Customer Obsession: How to Build Products That Create Fans, Not Just Users
Karthik Shivkumar
Senior Product Manager | B2B SaaS | I Specialize in Growth for SaaS Startups and Enterprises | Technical Product Management
In today’s competitive market, building great products is no longer enough—you need to build products that customers love. True innovation comes from customer obsession, not just customer focus. But what does that really mean?
A customer-obsessed company doesn’t just listen to what users say—they decode what they truly need and build solutions that anticipate those needs. Here’s how to create products that turn users into evangelists and satisfied customers into raving fans.
?? What is Customer Obsession?
Customer obsession is about:
? Capturing stated wants – Giving customers a voice to express what they need.
? Understanding unstated needs – Identifying hidden pain points beyond what’s explicitly mentioned.
? Building product capabilities that address both, creating intuitive, game-changing solutions.
The best companies don’t just meet expectations—they exceed them by bridging the gap between what customers say and what they truly want.
?? The Three Pillars of Customer Obsession
1?? The Right Medium to Capture Customer Insights
The first step in customer obsession is ensuring you have channels where customers can share their feedback.
Without a direct line to your users, you’re building in the dark.
?? Ways to Capture Stated Wants:
? Social Media & Reviews – Pay attention to user discussions.
? Surveys & Feedback Forms – Directly ask for customer opinions.
? Emails & Chats – Personalized responses uncover deeper insights.
? User Interviews & Focus Groups – Nothing beats real conversations.
But here’s the real magic: Customers don’t always know what they need. That’s where you need to dig deeper.
?? Ways to Identify Unstated Needs:
?? Data & Telemetry – How are users actually engaging with your product?
?? Observational Research – Watch how users interact instead of just asking them.
?? Hypothesis-Driven Approach – Develop educated guesses about needs and validate them.
?? Example: When Starbucks first introduced mobile ordering, they weren’t just responding to a want (“I want an easier way to order”). They identified an unstated need—customers valued their time and wanted to skip long lines.
2?? Building the Right Product Capabilities
?? Table Stakes (Basic Expectations):
? These are the foundational features that customers expect in any product.
? If you don’t include them, your product won’t even be considered.
?? Example: Uber’s payment gateway is a table stake—if a competitor launched without it, no one would use the app.
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?? Delighters (Unstated Needs That Wow Customers):
? These are unexpected, thoughtful features that surprise and delight users.
? They differentiate your product and make users feel valued.
?? Example: Imagine ordering coffee and receiving a free cookie. That unexpected moment elevates the experience—just like when Apple first introduced Face ID or Amazon launched one-click ordering.
Great companies don’t just stop at table stakes—they prioritize delighters to create loyalty and advocacy.
3?? Understanding Your User Base: Customers vs. Fans
The best products don’t just create users—they create evangelists who actively promote the brand.
?? Shipping Table Stakes = Loyal Customers
? They appreciate a product that works as expected.
? They’ll stick around as long as the product remains useful.
?? Shipping Delighters = Raving Fans
? Fans don’t just use your product—they talk about it.
? They organize meetups, write blog posts, and defend your brand online.
?? Example: Look at Tesla. Their fans don’t just drive Teslas—they promote the brand, wear Tesla merchandise, and advocate for EV adoption. That’s the power of going beyond stated wants.
?? The Future of Customer Obsession
In today’s world, customer loyalty is no longer a given—it must be earned.
The brands that win are the ones that:
? Actively listen to stated customer wants.
? Deeply understand unstated customer needs.
? Go beyond expectations with innovative delighters.
?? Key Takeaways for Product Managers:
? Set up direct channels to capture customer feedback.
? Use data, research, and behavioral insights to uncover hidden needs.
? Build table stakes to meet expectations—but delighters to surpass them.
? Turn users into fans and brand advocates.
If you want your product to stand out, not just survive, make customer obsession your competitive advantage.
What’s a product that surprised and delighted you? Share in the comments! ??
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