Voice of the Customer/C3 Focus Group

PURPOSE OF THIS TOOL
- Uncover what end-users want regarding the outcomes, function and features of a specific product or service
- Discover which customer priorities the product is designed to satisfy
- Identify which priorities are currently measured
- Determine which end-user priorities concern performance or perception
- Replicate tool use to uncover broker and fixer expectations

STEPS TO UNCOVER & DEPLOY THE VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER
1. Name the specific product or service
2. Identify the roles of customers for that product
3. Differentiate the discrete customers within each role
4. Use the 5 key Word Formulas
5. Innovate or redesign the product and related process
6. Measure performance along the critical 4 Dimensions

THIS TOOL CONTAINS
- Instructions
- VOC Activity Flow
- Demographic Matrix
- Sample Invitation
- Participant Information Sheet
- Seating Map
- Room Setup-Supplies
- Responsibilities
- Focus Group Process
- VOC Recording Worksheet
- Debriefing Template
- Customer Expectation Principles

A C3 Voice of the Customer Focus Group uses a very structured approach to uncovering what customers want. Focus group participants will always be asked to address a specific product (as opposed to a process, problem or theme). This greatly simplifies the identification of who should be invited to attend.

Remember that a product must meet the four criteria described in the Product Identification tool. It must be something created by work and can be given to someone else to achieve a desired outcome. It is:
- Expressed as something you can make plural with an 's' ,
- Packaged in countable units,
- A deliverable,
- A noun

It is important that the questions are asked in the order shown under the FG Process tab. That process works to encourage dialogue which is productive, non-repetitive, avoids wandering into complaint generation, and produces patterns of response which simplifies analysis and action. Additional questions you want answered are generally best added to the end of the list, and it can be quite appropriate to do so.

The C3 Voice of the Customer Focus Group process described in this tool is intended only for use with an existing product. New product development, when no legacy product exists, requires a different tool and sequence of steps. Please contact IMT for guidance, if new product development is your purpose and there is no current, related product.

Please call 941-907-0666 for tool information.