Customer Centric Innovation: Vittorino Filippas at TEDxUniTn

Summary

In this presentation on customer-centric innovation, the speaker emphasizes the importance of truly understanding customer needs by spending time with them rather than relying on traditional market research. Through a personal experience in India, the speaker reveals how firsthand engagement exposes deeper insights that are often missed in desk research. The speaker encourages innovators to seek criticism, engage directly with customers early on, and adapt products to meet real needs. This approach, the speaker argues, is the key to consistent success in innovation and market growth.

Takeaways

• 😀 Life is divided into four phases, each lasting 25 years: learning, applying, teaching, and being cared for in old age.
• 😀 Turning 50 marks the transition into the third phase, where the focus shifts to teaching and sharing knowledge with others.
• 😀 Customer-centric innovation means creating something for a specific market with a clear understanding of who the customer is.
• 😀 To truly know your customer, live with them. Spend significant time with them to understand their unspoken needs.
• 😀 Market research and focus groups are limited in their ability to capture why customers like or dislike products. Direct interaction is more revealing.
• 😀 In 1994, the speaker learned the importance of reliability, ease of service, and fuel efficiency when designing a motorcycle for the Indian market.
• 😀 Living with the customer helps uncover the essence of their needs, providing deeper insights beyond what they express directly.
• 😀 Early-stage innovators should develop prototypes or mockups and get feedback through real-world interactions, not just theoretical validation.
• 😀 Criticism, rather than praise, is crucial for strengthening a product and ensuring its success in the market.
• 😀 When expanding internationally, understand the cultural differences of the market to adapt your product accordingly and increase its chances of success.

Q & A

What is the main message of the speaker in this transcript?

The speaker emphasizes the importance of truly understanding customers by spending time with them and living their experiences. This approach leads to deeper insights that can drive consistent success in innovation.

Why does the speaker suggest 'living with the customer' as a method of innovation?

The speaker suggests that living with the customer allows innovators to understand their unspoken needs, which often can't be captured through traditional market research methods like surveys or focus groups.

How does the speaker's personal experience in India relate to the concept of customer-centric innovation?

The speaker recounts his experience in India in 1994, where his initial desk research did not reveal key insights about the customer. His real-life experience with locals led him to understand the true needs of the market, such as the importance of reliability and fuel efficiency in motorcycles.

What were the key lessons the speaker learned during his trip to India?

The speaker learned that motorcycles for the Indian market should be reliable, easily serviceable, and fuel-efficient, rather than just being cheap or able to carry heavy loads as he originally thought.

What does the speaker mean by the term 'unspoken needs'?

Unspoken needs refer to the deeper, often subconscious desires or requirements that customers cannot easily articulate but can be understood through direct, immersive experiences with them.

What role does criticism play in product development, according to the speaker?

Criticism is essential for refining products. The speaker advises innovators to seek criticism rather than validation, as it helps strengthen the product and ensures it is market-ready to withstand competition.

Why does the speaker recommend early-stage prototyping and testing with customers?

By creating a prototype or minimum viable product early in the development process, innovators can directly engage with customers, collect feedback, and make necessary improvements before finalizing the product.

How does the speaker suggest entrepreneurs should approach market expansion?

For entrepreneurs looking to expand internationally, the speaker advises them to understand and adapt their product to different cultural contexts by spending time with prospective customers in those markets.

What is the significance of the phrase 'the world is not very flat' in the context of market expansion?

The phrase 'the world is not very flat' highlights the idea that cultures differ significantly, and businesses need to adapt their products to the specific preferences and needs of customers in different regions.

What advice does the speaker give to CEOs facing declining sales?

The speaker advises CEOs to go into the marketplace and live with the customer, as this will provide valuable insights into why competitors are gaining market share and what needs to be changed in their own products to remain competitive.