Steps to Effective Business Innovation

Getting the customer story right

The difference between a nuts and bolt business and one that inspires and attracts is imagination. Visionary companies and people have a story to tell that keeps the ‘audience’ hanging out for more. But while the corporate vision is essential, this article is about a more immediate goal: getting the customer story right.

Interestingly enough, the most imaginative and exciting stories are those that are firmly based in people’s reality. We can all relate to the fairy tales and nursery rhymes of our childhood. But did you know that many of them had real life events as their source major disasters like the plague or current issues of social injustice – that showed disguised opportunities for solutions?

In today’s business environment, the traditional business tool, ‘the analysis’, is not enough. We can analyse things to death, but until we truly understand customer experience and usually it is the future experience we will not move forward, i.e. we will not be able to provide competitive value to our offer.

Scenarios as a more flexible business tool, is just that: creating a narrative based on real life and real experiences of customers and especially non-customers with the view of understanding their unspoken problems with the current product or service solution. Observing how they ‘consume’ products or services helps identify the most valuable gaps for innovation in business.

Innovation through Scenarios:

In a recent RIOT event by InnoFuture, Anthony Colfelt, Creative Director with ‘Different’ (a leading customer experience design firm in Australia) gave a comprehensive presentation of what ‘customer experience’ scenarios are and how to use them as a business tool.

Three steps to apply Scenarios as a business tool and innovate more effectively:

• True innovation in business is always based on customer’s needs. So spend some real-time with your (and your competitors’) customers. Walk through their experience. Observe.

• Start developing a Story about your experience with your company’s products or services, through the customer’s eyes. Describe.

• Walk through the experience with your customers and document all the things that actually happen. Document.

Read the full article at:http://www.womenunlimitedworldwide.com/3-steps-to-effective-business-innovation/

Patty Block, President and Founder of The Block Group, established her company to advocate for women-owned businesses, helping them position their companies for strategic growth. Charting the course for impactful, sustainable, profitable businesses, the beacon is control: of your strategic direction, your money, your time, your staffing, and your ability to bring in business. The Block Group brings together the people, resources and ideas that build results.

Business management consultant.

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