In the first step of a series of blog posts from TrendSource’s Client Services department, Vince Costanza dives into the importance of, and process for, Step 1 of the CLIMB approach: Customer Research.
My Journey to Find the Perfect Camera
My most recent major purchase was a Super Zoom Digital Camera.
I began my purchase journey with internet searches about Super Zoom cameras, read some reviews, and even watched a few YouTube videos.
Then, I went to three different stores (Costco, Best Buy, and Fry’s) to see my potential cameras in-person and ask the associates some questions.
As a last step I asked a good friend about his camera - what he likes, doesn't like, etc.
Once I had my camera choice significantly narrowed down, all that was left was to decide where to buy it. Maybe I just want to get it at the cheapest available price, but maybe things like a warranty or convenience have a big impact on my buying decision. There are countless other factors that could play a role, depending on the type of product I was seeking.
The reason that I invested my time in this personal research is that I want to spend my money on something that I will enjoy. I want to feel like I'm getting the best overall value, and I want my experience to be fun and easy. Granted, not all customers take their research to the same extent that I did, but everyone bases their buying decisions on factors that are important to them.
Do You Know What Your Customers Want?
At TrendSource, we consult our clients in understanding what is driving their customers’ decision making processes, and how they can maximize their customers’ experiences. And by no means is it a trivial feat to actually succeed in that process!
An important first step in gaining a true understanding of your customers is through market research. Market research is a broad term, and there are many different tactics available for gathering customer insights. While market research may seem like an obvious first step, there are high-stakes decisions being made all the time based on gut instinct alone. As you can see in my personal camera purchase journey example, there are many factors that I considered including product offerings, knowledge and friendliness of associates, knowledge of competitors.
The Solution: Customer Research
What if you could tap into the minds of your customers and actually understand what is most important to them and how you can create loyal customers for life? Would you be interested in that? Of course you would, and we say that you can! At TrendSource, we have extensive experience achieving that understanding, and we consult our clients on which customer research methodologies to employ on a regular basis. A few of these methodologies are listed below.
- Customer Intercepts
- Web-based Surveys
- Focus Groups
- Online Communities
- Competitive Benchmarking
- Social Media Monitoring
Whatever tactic(s) you choose to use, your decision to use a customer research-based approach will allow you to gain clarity and understanding, further supporting customer-centric business decisions. Every decision has an impact on your customers’ experiences and on your future success, so don’t leave it all to chance.
Step 1 (Customer Research) Complete – On to the Next!
Just as importantly, remember that the process doesn't end when your initial research is completed… it’s just the beginning. I know I’m always most excited at the beginning of a trip or vacation, and likewise it can be really exciting to be at the beginning of your CLIMB… the CLIMB to start making the changes that will make your customers’ experiences great!
Want to talk more about CLIMB? Continue the conversation on Twitter with #LearningtoCLIMB
