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.
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
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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?
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Satisfaction
Dissatisfaction
FeaturePresence
FeatureAbsence
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FF
S
S
Brakes
Collision-AvoidanceRadar
Gas Mileage
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Brakes
Collision-AvoidanceRadar
Gas Mileage
FF
S
S
Must-BeDelighter
One-Dimensional
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FF
S
S
One-Dimensional
A/C ABS
Keyless EntryPower Windows
Must-BeDelighter
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FF
S
S
One-Dimensional
Deliver orDisappoint
CSATAccelerator
Must-BeDelighter
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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.
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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
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MUST-BE
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
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MUST-BE
FF
Assessing Customer Expectations
If the brakes work, how do you feel?
If the brakes fail, how do you feel?
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?
OKI don’t like that
OK I like thathttps://goo.gl/17M5MX
DELIGHTER
MUST-BE
FF
Assessing Customer Expectations
If the brakes work, how do you feel?
If the brakes fail, how do you feel?
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?
OKI don’t like that
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
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If you don’t have to switch between AM & FM to select a preset in the other band, how do you feel?
FF
Radio-Preset Example
If you don’t have to switch between AM & FM to select a preset in the other band, how do you feel?
If you don’t have to switch between AM & FM to select a preset in the other band, how do you feel?
FF
Radio-Preset Example
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?
Radio-Preset Example
If you 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?
If you don’t have to switch between AM & FM to select a preset in the other band, how do you feel?
If 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?
If you have to switch between AM & FM to select a preset in the other band, how do you feel?
OKI don’t like that
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?
If you have to switch between AM & FM to select a preset in the other band, how do you feel?
OKI don’t like that
OK OK
Radio-Preset Example
• 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
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FF
S
S
One-Dimensional
Enter the Market
Win
Must-BeDelighter Compete
Feature Mix?
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FF
S
S
One-Dimensional
Enter the Market
Win
Must-BeDelighter Compete
Feature Mix?
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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
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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
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Your Thoughts?
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Thank You!
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