For the customer's needs - I don't even have the opportunity to code one, personal knowledge base two, don't assume that what you think is what the customer thinks three, we provide the solution, not to explain the function four, the time spent with the customer

Editor's Introduction: As a product manager, not only to control the quality of products and product operations, but also to keep up with market trends, in addition, it is also very important to communicate with customers. When the customer's needs are vague and the information is incomplete, how to promote the project at this time? Starting from his own experience, the author summarizes several experiences for your reference.

"Please help me implement this function", at this time a 100,000-word requirements document came to the wind.

As product managers, we often have to wear several positions, we not only have to control product quality and product operation, we also have to keep up with market trends and product iterations, of course, we also have to rush to the front line to communicate with customers.

In the era of rapid change, the design ideas of products are consistent, and the needs of customers are changeable, and it is possible to wait for product development, "this is not what I want", but the needs of the early communication are like this? You change or change, do not change the boss can not receive money, change and postpone the construction period.

Imagine when a customer throws over a request document form that says smart management system, customer management system, VR product display area, you sound, this is called a demand document? What specific modules are included in the management system? What does VR have to show?

Then just as you were thinking, the customer @ in the group @ you said: Hello, when can Manager Zhang doome presentation? At this time, how do you reply, I think if you reply directly in the group: Hello, you don't have a specific list of features? How?

I suffered a loss in this regard, and I replied to such words at that time, and then the boss called me and quickly withdrew. Then the boss said not to reply like this, so that it seemed that we were not professional.

I thought professionally, I didn't know that the guy could make a Dome demo just by looking at a list like this. At that time, it was really a helpless, I could only reluctantly search for some industry information, and then make some general product architecture diagrams for the needs of customers.

When you search the whole network, you will find a very interesting thing, huh? Isn't that what customers want? There is also a product architecture diagram in the website, I applied for a free experience, and then directly picked it down according to the gourd painting scoop, I am so smart.

Then you happily organize the requirements document, make the product map and architecture diagram, prepare to deliver the leader, the leader will definitely praise me for the high efficiency of the work, when you are still complacent, "small Zhang come".

When you come to run the company, you are asked that this is the idea you did many years ago, although it is very comprehensive, but it is not feasible to show customers. Let's re-sort it out.

What the??? The boss won't let me fill it out of thin air, right? I think this is a problem that most friends need in their daily work, and it will be a headache, so that they will self-PUA every day.

Because of these problems, I think it is because the customer is just pulled from the website, and they are not willing to sort out very detailed things, of course, it is also possible to give me a way to be innovative.

Whatever the reason, what should you do at this time? How can I move forward with the project progress normally? Below I have summarized a few points from my experience, and I hope to gain something from you.

< h1 toutiao-origin="h2" > personal knowledge base</h1>

I have been accumulating my knowledge base since 18 years, which includes product documentation, product books, and data analysis reports from multiple industries. The most important of these, I think, is the industry report.

Industry reports can quickly let you understand the market trends in the industry, as well as which companies, what their products are like, let us have a general understanding of the industry, convenient for communicating with customers, can answer the flow, not only reflect the company's professionalism, but also improve their own ability.

<h1 toutiao-origin="h2" > second, don't assume that what you think is what the customer thinks</h1>

We often think that the products we make are what customers want, when communicating with customers, we do our best to demonstrate our products, explain how suitable for your needs, in the implementation process, we have a professional development team...

As a product you're an expert, you only need to copy and paste a few lines of code to implement a customer's idea, but it's often counterproductive for the customer.

I remember once I communicated with the customer a functional module, probably the content is like this, the customer wants to achieve a two-dimensional code can achieve a variety of data lists of drones, I thought that this is not difficult, is to generate a two-dimensional code link is not good, when I replied that it can be achieved, the boss once again persuaded me to stop, and later I learned that this is a huge pit, which not only to consider the adaptation of drone equipment but also to think of how to track drones through Bluetooth devices through personal ID.

It's not just a matter of generating a QR code. Take it for granted,

So when we face the demands raised, we should try to fit as much as possible with what the customer wants to express, and when we feel that it is almost the same, we may wish to ask if there is anything else involved in this? Are there any questions I haven't considered?

<h1 toutiao-origin="h2" > third, the solution we provide is not an explanatory function</h1>

For the product, we are very familiar with the functional architecture of the product, so we will think, every function, no matter how small, is important to the customer, but when we convey all the details to the customer, I think more customers are not looking forward to the product, but overwhelmed, is this really the product I want?

We provide solutions to better reflect what problems the products can solve for customers and get those benefits, not for their function.

Imagine you're looking for a toothpaste, do you want to whiten your teeth or make your teeth healthy, and you see two products on Taobao.

<h2 toutiao-origin="h3" >1. The first product: the best toothpaste</h2>

This product is made from active fluoride and contains 3% hydrogen peroxide to keep your teeth healthier and longer-lasting.

<h2 toutiao-origin="h3" >2</h2>

Buy it within seven days to give you a mouthful of whiter teeth, pearl white smile, I promise.

The positioning of the product is very clear, we buy the product to solve the problem, not for their function and make the function, in the communication with the customer, understand why they want to make such a product, what the product is ultimately output to make the customer satisfied, so that you will be more quickly contact with the results that the customer wants, do not spend more time to explain the function of the product.

<h1 toutiao-origin="h2" > four, time spent with customers</h1>

Our general customers are divided into two kinds: one is not far from you or willing to come to the company to communicate specific content, which is the best, but the other is that you are in Beijing and the customer is in Guangzhou, at this time to pay attention to the simple text although effective, but to promote customer communication, just rely on a few words of customer words to do the product is not feasible.

The early communication is the most important, the matter is directly related to the direction of this product, so what do you mean that I have been chasing the customer to the bottom? Of course not, my advice is to output a visible solution according to your own experience before communicating, although it cannot be said to be feasible, but at least let the customer feel that you are careful, this is not useless, although more is pass, but this is always better than you ask questions without any plan, which is unprofessional.

In addition, it is recommended to record the time and results of communication with customers, good memory is not as good as bad writing, we in this way, when we go to follow up with customers again, know those are known, those are not clear.

Author: Wang Xiuqin, WeChat public account: product has a hole; senior product director of smart product industry and SaaS enterprise

This article was originally published by @Xiuqin on everyone is a product manager, and reproduction without permission is prohibited

The title image is from Unsplash, based on the CC0 protocol