Too obvious? Don't scoff! The philosophy of customer experience management demands that we acknowledge the needs of our customers. I'd like to think that most organizations working toward the greater good understand this at some level, but the day-to-day challenges of paperwork, tight deadlines, and the constant pressure to do more with less can get in the way. Patti Hart, CEO of International Game Technology, in this Fast Company video, says customers "have the same joys and sorrows, and dreams and aspirations that each of us have... Think first about what your products and services mean to the person, not the customer."
Marketing professor Theodore Levitt famously said "People don't want to buy a quarter-inch drill, they want a quarter-inch hole." Sorry to disagree with you, Prof, but I'm going to have to drill a little deeper (it's OK to groan). Are customers people walking around obsessing about a perfectly sized/shaped void? I don't think so. They want a quarter-inch hole because they're hanging a photo of their family--whom they love--in their new home--that they're proud to occupy. (To be honest, I tried coming up with some other emotionally-driven need for quarter-inch holes but I'm not very handy so please imagine whatever motivates you.) The point is that customers are real human beings with complex emotions and needs driving their decisions.
I suspect individuals at your organization, especially those closest to the customer, know what those needs are based on their experience. Empathy comes naturally to many people working in the social impact sector, but does it come as easily for organizations? Start by listening to your customers and those employees closest to them. Document those needs to create personas of your typical customers - but remember, we're all individuals, so don't assume you know the needs of your customers until you ask them.
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