Analysing Customer Demand

Customers do not know what they want until you put something in front of them, is a common concern expressed by marketing people. This may be the case; but it is more likely that customers are unable to articulate their wants in the local or technical language of the marketer or technician. Reasons, from technical ignorance to confusion about what is possible, are in abundance. It is the job of the inventor to listen, learn and empathise with the customer. The deeper the empathy with customer meanings, motives, demands and expectations, the greater the opportunity to innovate. Take, for example, the parallel of zoologists. They have accumulated an overwhelming volume of facts about behaviour of species in the natural world. By observing and studying each species, a database of knowledge has been built up about habitats, breeding cycles, mating habits, diet, roles in the ecology and so on. All of this without a single verbal conversation between the zoologist and the creature. Of course, the point in studying and listening to the customer — rather curious creatures in themselves — is to identify those emerging and unsatisfied demandplexes and look for opportunities to innovate.