What are ways to learn from the feedback and experience of your customers?

As an expert business analyst and hospitality management consultant, I approach my work with a focus on data-driven decision-making and strategic planning. My role involves analyzing market trends, identifying opportunities for growth, and developing strategies to enhance operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. One key aspect of my approach is leveraging technology and digital tools to gather and analyze data effectively. This includes using advanced analytics software, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and business intelligence platforms to gain valuable insights into market dynamics and customer behavior.

Customer discovery, while fundamental, is often executed superficially. The key is not just to validate assumptions but to uncover latent needs and unarticulated desires that customers themselves may not be aware of. Techniques like ethnographic observations and deep-dive interviews can reveal these hidden layers. It's crucial to approach this not just as a data-gathering exercise but as a strategic exploration to inform and sometimes pivot the business model. The documentation, through personas or customer journeys, should not just categorize findings but also capture the nuances of customer behavior and motivation. This depth transforms customer discovery from a validation tool into a strategic compass.

In my experience the best way for customer discovery is: “GO OUT AND TALK TO THEM YOURSELVES”! I have 4 concrete tips for you: 1. Immerse as an anthropologist among your potential customers without being judgmental. 2. Find out what really relevant for them in their lives at this moment. 3. Identify their jobs-to-be-done and the major issues related to the context of your scope. 4. Do customer discovery before your ideation process YOURSELVES with your whole tam, as the experience is as important as the results. When as immerse in your target group yourself you will understand their situation, their needs, their jobs to be done more profoundly than any other method. You will never forget your customer vists ?????.

In my experience, a combination of several techniques gives the best results. Deep interviews combined with a survey and observations are more powerful than one alone. And as mentioned before, talking to your customers and asking the right questions can never be replaced with questionnaires and observations.

Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys measure customer satisfaction and loyalty by asking them to rate the likelihood of recommending a product or service on a scale from 0 to 10. Categorizing respondents into promoters, passives, and detractors, businesses can quickly assess overall sentiment. NPS, calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from promoters, provides a valuable metric for strategic decision-making and continuous improvement initiatives.

Additionally, I emphasize the importance of collaboration and communication within organizations. By fostering a culture of teamwork and open communication, I help teams align their efforts towards common goals and drive innovation. Moreover, I believe in continuous learning and staying updated with industry best practices and emerging trends. This enables me to provide informed recommendations and solutions that are relevant and effective in today's dynamic business environment.

Customer validation is pivotal in aligning product-market fit, yet it's often executed with a narrow focus. Beyond standard MVPs, landing pages, and beta tests, deeper ethnographic research and immersive customer experiences can uncover nuanced insights. This approach transcends basic KPIs and analytics, tapping into the emotional and practical aspects of user interaction. It's about understanding the 'why' behind the data. Integrating these insights into iterative development cycles ensures that the product evolves in a way that's not just data-driven, but also deeply resonant with the market's evolving needs and expectations.

"Based on your customers" being the key element! It's so easy to start listening to everyone's opinion, But in the end, you just overload your roadmap and task list (seen it happen often!) Instead >> listen to your BEST and NEWEST customers. These folks are the people whose voices are going to help you grow ??

The key thing to focus on in the customer validation stage is identifying if you have achieved product user and product market fit for a new or emerging product. This is an important aspect as you don't want to fall into a marketing trap of not knowing when to push or pull on spending activity. Customer validation will work here as you can start evaluating behavioural and attitudinal aspects. I would also evolve the conversation from just MVP, to understanding the CVP (commercially viable product) and try to understand the delta in customer behaviour and attitudes across the two stages of product dev (MVP vs CVP).

La validación es un paso clave que te permite ajustar tu solución al mercado real. A través de MVPs, confirmas la viabilidad de tu oferta y obtienes retroalimentación directa que puede moldear su evolución. Para mí, cada interacción es una oportunidad para afinar y mejorar, asegurando que cada ajuste esté respaldado por datos y respuestas concretas de quienes más importan: tus clientes.

Customer development, while integral, risks becoming a rote exercise if not approached with a critical mindset. Lean Startup, Agile, and Design Thinking are robust frameworks, but their efficacy hinges on the depth of customer insights and the agility of your response. The real challenge lies in transcending these methodologies to foster a culture of continuous learning and adaptation. Tools like the Business Model Canvas are valuable, but they're just a starting point. The key is to dynamically integrate customer feedback into every aspect of your business model, ensuring that your solution not only meets but anticipates customer needs.

Con el desarrollo de clientes perfeccionas continuamente tu solución basándote en el feedback recibido. Es un proceso de evolución constante, donde aplicas metodologías como lean startup, por ejemplo, para adaptar y refinar tu modelo de negocio y propuesta de valor, asegurándote de que cada ajuste contribuya a la satisfacción de tu cliente.

