Hiding in the Bushes
From Observation comes Innovation
Steve Jobs often hid in the bushes outside his local Apple Store in Palo Alto, California. He wanted to observe the entire customer experience, from the employee-customer interaction to how customers acted around his products. His goal was to provide the best products and a great customer experience all in one place. While the purchase of an Apple product was the end of the relationship in the past, the birth of the Apple Store encouraged customers to use the products before purchasing them, ask questions and speak to the Genius Bar should you have issues with a previously purchased product.
Coming up with a new innovative idea can be as easy as observing everyday consumers use your products in their natural environment. Not only does it let you see if they use your product in the way it was intended but it allows them to give you instant feedback and exposes any oversights you may have made.
"At the Procter & Gamble Mason Business Center in Ohio, P&G set up a lab that takes customer discovery to a whole new level. At the oral health science 'Insight Suite,' a two-way mirror lets the company watch customers use products in a bathroom and a kitchen. Researchers can then note how users interact with the products and what they use them for." - Smart Insights
Gathering this information can shine light on uses for your products you hadn’t considered. Observation triggers and inspires new concepts. OXO President Alex Lee discusses how the company was able to design products that met consumer needs even when consumers themselves didn't know what they wanted or needed. Begin video at 8:20.
Watching your customers use your product in real life situations is crucial. You’ll find out what they like, what they don’t like, and what they would change to meet their particular needs. People don’t buy products for their features; they buy products to solve a problem they have.
Have you observed your product in action?
Morty Silber, CEO
Mad Strategies Inc.
a Wizard of Ads Partner