Evelyn Rodriguez has posted another interesting angle on the topic of companies being in dialouge with their customers, creating products and services together with them and being influenced by them in their business decisions.
My view is that traditional marketing emphazise listening to the market but the tools of doing so i.e. focus groups etc. just dont cut it anymore (if it ever has). This is where more participatory exercises and observations made in the daily lifes of the customers rather than in video-surrveillance rooms are benefitial. Other tools are webblogs, customer listening centers and idea markets.
Evelyn refers to an interview that Tom Peters made with Scott Bedbury regarding his work at Nike in the good old days. According to Scott Nike’s success was due to their deep understanding of their customers and their customers influence on Nike. Evelyn concludes:
Old marketing skill: Influence.
New marketing skill to add to your repetoire: Be influence-able.
I believe the same goes for product development skills. Read the post here.