Steve Blank outlines a four-phase methodology designed to help startups systematically discover and validate their business models. The phases are: i. Customer Discovery, meant to understand customer problems and needs and to test whether your business idea effectively solves those problems; ii. Customer Validation, which involves building a repeatable and scalable sales model; iii. Customer Creation, where the focus shifts to creating demand and driving sales; and iv. Company Building, where the business transitions from an early-stage startup to a structured company. These phases help startups systematically learn about their markets, refine their products, and build a sustainable business model.

The hardest thing to do is to retain customers in a congested marketplace, first principles apply here. You need to understand how competitive your product is from a price, service, and selection perspective. You also need to understand the brand's desire and affinity to your highest-value customers as well as quality of your value proposition. Finally, just speaking to customers and improving the product based don't heir feedback will not always work, you'll need to also anticipate what they may need in the future and demonstrate innovation. Collectively this information will have drive better retention rates.

customer retention is pivotal in sustaining and growing a business. However, it's crucial to recognize that retention strategies must evolve beyond traditional methods like loyalty programs and referrals. In today's dynamic market, personalization and customer experience customization are key. Leveraging data analytics to understand customer behavior patterns and preferences can lead to more targeted and effective retention strategies. Moreover, integrating customer feedback into product development and service delivery can transform customer satisfaction into a powerful retention tool.

Is the customer always right? Feedback can be valuable, but you MUST acknowledge the gap between what customers say and do. Develop systems to measure customer behaviour! Many businesses waste resources on weak customer opinion data, that seldom leads to “significant” actionable insights or KPI boosts. Distilling and leveraging factors that bring customers back eg. products/ time periods is FAR more useful. Rewards systems are a golden opportunity to track, understand and affect customer behaviour, if utilised correctly! Establish systems to measure their impact, adjusting elements over time. Experiment with variables like personalisation, framing, advertising, frequency, novelty, and gamification. Compare results, and apply your research!

Customer co-creation, while a potent tool for innovation and alignment with market needs, demands a nuanced approach. It's not just about gathering ideas but about strategically integrating customer insights into your business model. The challenge lies in balancing customer input with your company's vision and capabilities. Crowdsourcing and co-design can lead to a plethora of ideas, but without a robust filtering mechanism, this can dilute strategic focus. Moreover, customer engagement in these processes requires careful management to ensure that it reflects a diverse and representative segment of your market.

Un enfoque colaborativo no solo aumenta el valor del producto sino que también fomenta una conexión más fuerte entre la marca y su comunidad, potenciando la lealtad y la satisfacción del cliente.

Customer learning is pivotal in today's dynamic market landscape. It transcends traditional market research, embedding continuous feedback into the very fabric of your business model and solution development. Techniques like lean analytics and experiments, feedback analysis, and action research are not just tools but integral components of a strategic approach. They foster a culture of adaptability and evolution in sync with customer needs. The key lies in effectively utilizing learning loops, plans, metrics, and reports. This approach ensures that customer insights are not episodic but a continuous dialogue, driving innovation and strategic alignment with market demands.

Your learning should not only come from negative feedback—pay attention to the positive feedback as well. I learned this from a very experienced designer I worked with many years ago. Whenever I told her that I liked her design, she would often ask further questions: - Why do you like it? - What are your three favorite parts of this design? - These elements were not specified in the requirements but appear in the design, and you seem to like them. Did you already know your preferences but didn't articulate them, or did you just discover that you like them? Questions like these trained both of us to collaborate more effectively. So, when you receive positive feedback, don’t stop there—ask questions.

Your customers have a gold mine of information on how you can improve your business, sell more and serve them better. Ask them, do continuous market research, interview customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders and interviews, and try to capture some of that valuable feedback and gold dust of information and act on that information. Capture the gold dust from your customer service department and learn, take action and execute.

In solch dynamischen Zeiten ist ein enge Kommunikation und ein tiefes Verst?ndnis deiner Kunden und dessen Erwartungen und Feedbacks essentiell. Darum solltest du kontinuierlich Kundenfeedback aktiv einzuholen und ernst nehmen. Nur so kannst du ein Gesch?ftsmodell nach den tats?chlichen Kundenbedürfnissen ausrichten und dauerhaft erfolgreich sein! Du solltest regelm??ige Kundenbefragungen durchführen. Frage gezielt nach, was den Kunden gef?llt, wo es Verbesserungspotenzial gibt und welche neuen Produkte/Services sie sich wünschen würden. Richte einen Customer Advisory Board ein - eine Gruppe treuer Kunden, die du regelm??ig zu Produkttests, Fokusgruppen etc. einl?dst. So erh?ltst du kontinuierliches Feedback aus erster Hand.