Role of Customer Feedback in Product Development

In today’s competitive world, developing a product that aligns with the requirements of every user group cannot be expected. Products are developed to provide a solution to its end users and fulfill their requirements so that it helps them in their daily lives. The way users are searching for new features in the product these days shows that the needs of the users are even much ahead of the technology they are getting in the product.

It has become very challenging for the service providers to fulfill each and every need of the customers within the same product. When the product is kicked off, the features and functionalities are planned in such a way that the requirements and problems of some groups of customers are at least fulfilled. However, when the product is launched in the market and is accessed by its targeted users, other big ideas are generated to make the product much better. 

This shows that it takes a lot of time and effort to develop a product that fulfills the requirements of every group of customers. However, to reach closer to the scenario, one of the powerful tools in product development is need for customer feedback in product development.

In this blog, we will explore the need for customer feedback in product development and know how it can help develop a full-fledged product that amuses customers. 

Role of Customer Feedback in Product Development

● Understanding what customers want 

It is necessary to understand what customers are looking for in the product you are giving them. It is important to find out if the features they are using in your product solve their problem or not. As mentioned earlier, every product is developed to help its end users to ease their process and solve their problems in daily life. If the product lacks to do that, there is a need for change in the way the product is presented to its end users. Therefore, conducting a survey or collecting relevant data from the customer on what they are looking for in the product is the first step in taking feedback. 

● Identifying gap 

It is important to identify the gap between the features and solutions the product is delivering versus the features and solutions the customers are looking for in the product. This can be done when the feedback of the customers is collected in the previous steps. Identifying the gap helps further to analyze what actually the product is lacking and how can be fulfilled to help the customer get their dream features within the product. It is always not necessary to consider each and every feedback provided by the customers. But, having the data of them might be helpful in the future to further analyze. 

● Enhancing user experience 

For a product to be the daily habit of the customer, it is very important to have a great user experience in it. Customer feedback in product development helps in identifying the user experience of the product to find out if the product is user-friendly or not. It further helps in finding out if the product is designed in a way that makes it easy and enjoyable for users to interact with and achieve their desired goals easily. Enhancing the user experience after getting feedback from the customers is necessary as user experience is an integral part of the product that needs to be revised and upgraded time-to-time. 

● Gather ideas for new features 

When the product reaches a point, there might be a case when the mind of the stakeholders involved in the product development becomes dull. No idea is coming out inside anybody’s mind that may lack the product to gain popularity in the later phase. In such cases, the ideas and suggestions coming out from the customers can help the product manager to visualize the product from a different perspective and implement the useful features coming out from the customers in the product. So, one of the most important benefits of customer feedback in product development is to gather new ideas for new features inside the product. 

● Building customer relationship 

It is necessary to value the feedback provided by the customers. When the feedback is taken into consideration, it acts as a trust of the product with the customers and implies that the feedback coming from the customers is appreciated by the product development company. On top of that, when customers get an insight of their feedback not only heard but also incorporated into the product, the trust in the brand in the customer’s eye reaches the top which further helps the product to increase customer acquisition and retention. Therefore, it is necessary to get feedback from the customers on the product to build a much stronger relationship with them. 

How to get input from the customer on the product?

It is necessary to get an idea of the approaches and methods of gathering customer feedback in product development. To get input from the customer on the product, these methods can be practiced. 

● Survey

This is one of the most popular methods of customer feedbacks in product development. A set of questions is prepared that covers almost all parts of the product which is passed to the direct users and customers of the product where they have to answer the questions honestly. The questions can be asked by email, phone, or even in person. The answers obtained from the customers are the feedback gathered from the customers. 

●  User Testing

Giving the product in the hands of the people who you think are your targeted customers helps somehow to gather feedback from them. The way they use the product and interact with it tells everything about their thinking and perspective toward the product. The insights obtained from the user testing are to be documented and further actions should be taken on the basis of them. 

● Interviews 

This method is much similar to the survey where the questions are to be asked to the customers in different ways referring to the product. Taking interviews with the direct users of the product is not that easy to implement though as it requires a lot of patience in both parties. However, in terms of effectiveness, the answers obtained from the customers in this method are also considered relevant and much helpful to make effective decisions. 

● Online reviews 

Monitoring the online reviews provided by the users and customers of the product is another way of gathering feedback from the customers. Whenever the product is launched in the market, the reviews and ratings awarded to the product need to be monitored on a timely basis and they should be taken into consideration. Remember to reply and acknowledge the reviews and comments done by the customers on your product so that they don’t feel ignored. 

● Customer feedback forms 

Another method to gather qualitative feedback is the feedback forms. Sending feedback forms in the email of the customers helps you get insight into what the customers have to tell about your product. In this method also, a set of questions is to be prepared that is sent to the customers so that they can add their valuable answers to them which completed the cycle of customer feedback in product development/

Some of the tips to get the most out of customer feedback in product development

● Prepare for the session and focus on the main objective of the session 

● Use different feedback methods 

● Always ask the right and to-the-point questions to the customers 

● Never confuse the customer with heavy and tough language in the question 

● Listen carefully when the customers are giving their feedback 

● Provide a seamless feedback experience 

● Analyze and categorize feedback 

● Most importantly – act on the feedback 

Conclusion

For the success of the product, customer feedback in product development is a vital ingredient for the company. By utilizing it, companies can gain a deep understanding of the pain points of the customers, their needs, and areas of improvement, enhancing the user experience and even building strong relationships with the customers. Not taking the feedback into action might demotivate the customers, and dissatisfy them which ultimately fails the product in the market. In this customer-centric world, listening to and acting upon their feedback is not just good practice but is also a strategic essential for building big trust in the brand among them.