Customer Input, Henry Ford, Listening Skills, & Innovation

 

“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” 

So, supposedly, said Henry Ford.  

On the surface this quote has a lot of appeal, and it's often used to justify the idea that innovation doesn't need customer input. 

That's a mistake.

Below the surface, lies the truth.

If I'd been alive and hanging out with Ford in the 1890's, I would've said, "Henry, my good man, we need faster horses."

But, sticking with the legend of the quote, Ford's genius was listening to what I said, plus understanding what I meant: "Henry, old chap, we need faster transportation."

And, with that in mind, Ford went on to fame and fortune, changing the world as a manufacturer of automobiles.

In short, don't use this quote to ignore customer feedback, use it as a reminder to understand customer feedback.

You customers know what they need

Your customers know they need: a solution to a problem. But they don't necessarily have the experience in or understanding of your business to detail what form they want the solution in. They can tell you what outcome they want/need, but don't have the tools to articulate the best path for how to get from here to there.

That's your job as a marketer.

Get them to detail their problems. Ask specific questions. Not about features, but about what they are trying to achieve.

If Henry Ford had done that, and maybe he did, he would've found that people wanted faster transportation that they could afford. He most likely wouldn't have spent much time asking questions about saddle design and how horses were bred, fed and housed.

In this telling of history, he understood the need and responded with innovation: mass produced, inexpensive automobiles.

Applying this to your business

I'm not suggesting that you innovate at the world-changing level of Henry Ford. I'm suggesting that you can understand your client's needs and offer them innovation for their business using your knowledge of tools they don't have (or perhaps may not know about) and/or the ability to operate at a level of expertise they haven't imagined.

Takeaway

 Ask your customers specific questions. Listen to what they say. Understand what they mean. Use that information to deliver what they need.