more is needed to make this valuable to the customer?