Organisations are constantly seeking ways to enhance their products to succeed in the market. More often than not, businesses tend to place a strong emphasis on their products, with solutions being product-centric. However, this approach may fall short of meeting business objectives, let alone ensuring market success.
Why The “Jobs To Be Done” Method?
Your customers don’t care about you. They don’t care about your product or service. They care about themselves, their dreams, their goals.
– Steve Jobs
To foster innovation, the focus should shift towards understanding the authentic needs and goals of customers. One effective strategy to achieve this is by adopting the “Jobs to be Done” (JTBD) methodology.
The core principle of JTBD centres on comprehending customers and identifying the specific “job” or desired outcome they want to accomplish. Incorporating this methodology into the innovation process can lay the foundation for achieving various business goals, such as effective marketing strategies and product innovation.
Case Study: The Morning Milkshake Dilemma
To gain a deeper understanding of this approach, let’s explore a case study involving a seemingly ordinary product: the milkshake.
People do not want a quarter-inch drill; they want a quarter-inch hole.
– Theodore Levitt
A fast-food chain aimed to boost its milkshake sales. Consultants were brought in, conducting extensive research with typical milkshake customers. Feedback on various aspects, including flavors and toppings, was collected. However, despite the feedback, there was little noticeable change in profits or revenue.
It wasn’t until one consultant approached the problem from a different perspective that things began to change. This consultant discovered an intriguing pattern – most of the milkshakes were purchased before 8 a.m.
Upon interviewing these early morning customers, it was revealed that they weren’t seeking a sweet treat to start their day. Instead, they were long commuters who frequented the fast-food chain to grab breakfast for their extended journey to work.
The milkshake, with its thick viscosity, ease of handling, and the ability to keep them feeling full during their long ride, perfectly served their needs. The “job” that these commuters had was simply to acquire a convenient breakfast option they could consume in their cars while en route to work. Armed with this newfound understanding, the fast-food chain made menu adjustments that led to a significant increase in revenue.
Apply “Jobs To Be Done” For Customer Success
When a product aligns with and effectively satisfies the job customers want it to do, there’s a high likelihood that those customers will repeatedly choose the same product to fulfill the job, fostering brand loyalty and ensuring market success.
Rather than competing solely on “new” features, companies now have the capability to distinguish themselves and gain a competitive edge through JTBD’s customer insights.
Companies that prioritise this profound understanding of customer goals are better equipped to anticipate what their products should aim to achieve in the future to remain competitive and create innovative solutions that resonate with their target audience.