Innovation necessary for customer satisfaction

Introduction

Anthony W. Ulwick creator of 5 stages of the methodology of how to interview the client obtaining better results, its classification based on the type of clients.

Step 1. Client interviews based on plan results. Step 2. Capture the desired results. Step 3. Organize the results. Step 4. Importance speed results and satisfaction. Step 5. Use the results to get going the innovation.

Obtaining customer satisfaction and utility for the company or industry.

The customer's entry into innovation

Innovation requires certain information from customers, which most of the time is unaware of certain information on the benefits of products and services, the supplier companies must provide information on new products. Anthony W. Ulwick has adopted a methodology for collecting customer information that focuses on results not solutions and is based on five steps: conduct the interview, organize the data and streamline the results, use the information to stimulate innovation in the company.

Customers care more about the small details of the products and not about the quality and benefits of the same as an example the use of the software in user laboratories using a technology of keystroke tracking in an effort for incremental improvements in their products, however, the user uses 10% of the total capacity of the software. Another example at the medical fair in the US a manufacturer introduced medical utensils that can rotate and move in different directions and for surgeons they were too sophisticated and difficult to use.

Cordis corporation, manufacturer of medical devices in Florida in 1993, the company's annual sales were $ 223,000,000 and its shares are currently valued at $ 20 per share, having a 1% share of the market for angioplasty balloons used for the unblocking of arteries of cardiac patients. His goal was 5% of the profit.

Cordis conducted interviews with cardiologists, nurses and laboratory personnel.The interview was not focused on what it offers professionals what they would like to do with an angioplasty balloon, but on the results they wanted to achieve in doing their work before, during and after the procedure. surgery. As a result of this CORDIS methodology, it almost doubled in two years, ing. 443,000,000 in June 1995. Gained position and leadership but that was only the beginning this device became the fastest growing medical device in history with a production of 1 billion in revenue in its early years. In 1996 Johnson & Johnson acquired Cordis for $ 109 per share. Here are the five steps of the Cordis process to achieve this remarkable growth.

Step 1 interviews clients on the results of the plan

Interviews based on step-by-step results, the underlying process or activity related to the product or service, Cordis began by defining every aspect of the angioplasty process. He carefully defined the customer participation process. Open the interview to a broad group - dealer, retailers, stakeholders, sales people.

Select a more diverse group of individuals within each type of client. The more diverse the group, the more complete the result. The company included cardiologists in different age groups and from different parts of the country, as well as doctors who belonged to the HMOs and those who did not.

Step 2 capture the desired results

Capture the desired results and discard or eliminate vague statements, anecdotes and other irrelevant comments. The moderator digs below the surface of clients words of clarification and validation of statements considering aspects of the process. Cordis interviewed the clients asking how they would like the device and how to handle it more easily and what difficulties they encountered with said device. The moderator captures the information and translates the desired results to improve the product.

Step 3 Organize the results

Once the interviews are complete they make a list of the results obtained, elimination of duplicates and the categorization of the results that correspond to each step in the process.

Insertion, placement of the device in the artery, and removing the device from the patient. Definitive list of cardiologists, nurses and administrators. The manager seeing this information saw useful results that allowed him to understand the customers.

Step 4 speed results of importance and satisfaction

Categorize the results and conduct a survey of quantitative participants to rate the result in terms of importance and the degree to which it currently meets the results.

Step 5 use the results to kickstart the innovation

In this step, the data is used to discover areas of opportunity for the product and how to improve it, perform segmentation and better analysis of the competition, as well as formulate concepts and their valuation.

With this information Cordis segment surgeons one in the group of those valued as precision and accuracy and others in the group of speed with which they could finish the process.

Cordis created a system achieving the goal of reducing restenosis of 20%, competitive improvement of 30%. The results of the use of this methodology speak for themselves in 1994 and 1995 they introduced 12 new angioplasty catheters and their market share in cardiology grew.

With these results, Cordis understood that the client has a great value and that the information that results from the interviews is very fruitful if it is handled properly.

conclusion

Anthony W. Ulwick's methodology aims at product innovation based on well-conducted interviews focused on the benefits and areas of opportunity of products for improvement; creating product segmentation.

Obtaining information of great value and classifying customers, obtaining customer satisfaction as a result and generating great utility for companies and industries. Every company must adopt methodologies that allow it to innovate its products or services.

Companies must consider the importance of the client in the innovation of a product or service and the value of the information obtained through this methodology.