Importance of Client Feedback in Value Propositions

I've seen too many enterprise software companies get caught with customers in the 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗽: • Promise too much = lose focus • Listen too little = lose trust I was super lucky to have two incredibly product-minded co-founders in Ted and Joshua. Of the many things I learned from them, one that has really stuck with me is that while customers understand their pain points better than anyone, they're not best positioned to solve that pain - they're too close to it and just don't have as many data points across variants of that pain, resulting in a failure of imagination as to the optimal solution. Customer feedback is absolute gold, but that doesn't mean every nugget should get directly translated into the product roadmap. The topic came up during the AMA after our Logicbroker All Hands last week - here's what I shared with my team:  1. 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 - Make sure the customer is heard and build a 3D model of their pain in your head by probing into the granular details of what they're dealing with 2. 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 - Thank them for the feedback and communicate how this will inform related product research as we work towards an optimal solution 3. 𝗘𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - Have we already solved this pain point, but in a counterintuitive way? Educate the customer on how other clients are successfully handling this today. Encourage them to try it out and share back additional feedback to round out our understanding 4. 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 - Advocate for clients by employing methodologies like RICE (Reach x Impact x Confidence / Effort) to map feedback to prospective projects in a structured way that will automatically reprioritize initiatives as incremental data points are collected over time  5. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 - In subsequent client QBRs, share new learnings around initiatives their feedback has matured. Be transparent about where they fall in the company's priorities and update on new related releases that may partially address their original pain point  Valuing customer feedback and protecting the product roadmap are not mutually exclusive. These two goals are inherently intertwined and mutually reinforcing. Building every client request will degrade the product, but ignoring client feedback will also degrade the product - it's a fine balance. Customers don't need a 'yes' - they need to be able to trust that you're listening and leading with purpose.

"𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑, 𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢'𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑦 𝑛𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡-𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑒𝑡 𝑓𝑖𝑡.” "There's nothing more powerful than a slight pivot after truly listening to your customers." Who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks, especially when those tricks substantially boost your bottom line? I've been in the trenches, witnessing firsthand how a minor tweak in the offer, when deeply aligned with customer feedback, can dramatically shift the sales and retention landscape. Here's the gold I unearthed: ➤ 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫. A client, despite having a solid product-market fit, dared to refine their offer after diving deep into conversations with their current users. This wasn't about reinventing the wheel but adjusting its spokes ever so slightly. ➤ 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠. They ensured the change was not just a superficial marketing layer but permeated through every customer touchpoint. From ads and landing pages to sales scripts, onboarding, and nurture sequences, everything echoed the new value proposition. ➤ 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲. Rather than making assumptions, they tested the new offer in the market. The result? A 22% surge in sales and a notable dip in churn rates. ➤ 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰-𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡. Post-sale engagement became more meaningful, with customers feeling heard and valued. This not only solidified their loyalty but also turned them into brand evangelists. ➤ 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬. Continuous feedback collection and analysis have now become a cornerstone of their strategy, ensuring that they stay ahead of customer needs and market dynamics. If you're stuck in the unreasonable mindset that your current offer can't be improved because it's already 'good enough,' think again. The landscape of software development is unapologetically ever-evolving, and so should your approach to serving your customers. Are you up for that? I'd love to know if you agree or disagree with any of this. Want to grow? Follow for more or feel free to send me a DM. P.S. How do you like the pic?

1 lesson I wish I'd learned sooner to help my business start and grow: ❌ Your ideas are of little value. ✅ Collecting real FEEDBACK from your first initial leads is critical to ideating and creating a truly valuable product or service that people will actually invest in. When I first started my business, as do many entrepreneurs, I had preconceived ideas of what my market wanted to buy, So I spent a bunch of time "creating" products and services that nobody wanted or needed. That's the issue: So many first-time entrepreneurs get caught up with spending tons of time, energy, and sometimes money, to create what they "think", "believe", and "assume" that everyone will be lining up to buy. (Because we all have "genius" ideas we think everyone would "love") Then, they get extremely disappointed when they make $0 in sales and nobody pays any attention to them. This is why collecting FEEDBACK is so crucial, and generally, NOT from friends or family, who will likely just praise you instead of sharing objective feedback It's a kind gesture from them, but on your end, this only feeds your ego, might blind you more, and doesn't help you learn or improve anything. Once I started surveying and collecting feedback from potential leads and early clients, I was able to increasingly optimize my services to truly help my clients solve their problems. Collecting feedback doesn't need to be complicated, it all starts with a few simple questions, for example: "What situations are you trying to improve?" "What specific challenges are you dealing with?" "How is this affecting your career/life right now?" "What have you done to try to improve these areas?" "How urgent is improving this situation for you?" Collecting qualitative feedback like this helps you to make educated, informed, strategic decisions that result in higher chances of success and truly helping your clients solve their problems. Remember, everyone has "genius" ideas, but only a few do the work to ask questions, collect feedback, and create solutions that can actually sell and turn a profit. Good business isn't about gambling and forcing stuff down your market's throat hoping they buy from you, It's about being strategic, swallowing your pride, getting out there and asking questions, learning, experimenting, and creating relevant, REAL solutions. #Life

Are you really hearing your customers, or just skimming the surface? It’s not about what’s said—it’s about what’s felt. Most businesses read surveys, collect feedback, and make decisions. But here's the real kicker: When was the last time you truly *listened* to your customers? I mean, REALLY listened. At BetterEver, we believe that solving customer requirements isn’t just about gathering data—it's about connecting on a deeper level. Here's what we do differently: 1. Dive Into the Story: We don't just skim the surface. We dive deep into the customer journey, understanding their pain points, desires, and dreams. 2. Empathy Mapping: We walk a mile in their shoes. We use empathy maps to visualize what our customers see, hear, and feel. This gives us a unique perspective on how to address their needs effectively. 3. Active Listening: Ever noticed that you have two ears and one mouth? That's a biological hint. We prioritize listening twice as much as we speak. Our team is trained in active listening techniques that ensure no detail goes unnoticed. 4. Co-Creation: We involve our customers in the creation process. By collaborating with them, we ensure that the final solution is not only innovative but also exactly what they need. 5. Continuous Feedback Loop: The job isn’t done after a solution is delivered. We establish a continuous feedback loop to refine and perfect our offerings, ensuring sustained satisfaction and improvement. The result? Solutions that don’t just meet requirements—they exceed expectations. Next time you think about customer requirements, ask yourself: Are you hearing words, or are you truly listening to their stories? At BetterEver, we choose the latter. Because understanding isn't about what’s said—it’s about what’s felt. I assist in crafting your unique value proposition using neuroscience. DM me for listening to you. How deeply are you listening to your customers today?