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White Space: that problem you don't yet know that customers have.

Submitted by Paul Burr on Sat, 14/02/2009 - 11:29

To start, look for the problem in yourself

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I’ve spent two weeks pondering about the conundrum of “White Space”. The problems and wants (leading to opportunities for you, me, us) that (non-existing and existing) customers have that we don’t know about.

For two weeks…. Nothing. Then the morning before last, something came to me in my waking conscious. I added some more to it yesterday… and then this morning, I was able to add the last piece … “The unheard voice of the customer.”

Here’s what popped up first… the outside is sent as a mirror to what’s inside…

so...

“To find White Space, that problem you don't yet know that customers have. To start, look for the problem in yourself that you don't know yet.”

So how about finding answers to the following questions:

• What problems/opportunities exist in the organisation that the Board doesn’t know about?
• What problems/opportunities do the Board have that the rest of the organisation doesn’t know about?
• What problems exist that customers don’t know about?

Use this data to inform a customer research programme to find the unheard voice of the customer….….

• What met or unmet expectations do customers have that we don’t know about? (How do we stack up?)
• What problems do customers have that we/competition don’t know about (especially those we/competition contribute to)?
• What would happen if these problems and expectations were met (even surpassed)?
• What new opportunities might we help customers create for themselves (value creation)?
• So how can we get ahead of the wave to create new value?

Mmmm this could be some project…. What thinks you?

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Comments

Fat Cats - start with ourself

Submitted by Paul Burr on Mon, 23/02/2009 - 15:37.

I read a hue and cry in the press, to bring "fat cats" in business to justice.

Well, we can start and bring the "fat cat" inside of us to justice first.

The "Fat Cat" Bonus...

Submitted by mwatkinson on Thu, 30/04/2009 - 18:36.

"Merrill Lynch's CEO John Thain rushed out an increased $4 billion in executive "entitlement programmes" a month early and two days before his bankrupt company was bought with bailout dollars by Bank of America.

Of course, bonuses are not the only Wall Street perk. Thain spent more than $1 million renovating his office in 2008, buying chairs at the cost of a year's income for the average worker.

Citigroup received $345 billion in government guarantees, and then, like a kid with birthday money, bought a new $50 million corporate jet. AIG executives spent $440,000 at a swanky beach resort a week after receiving an $85 billion handout.

We are told 'we all must share the pain' during this recession. But, in reality, we're paying the whole hog for the crisis of their system."

Question is - when you have worked and strived all of your life to achieve in this environment, this is your norm, your boss did it, his boss did it, it is what bosses do and it is not illegal - does it seem that wrong?

Morals, rights and wrongs are often dictated by our environment, social groups and community.

Honestly, could any of us say we would give it all away or that we didn’t deserve it - I would find it hard to always do the “right thing” and I worry whether my view of the “right thing” would change and the line of acceptability would push further and further, just like putting your toe into a hot bath!