Ram Narayanan SastryProduct Analyst| Toshiba Medical Systems CorporationNasushiobara-Shi, Tochigi-Ken, Japan
One of the greatest minds of this era, Steve Jobs, always thought that the customer does not really know what is needed? Visionary companies need to show the customer the product before they can realize it.
Ram Narayanan SastryProduct Analyst| Toshiba Medical Systems CorporationNasushiobara-Shi, Tochigi-Ken, Japan
Feb 03, 2017 3:31 PM
Replying to Kenneth Myers
...
This is an interesting question and one I've struggled to understand on some projects. WHO IS THE CUSTOMER?!? I've always stuck to the one who pays for the product. Some may say it is the one who receives the ultimate benefit, but if no one pays for it, how will others receive the benefit?
I agree with everyone. A customer may not know exactly what they want but they have requirements. They can say "i want it to do this" or " I don't want it to do that". It is true that someone is never happy and many did not like the first iPhone, but it had other qualities. A visionary company will listen to gaps in the market and then design products to fit that gap.
Great points, Kenneth. And great question, Who is the customer? The question gets much murkier for service providers such as software services company as their "customer" is often the company that actually sells the product to the end-customer.
Personally, I have tend to look at the person who is farthest down the line who makes the final payment as the "Customer". I usually advise all the services company to consider the company for which they provide services as partners instead of customers. Though it might seem trivial to look at them as partners, mentally that changes a lot as partners are more interested in looking at the end solutions rather than just doing what they are requested to do.
Does every painting a good painter make succeed? Does every song a good singer sings become a hit? I think failures are part and parcel of every individual. What matters is of course what we do with those failures.Lisa and NeXT were definitely stepping stones for Jobs, though the others weren't so much. Thomas Alva Edison failed 1000 times before he could come up with a light bulb which just changed all our lives!!
But, we are deviating from our main question here... How would customer feedback helped with Apple Lisa or NeXT which were both examining concepts such as Artificial Intelligence etc. about which know how was restricted to research labs or a select few world wide.
So I think the question of success or failure is a slightly different one from the topic being discussed here.
Sorry, but I don't agree with you.
Do you start a project without studying market or knowing your customers?
...
1 reply by Ram Narayanan Sastry
Feb 05, 2017 10:32 PM
Ram Narayanan Sastry
...
Don't be sorry, the whole point of a discussion is to debate the various aspects of an issue whether you agree or disagree.
No, most projects are not started without studying market or knowing the customers. But that is not the point of the article either.
The difference the article points out is between "listening" and "knowing". Give the article one more try and let it grow on you :). I think you got stuck on the headline question and missed the rest of the article.
Cheers!
Ram
Saving Changes...
Ram Narayanan SastryProduct Analyst| Toshiba Medical Systems CorporationNasushiobara-Shi, Tochigi-Ken, Japan
Feb 03, 2017 10:10 PM
Replying to Anupam
...
Sorry, but I don't agree with you.
Do you start a project without studying market or knowing your customers?
Don't be sorry, the whole point of a discussion is to debate the various aspects of an issue whether you agree or disagree.
No, most projects are not started without studying market or knowing the customers. But that is not the point of the article either.
The difference the article points out is between "listening" and "knowing". Give the article one more try and let it grow on you :). I think you got stuck on the headline question and missed the rest of the article.
Cheers!
Ram
...
1 reply by Anupam
Feb 06, 2017 12:01 AM
Anupam
...
Well, for us customer feedback is important, and no exception allowed. We do surveys to capture market response, and understand the customer better. Our organization was founded 100 years back, and its goodwill rests on its customer.
Don't be sorry, the whole point of a discussion is to debate the various aspects of an issue whether you agree or disagree.
No, most projects are not started without studying market or knowing the customers. But that is not the point of the article either.
The difference the article points out is between "listening" and "knowing". Give the article one more try and let it grow on you :). I think you got stuck on the headline question and missed the rest of the article.
Cheers!
Ram
Well, for us customer feedback is important, and no exception allowed. We do surveys to capture market response, and understand the customer better. Our organization was founded 100 years back, and its goodwill rests on its customer.
