Surface Ripples

The Little Things

One of the things I always enjoy doing is looking at the new gadgets and accessories that come out every so often. There’s a large group of businesspeople out there who have brilliant ideas for products that make our lives easier, improve our productivity, or make it easier to use our various possessions. 

Designing a new product is hard.  Many of the “good ideas” have already been taken.  However, there is always a way of improving on a design or, indeed, coming up with a brand-new one.

One key thing to check is whether the product actually works for the intended market. A small example: many of us who carry smart phones put them in a case.  This is to protect them from the inevitable drops, knocks and bangs that they will experience over their useful lives.

The problem is that often designers fail to take this small detail into account.  A device that would otherwise be labour-saving or make something more convenient to use is effectively rendered unfit for purpose.  Could a tweak in the design could avoid this and result in higher sales?

Now multiply this by all other gadgets, devices and products in the world, and you see the problem that designers have.  It’s easy to become so involved in the details of a design that one forgets the end purpose which is that it should be useful.  Otherwise, it becomes a paperweight. 

This concept applies not only to the world of physical products, but also the world of services. How many times have we come across a service which, on the face of it looked good, but in reality was not quite up to the mark?

So, test the gadget or service before putting it on the market you’d say. That is what the designers do, but whether they check “real life use”.  A typical example would be a simple hinged stand for a smartphone. It works well when tested on the smartphone line but put the latter in a case and it either becomes too heavy or the rim designed for a caseless smartphone but doesn’t work properly if the smartphone is in a case. 

I’ve spent more than half my life delivering change in different world markets from the most developed to “emerging” economies. With a wealth of international experience in international financial services around the world running different operations and lending businesses, I started my own Consultancy to provide solutions for improving performance, productivity and risk management.  I work with individuals, small businesses, charities, quoted companies and academic institutions across the world. An international speaker, trainer, author and fund-raiser, I can be contacted by email. My website provides a full picture of my portfolio of services.  

Labels: Customer Care, Productivity, Selling

posted by William Martin @ 10:27