Assessing Product Features Against Customer Expectations (ProductCamp Boston 2016)

Assessing Product Features Against Customer Expectations

Bill Allenwww.linkedin.com/in/billallen2016

A framework for evaluating customer expectations,

learning how product features can delight or disappoint, and

for optimizing feature sets https://goo.gl/17M5MXNote: Animations will work best if you open this file in PowerPoint.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/billallen2016

Discussion Points

• Products are made up of Features• Customer Expectations determine how

Product Features matter• Product Features will change over time• As will Customer Expectations

https://goo.gl/17M5MX

Three Types of Product Features

1. Check the box.tires, brakes, power windows

2. More is better.horsepower, gas mileage

3. Oooh, Shiny!collision-avoidance radar

What makes them different?


Satisfaction

Dissatisfaction

FeaturePresence

FeatureAbsence


FF

S

S

Brakes

Collision-AvoidanceRadar

Gas Mileage


Brakes

Collision-AvoidanceRadar

Gas Mileage

FF

S

S

Must-BeDelighter

One-Dimensional


FF

S

S

One-Dimensional

A/C ABS

Keyless EntryPower Windows

Must-BeDelighter


FF

S

S

One-Dimensional

Deliver orDisappoint

CSATAccelerator

Must-BeDelighter


Failing to Meet Expectations

• “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”• A hotel guest takes a shower, and the water

pressure drops. • A driver hits the brakes, and the brakes fail.• That last sip of coffee is full of grounds.


FF

Assessing Customer Expectations

If the brakes work, how do you feel?

If the brakes fail, how do you feel?

OKI don’t like that


MUST-BE

FF






MUST-BE

FF




If the car brakes automatically to avoid a collision, how do you feel?

If you can use the car’s brakes to avoid a collision, how do you feel?


OK I like thathttps://goo.gl/17M5MX

DELIGHTER

MUST-BE

FF




If the car brakes automatically to avoid a collision, how do you feel?

If you can use the car’s brakes to avoid a collision, how do you feel?


OK I like thathttps://goo.gl/17M5MX

Features v. Customer Expectations

?

?

Must-Be

Reverse

IndifferentI am

neutral.

I don’t like that.

It must be that way.

I like that.

I can live with it.

F

F I like that.

It must be that way.

I am neutral.

I can live with it.

I don’t like that.

1-DimDelighters

Radio-Preset Example

• Existing Radio:– 25 presets– Any preset can be either AM or FM– “Next” goes to the next preset, regardless of band


If you don’t have to switch between AM & FM to select a preset in the other band, how do you feel?

FF




FF


If you have to switch between AM & FM to select a preset in the other band, how do you feel?

OK OK

FF INDIFFERENTIf you don’t have to switch between AM & FM to select a preset in the other band, how do you feel?



OK OK

FF INDIFFERENT

If selecting the next preset keeps you in the same band, how do you feel?



Radio-Preset ExampleIf selecting the next preset keeps you in the same band, how do you feel?

If you select the next preset, and you get one in the other band, how do you feel?



OK OK

FF

MUST-BE

INDIFFERENTIf you don’t have to switch between AM & FM to select a preset in the other band, how do you feel?

Radio-Preset ExampleIf selecting the next preset keeps you in the same band, how do you feel?

If you select the next preset, and you get one in the other band, how do you feel?



OK OK


• Existing Radio:– 25 presets– Any preset can be either AM or FM– “Next” goes to the next preset, regardless of band

• New Design:– 20 AM Presets– 20 FM Presets– “Next” goes to the next preset in the current band

You don’t have to switch between AM & FM to select a preset in the other band.

INDIFFERENT

Selecting the next preset keeps you in the same band.

MUST-BE


FF

S

S

One-Dimensional

Enter the Market

Win

Must-BeDelighter Compete

Feature Mix?


FF

S

S

One-Dimensional

Enter the Market

Win

Must-BeDelighter Compete

Feature Mix?


This Framework

• Is inherently qualitative• Can require hard-to-word questions• Needs to survey the product’s target

customers• Can’t establish the relative value between

similar features• Bottom line, is one useful lens among many


Points to Remember

• Understand your customers’ expectationsAs they evolve during the product’s lifecycle

• Don’t give any reason for dissatisfactionMake sure to deliver the Must-Be features

• Offer meaningful competitive performanceReasonable One-Dimensional features

• Give them a reason to choose your productDelighters = Differentiation


Your Thoughts?


Thank You!


Assessing Product Features Against Customer Expectations (ProductCamp Boston 2016)

Marketing