When a good idea isn’t enough
How many companies have already invested millions in developing a product that customers ultimately didn’t want?
According to the Harvard Business Review, up to 95% of new products fail. Not because they are technically flawed, but because they didn’t solve the customer’s real problem.
In the B2B environment, where we’re dealing with contracts worth millions and long investment cycles, the cost of a mistake is even higher. All it takes is a misjudgement of market needs, and you could waste years of work.
The gap between the company’s vision and customer reality
Managers often base their assumptions on:
- “Our customers mainly want a lower price.”
- “Technical specifications are the most important factor.”
- “They need greater performance.”
But customers don’t buy a machine, software or service because of the specifications. They buy solutions to their problems – ensuring smooth production, eliminating downtime, better capacity planning or saving on staff costs.
Without a direct conversation with the customer, the company will not uncover this reality.
A telephone interview as the quickest form of validation
An in-depth telephone conversation is the simplest and most effective way to verify whether you are developing something the customer is actually interested in buying.
All it takes is 10–15 minutes to ask questions such as:
- What problems do you deal with most often these days?
- What makes your work the most difficult?
- What would be of the greatest value to you if someone were to solve it?
Experience shows that 10 interviews reveal 80% of key insights. That’s a head start that no marketing campaign or questionnaire can provide.
Examples from B2B practice
Industrial compressor manufacturer
The company wanted to launch a new range of high-performance compressors. However, interviews revealed that customers were more concerned about rapid service availability than performance. Development therefore focused on a design that allows for easy maintenance and remote diagnostics. The result? A product that meets the real needs of the market.
Czech component supplier
The company had invested in developing a cheaper version of the product, assuming that price was the decisive factor. Interviews revealed that customers were willing to pay more – provided the supplier guaranteed stable supply and flexibility for urgent orders. Development of the cheaper version was halted and resources were redirected to where they would have a real impact.
How costly mistakes can be without interviews
- Millions wasted on development that fails to meet customer needs.
- Months or years of wasted work by development teams.
- Poor return on investment in marketing and sales.
According to McKinsey, companies that systematically involve customers in development achieve a 60% higher success rate for new products than those that rely solely on internal ideas.
Why entrust interviews to an independent party
Customers tend to be polite to suppliers. They often do not voice weaknesses or criticism directly. An independent facilitator knows how to ask open-ended questions and draw out what people might otherwise leave unsaid.
At AITOM Digital, we conduct telephone interviews to yield concrete insights that you can put to immediate use – in marketing, sales and development decision-making.
Summary for CEOs and business owners
- Development without validation is risky and expensive.
- Telephone interviews with customers are a quick and inexpensive way to uncover real needs.
- Thanks to them, you can invest in solutions that customers will truly appreciate and buy.
How to get started
Check out our webinar on YouTube, where we show specific real-world examples: Webinar recording on YouTube.
And if you want to find out what customers would say specifically about your products or services – get in touch with us.
AITOM Digital helps B2B manufacturing and industrial companies base their strategies and product development on facts, not assumptions.