Made to Order

As individuals, we all have our own idea about what features make a product “the perfect fit.” To support this, companies have increased product diversity and customization, while new industries are born for the sole purpose of providing additional accessories to cater to our desire for personalization. Not only do we want things now; we want them customized to match our specific need on a whim. The bar is constantly being raised as companies scramble to learn more about how customers use their products and what changes or improvements will keep them happy and coming back.

While customer surveys and focus groups are still a viable option for many companies, others are leveraging the power of the internet to gather this feedback. We continue to see an increase in companies developing strategies to “harvest” this information from the internet. Companies have added whole departments whose purpose is to surf blog postings or social networks looking for discussions about their products and services. After gathering data, development teams research the information to create their next generation products.

Earlier this week, Intel Corporation and ASUS took customer driven design to a new level when they launched their “Community-Designed PCs” project. “ASUS and Intel have created WePC.com in an effort to bridge innovation and technology with consumers’ wishes,” said Lillian Lin, director of ASUS’ Marketing Planning Division.  The community is divided into three groups which address some of the most popular PC categories: netbooks, notebooks and gaming notebooks. The web site even gives the users a means to sketch out their plan if they are more visually oriented. “Intel believes the spark for innovation can come from anywhere,” said Mike Hoefflinger, general manager of Intel’s Partner Marketing Group. “That’s why Intel is working with ASUS to tap into the creative energy of consumers as they share ideas on designing their ideal PC. Intel is committed to encouraging conversations with consumers and giving people a voice in the design of technology they use every day.” The results of this project could lead to the world’s first community-designed PCs.

Consumers want to be involved and they want their voices to be heard. Companies are learning that listening to their customers will lead to an improved customer experience and ultimately increased customer loyalty and overall sales.