Was Henry Ford Correct ?

(http://www.Strategyn.com 2010)

Express needs - stuff the customer wants now

Latent needs - needs you don't know that you have
  iPods, Microwave, PC Computers, Sony Walkman, etc

Book: Kellogg on Marketing
 "Latent needs are those that customers either do not realize today and therefore are not able or are unwilling to express."
 "Practitioners feel that conducting standard market research is not useful"

Abstract customers needs, but don't abstract too far or you will end up with world peace.

Ask and study your customers.

"If something is hard, then it is probably not worth doing."

The essence of the confusion... I want to minimize the amount of time to cook food (...microwave).
Unmet solutions ... valid solution

"People don't want to buy a quarter inch drill, they want a quarter inch hole."

"Businesses should concentrate on their customers need..."

WHY do customers buy products and services in the first place ?

Microwave - faster cooking, reheat, small space, minimize burning

Which is more stable, the job or the solution?
  Job: "Close a surgical wound."
  hair             ants              clamps        staples       super glue    
  3000 BC ... 1000 BC    ...   30 AD  ...     1908    ...    1980

The customer need is a measure for how well a product accomplishes the job ... such as: Minimize the time to heal.

Customers employ a logical value measurement system:

• functional & emotional needs

Supposed proof that customers cannot articulate their needs

• embarrassment - customers with impotence may not want to articulate
• companies that drive the market
•   delighter needs ala Kano Model

Kano Model - (graph below)
  example: hotel with lots of toilet paper vs one with none

                                          satisfaction
                                                |
                      delighter needs    |      satisfier needs
                                                |
poor service performance   --------|-----------     good service performance
                                                |
                                                |      dissatisfier (must be expected quality)
                                                |
                                      dissatisfaction

Product development is problem solving - you need to have a problem first.

Questions:

• What are your products?
• What are those accomplishing?
• What are some customer needs that your products fill?

Examples from other people:
  Shooting rest - holds the rifle up.  Civilian use. Target shooting.  The purpose of the rest was not to make money, it was to show capability and sell the services of the company.

"Don't believe the hype" - Flava Flav
"If money is your hope for independence then you will never have it..." Henry Ford

Talk to the customers and ask them what their needs are.  Listen for needs and not solutions.