Coverage Issue: Do you think every industry is going to be customer-centered?

by Sean_Huang Mon Mar 08, 2010 10:42 am

Dr. Rust seems confident that customer-centered product/service will be the mainstream. Do you agree with him? Or do you think there are some industry/product/service that is intrinsically ill-suited for a customer-centered approach?

by MH_Huang Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:37 am

What do you mean by this? Can any companies or industries not care about what customers want? Please explain a little more.

by Eva_Berends Mon Mar 08, 2010 12:47 pm

MH_Huang wrote:What do you mean by this? Can any companies or industries not care about what customers want? Please explain a little more.

In this question, we want to differentiate between companies in which the customer-centered approach might work better than in others. Or maybe some companies don't need such a degree of customer-centeredness (strange word..) What do you guys think?

by camille_girard Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:53 pm

I think that some innovation product cannot be customer centered because there is no customer's needs.
For example, when internet appeared, nobody needed it. It was just a product innovation. It was the same for computer, CD player, LCD, usw. The company which invented these products, couln't care about customer expectations because they wasn't.

by Jamie_Tang Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:28 pm

But aren't many computers, CD players and such customized and always upgraded so that they can satisfy customers? Even if, in the beginning, nobody needs the product, doesn't that just make it even more important for the company to interact with customers and sort of pull them in to try to make their product more popular? And the best way to do that is to become a more customer-centered company?

by YOUNGJIN_KIM Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:44 pm

I think it depends on~!! Many companies which offer services should be customer-centered. but what if some company are higly customer-centered and they have no skills to make good quality product. they would be failed, would't they? then, that company should be more focused on their product development.i don't think 'every' industy is going to be customer-centered There can be an exeption that some industry is able to be customer-centered after producing reasonable quality of the product. it must be based on in some cases I think~ Coverage Issue: Do you think every industry is going to be customer-centered? Icon_smile

by Ian Chen Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:48 pm

MH_Huang wrote:What do you mean by this? Can any companies or industries not care about what customers want? Please explain a little more.

In my opinion, customer-centric is the key idea of developing marketing strategy. True, no company can ignore customer's demand as they develop their marketing strategy. But, as I know, some companies tend to act more like product-base marketing than customer-centric. For instance, gasoline company might be more product-base because their product, gasoline, become daily necessary so that they don't care much about being customer-centric.

lol!

by Jamie_Tang Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:50 pm

Well of course they need a good balance between both, because yes, a company with good service but bad products will never succeed either. Maybe asking if it should be leaning more towards customer-centered rather than product-centered is better. That way companies can still make high quality products, but instead of putting all their effort into the products, spend more of their energy on customer care? So instead make customer care the number one priority, and then after that would be creating a highly innovative, good-quality product?

edit: gasoline is a good example for not needing much customer care though, Ian. When something is completely necessary like gasoline and there are only a few ways to get it, or it is not very customizable, then companies can concentrate more on the product aspect versus the customer aspect.

by Eva_Berends Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:59 pm

I think it comes down to the question whether the company holds kind of a monopoly position in the market or not. If that is the case, they might see no significant benefits in transforming into a more customer-centered marketing approach.

by Lu_Song Mon Mar 08, 2010 8:23 pm

The article really focuses on meeting customers demands and catering to customers needs. However, there are times that customers aren't aware of their own needs. When innovative products come out, it may not be a product or a service customers initially recognized. Sometimes, it's essential for companies to create a demand for the product. For example, Coca-cola. When it first came about, I'm sure it wasn't because a customer's demand for a fizzy, black, carbonated drink. It was pushed by the company. I think each product goes through a cycle of push and pull. Initially, companies need to endorse it, they need to get its name out. Then later on, they can focus on bettering it via customer care and customer opinions. In doing so, they may create more demand from customers and then the product is pulled through the marketing channels by consumers. Also, for products that are generic and simple and/or can't be changed, there is really no need for customer-centered approach (ie. when purchasing vegetables; onions and carrots are all essentially the same).

by Eva_Berends Mon Mar 08, 2010 8:33 pm

I agree, but I don't think Coca Cola came out because they had the idea that nobody would like it. There must have been some degree of certainty about people's potential willingness to buy it.

by Ian Chen Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:24 pm

Lu_Song wrote:The article really focuses on meeting customers demands and catering to customers needs. However, there are times that customers aren't aware of their own needs. When innovative products come out, it may not be a product or a service customers initially recognized. Sometimes, it's essential for companies to create a demand for the product. For example, Coca-cola. When it first came about, I'm sure it wasn't because a customer's demand for a fizzy, black, carbonated drink. It was pushed by the company. I think each product goes through a cycle of push and pull. Initially, companies need to endorse it, they need to get its name out. Then later on, they can focus on bettering it via customer care and customer opinions. In doing so, they may create more demand from customers and then the product is pulled through the marketing channels by consumers. Also, for products that are generic and simple and/or can't be changed, there is really no need for customer-centered approach (ie. when purchasing vegetables; onions and carrots are all essentially the same).

your words remind me of a company which they sell product by creating demand.....

