Listening to Customers is not enough. Ask the right questions to drive Innovation

Companies which have dedicated customer feedback collection and analysis programs still continue to get surprised by seismic shifts in the market place. How do companies which have an established customer base and are diligently working with them fail to develop products and services only to be surprised by start-ups? Worse, why do innovative ideas within companies get killed after a round of customer research?

At one level, the answer is ready. Customers cannot give feedback on a product that does not exist. To get to understand what customers really need you need to ask the right questions. What is it that they are trying to do? What is important to them? What are the constraints that they are facing? What is it that they have and do not really need?

Have a look at these slides to put some rigour in customer research program in your Innovation process.

http://www.slideshare.net/sanjoysanyal/listening-to-customers-in-the-correct-way-to-drive-innovation/

Let me know what you think.