A clear understanding of the customer is absolutely crucial to growth. Customers are bombarded with more and more options every day. They do not hesitate to walk away from products that fail to meet their expectations. The best companies are focused on customers to drive sustainable growth — tailoring offerings to customers’ unique needs.

1.
Driving
Customer
Centered
Innovation
Set
yourself
apart
from
competitors
by
seeing
the
world
through
your
customers’
eyes.
Focus
on
finding
the
right
metrics,
developing
an
integrated
approach,
creating
a
thorough
understanding
of
the
customer,
and
generating
strategic
investments
that
can
reap
real
rewards.
That
sounds
like
a
lot
of
work,
and
it
is.
But
when
you
do
it
right
it
all
pays
off.
Innovators
build
loyalty,
command
price
premiums,
and
increase
retention.
A
clear
understanding
of
the
customer
is
absolutely
crucial
to
growth.
Customers
are
bombarded
with
more
and
more
options
every
day.
They
do
not
hesitate
to
walk
away
from
products
that
fail
to
meet
their
expectations.
The
best
companies
are
focused
on
customers
to
drive
sustainable
growth
—
tailoring
offerings
to
customers’
unique
needs.

2. Innovation,
beyond
technologies
and
products,
must
be
customer
centered
to
ensure
sustainable
competitive
outcomes.
This
is
easier
said
than
done
for
many
companies.
Most
organizations
are
entrenched,
having
long
ago
optimized
around
functional
disciplines
and
rigid
processes.
But
you
can
change
this.
Intelligent
ways
to
integrate
customer
insights
in
design
and
development
are
always
a
challenge.
This
intelligence
can
be
developed
through
a
well-­‐defined
systematic
approach
using
dedicated
tools.
The
best
techniques
and
tools
to
use
are
QFD
(Quality
Function
Deployment)
and
VoC
(Voice
of
the
Customer),
proven
from
decades
of
industry
learning
and
refinement.
Consequently,
any
successful
strategy
requires
leaders
to
break
the
rigid
structure
around
functional
disciplines
and
usher
in
a
new
era
of
flexibility
and
agility.
Customer-­‐centered
innovation
is
about
integration,
alignment,
and
collaboration.
Today
customer
insights
are
more
relevant
than
ever
before
to
strategy,
communication,
developments,
and
operations.
The
entire
organization
must
be
optimized
around
customers’
needs.
As
a
result
products,
services,
and
solutions
evolve,
just
as
the
customer
does.
Customer-­‐centered
innovation
organizes
everyone
within
a
company
around
central
ideas
of
customer
needs.
Review
this
10
step
roadmap
that
outlines
innovation
points
in
the
product
lifecycle.
Define
the
focus
customer
segment
-­‐
the
key
to
success
is
knowing
who
the
primary
customer
is
and
the
steps
to
optimize
value
for
them.
First
decide
what
customer
group
is
the
most
important
to
be
served.
Analyze
the
customer’s
problem
-­‐
get
into
the
shoes
of
your
customers
and
look
through
their
eyes
to
understand
what
they
do
and
how
you
can
help
them.
Discover
real
customer
needs
-­‐
in
series
of
qualitative
analysis
and
creative
sessions
define
customer
needs
beyond
a
“wish
list.”
Success
is
dependent
on
your
ability
to
create
products
and
services
that
address
unmet
customer
needs.
Define
the
value
proposition
-­‐
focus
on
the
customer
experience
not
just
products
and
services.
That
is
the
value
proposition.

3. Define
the
market
size
-­‐
look
at
the
specific
market-­‐customer
group
you
are
targeting.
Remember
sizing
a
market
from
a
product
perspective
doesn’t
always
work
because
products
come
and
go.
Look
carefully
at
relevant
emotions
and
feelings
exhbitied
by
your
customers.
Competitive
intelligence
-­‐
customers
will
judge
your
offer
based
on
competitors.
Companies
must
know
what
the
solutions
in
a
market
are,
how
those
are
offered,
and
what
customer
perceptions
about
quality
and
attractiveness
are.
Beat
your
competitors
by
focusing
on
the
total
value
proposition
not
products.
New
business
and
earning
models
–
consider
modernizing
your
business
model
by
shifting
focus
from
product
to
services.
For
example
Zipcar
exercises
a
unique
service
model
in
a
product
driven
industry.
Define
the
solution
–
complete
the
value
chain
by
working
with
marketing
to
clearly
articulate
your
value.
Evaluate
organizational
risks
–
as
a
part
of
the
new
business
plan:
technology,
business,
and
financial
risks
are
evaluated
and
aligned
with
strategically
relevant
objectives
and
investment
plans.
Align
new
solution
with
existing
business
-­‐
integrate
your
new
solution
into
your
existing
portfolio.
Communicate
its
value
to
the
very
core
of
the
business.
Use
these
10
steps
and
put
yourself
in
your
customer’s
shoes
to
drive
new
and
powerful
innovation
in
your
company.
To
have
more
in-­‐depth
discussion
how
to
implement
the
customer-­‐centered
innovation
journey,
please
contact
QFD
Europe.