Micro$oft !!!! Twisted Evil

the company create customer demand through educating users as their first touch of computer with suck OS, "Windows". Because most of computer users only familiar with Windows, Micro$oft have controlled customers' free will minds for decades. they don't have to consider the users' filling and just push their suck OS to customers from generation to another!!! Not until these days , thanks to the failure of Windows Vista, did they realize the value of customers and act more like customer-centric.

lol!

by Jamie_Tang Mon Mar 08, 2010 10:04 pm

Microsoft... (sorry I was curious, had to try it xD)

Anyways, yeah I always hear, from the mac vs. pc argument, how Apple really understands users, and that they make their systems very user friendly, while on the other hand Microsoft is too confusing for most of the very clueless computer users. (always hear some people complain about how they don't know how to use windows) And it seems that is one of the biggest reasons why so many people have been attracted to macs instead of pcs. So then Microsoft was not being careful or attentive enough to their customers, and ended up losing out to Apple, who could create something that was more "user-friendly"... maybe something like that? And now that they realize it, with the release of the new Windows 7, I always used to see the commercials on TV where they would advertise Windows 7 with a happy customer saying, "Windows 7 was my idea."

by chiaying_lin Mon Mar 08, 2010 10:14 pm

Jamie_Tang wrote:Microsoft... (sorry I was curious, had to try it xD)

Anyways, yeah I always hear, from the mac vs. pc argument, how Apple really understands users, and that they make their systems very user friendly, while on the other hand Microsoft is too confusing for most of the very clueless computer users. (always hear some people complain about how they don't know how to use windows) And it seems that is one of the biggest reasons why so many people have been attracted to macs instead of pcs. So then Microsoft was not being careful or attentive enough to their customers, and ended up losing out to Apple, who could create something that was more "user-friendly"... maybe something like that? And now that they realize it, with the release of the new Windows 7, I always used to see the commercials on TV where they would advertise Windows 7 with a happy customer saying, "Windows 7 was my idea."

heheheheeh! to be honest,
actually, to some high high extent,i'm attracted to Apple (i got a macbook, ipod nano and ipod touch! OMG)
cause their products looks GOOD!!!

i didn't really care that it's more user friendly than windows or not, since i'm used to both of them.
but it's true that the i-products, most of the time, are extremely thoughtful and convenient!

by Nemo_Kuo Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:19 pm

Years ago, there was a famous advertising slogan in Taiwan which is "科技始終來自於人性."(in English, it is "Technology always comes from human nature.") This slogan implies that customer-centered marketing is inevitable and natrual. Therefore, I agree with Eva. I also think that if a company holds kind of a monoply position in the market, the company would lead the trend not follow the direction of customers.

But I have heard a kind of thinking that customers do not know what they actually want in fact. This interesting argument was declared from an experienced CEO.

by Ian Chen Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:20 pm

chiaying_lin wrote:
Jamie_Tang wrote:Microsoft... (sorry I was curious, had to try it xD)

Anyways, yeah I always hear, from the mac vs. pc argument, how Apple really understands users, and that they make their systems very user friendly, while on the other hand Microsoft is too confusing for most of the very clueless computer users. (always hear some people complain about how they don't know how to use windows) And it seems that is one of the biggest reasons why so many people have been attracted to macs instead of pcs. So then Microsoft was not being careful or attentive enough to their customers, and ended up losing out to Apple, who could create something that was more "user-friendly"... maybe something like that? And now that they realize it, with the release of the new Windows 7, I always used to see the commercials on TV where they would advertise Windows 7 with a happy customer saying, "Windows 7 was my idea."

heheheheeh! to be honest,
actually, to some high high extent,i'm attracted to Apple (i got a macbook, ipod nano and ipod touch! OMG)
cause their products looks GOOD!!!

i didn't really care that it's more user friendly than windows or not, since i'm used to both of them.
but it's true that the i-products, most of the time, are extremely thoughtful and convenient!

But I think iPad is the most disappointing product ever that might be a turning point for Micro$oft and Google....

However, Micro$oft still have over 80% share of market....

by chiaying_lin Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:22 pm

whywhy???
i was thinking about getting one!

by Jamie_Tang Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:24 pm

I've never seen the iPad before.. if you get one, show it to me xD Haha well yes, Microsoft still is the biggest, but no doubt Apple is big competition for them now, and now they have to work harder to please customers to stop them from switching over to Apple xD

by Eva_Berends Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:26 pm

Nemo_Kuo wrote:Years ago, there was a famous advertising slogan in Taiwan which is "科技始終來自於人性."(in English, it is "Technology always comes from human nature.") This slogan implies that customer-centered marketing is inevitable and natrual. Therefore, I agree with Eva. I also think that if a company holds kind of a monoply position in the market, the company would lead the trend not follow the direction of customers.

But I have heard a kind of thinking that customers do not know what they actually want in fact. This interesting argument was declared from an experienced CEO.

Ohh that is interesting! Do you still know who the CEO was (from what kind of company) and in which context this was said?

by chiaying_lin Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:34 pm

i agree with Jamie.

I forget where I saw this, but some said that the customers' loyalty to Apple is much higher than to Microsoft. it means the one who use Apple product are tend to buy Apple product afterward. ( which is quite obvious on me XD) I think Microsoft should be aware of that! and i think it's also related to the idea of customer lifetime value(CLV) mentioned in Rethinking Marketing

by Ian Chen Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:36 pm

chiaying_lin wrote:whywhy???
i was thinking about getting one!

if you have already have iphone....

Trust me! you won't need iPad

the only advantage is that iPad is bigger and more eye friendly....

by Jamie_Tang Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:38 pm

Lol... like for old people? D:

And yes most of the time we hear about pc users switching over to mac more often than mac users switching to pc... so maybe the numbers are slowly shifting around. Although new product releases always helps to keep the current customers, unless they're horrible products...

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