Project Reflections

Research

On the surface the kind of research that we did for this project seemed like something I might have done before. However, as we delved into the assignment I realized we were approaching this from a much deeper angle. We were not just asking women what they liked and didn’t like. We were getting to the heart of her needs without asking directly. That is a concept that I have always admired, but never completely understood how to accomplish. I tend to be rather blunt and direct, but this exercise was a good one in how to coax information from a subject. It was also a great opportunity to explore the “what should we have asked” questions. In the past when I have done surveys or interviews it has generally been one round of questions. In this case we did our series of interviews and then formulated our survey. This gave us a great opportunity to fine-tune the survey questions to ensure we were getting exactly what we needed from the respondents. We could test the hypotheses that came from the interview findings! This worked great, except of course in reviewing the survey responses we thought of other things we could have asked. Perhaps it is a never ending circle, but never the less it was a great experience.

Prototyping

Without a doubt, one of my greatest takeaways from this Nordstrom project has been the concept of prototyping. Prior to this class a prototype seemed only like a concrete thing, constructed by designers and fabricators, that was a preliminary version of your project. While that might be true in some instances, through this process I have learned that a prototype isn’t just a thing, it’s a process. The process of prototyping is similar to ideation in that you move through different ideas, changing this or that, allowing what you are creating to morph with each new thought. Prototyping is like physical ideation. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Anyone can do it! Just take any objects around and use them to convey your ideas. The most powerful learning, I think, is that prototyping doesn’t have to be 3-D. I was completely baffled at the prospect of prototyping a service or a website. I don’t know HTML5 or animation. It was fascinating to see how dragging out your pencils and BIG sheets of paper (and I feel like big paper is essential) can open your mind to creativity and you can really work through each step of your idea by drawing it on paper. I am not an artist, but as the scribe of the group it was incredible to see our team’s ideas come to life on my page.

Video Presentation

Of all of the parts of this project putting our findings into a video presentation was the least helpful part. That was just one more layer of stress to add to the mountain of deliverables. Since this project was for an actual client – Nordstrom – I felt that there was much more pressure to deliver the highest quality work. We certainly delivered that from a research and customer insights perspective, but in a work situation we would have had the support of a production team. While I do have some film production training and do pretty well with iMovie, I felt like the pressure to create a client-worthy video was unnecessary and did not add to the learning of the class.

Emotions

Working on this project as a team was invaluable. This kind of research and creative thinking is best done with a team. It was fantastic to bounce ideas around the group and I was always impressed with the things that came out of our brainstorming sessions! There were times that I was frustrated by group members with lofty goals that were outside of our abilities for this project, but as a group we were able to keep moving towards a project that we are all proud of. I really enjoyed moving through the stages of the class with this project at the center. This is my favorite sort of class – where you can immediately apply course concepts to a real situation. The fact that the project was central and relatable to us was also a huge bonus. Overall, this was a great experience. This is definitely in my top 3 projects that I am most proud of from my MBA, and I plan to use this project as a portfolio piece/interview topic in my job hunt.

Ethics of Insight

Ask a seventeen year old to define privacy and they will probably talk about their parents coming into their rooms without knocking. That kid wouldn’t think twice about broadcasting their every thought, preference, feeling and location to the world. If you talk to that kid’s parents they might say it is no one’s business what they talk about on the phone or what they buy in a store, but it where they go is certainly a private issue.

In today’s increasingly digital world there is a new concept of privacy. This comes as more and more of the population has come of age in a world where “checking-in” at a restaurant or updating your status from around the world is the norm. This creates a tension where the older generation finds these practices absurd and even dangerous. 

Young people may not think twice when companies like Apple or Google track location information through their phones (Angwin & Valentino-Devries, WSJ.com 2011), but older users may feel violated. As this younger generation comes into the workforce and attempts to use these technologies in their business it is important to understand the differences in the way that people perceive privacy.

It seems that a baseline minimum standard of privacy is the expectation that identifiable details not be linked to data. In the example above about cell phone location tracking it seems that the point where locations and a single person’s device can be linked is where discomfort begins. While there are people on either side of the comfort spectrum with this, the baseline for most seems to be here. 

Next is usually consent. Using information without consent is a hot issue for many people. The trick these days is that people don’t read consent forms. They are forced to “accept” Terms & Conditions in order to move forward, so they scroll through the 12 pages and just click “ok.” No one really reads all of that information – how does that really equate to consent.

Then, at least for me, is the way in which the information is used. I am comfortable – appreciative even! - if information like my preferences or my location is used on a macro level to customize my experience, make things easier or more convenient for me, or for safety. If, however, my information is used on a micro level to track my movements, allow people to find me or make judgments on me, I am very opposed. Perhaps I want all the benefits and none of the negatives of this technology – but isn’t that usually the case? 

I still want to be able to do what I want, when I want, but I don’t want people to be able to find out and judge me – or penalize me! And I’m not someone who is out breaking major laws. When I start to think about how law enforcement could use this technology to find dangerous criminals, at first it sounds good. Great! More criminals off the street! But then I think, I don’t want someone looking over my shoulder if I jaywalk or speed. If Google is tracking traffic speed on highways to keep maps up to date they could certainly let the authorities know that I am 5 miles over the speed limit.

But where is the line? In the news this week a man was updating his Facebook status while on the run from thepolice. He is accused of assaulting his girlfriend and has been involved in two fool chases with police officers. He has a criminal record that includes five felonies. This seems like a guy we would want to get off the street. 

Wouldn’t it be great if Facebook’s location services could tell police where to find the guy? On the surface this seems great, but when you think about how this might apply to you it seems incredibly invasive.  What if you were (falsely) accused of stealing $1,000,000? You didn’t do it! They have no proof! You are innocent! Our legal system currently says that we are innocent until proven guilty. So should police be able to pinpoint an innocent person’s location? That seems like an invasion of privacy. So perhaps the line is when the information is used against you?

So what is the answer to privacy? Where is the line? I think this is a case where public norms change as quickly as technology – and that is fast. A new norm is created everyday so we all must get comfortable with fluidity.

Current Topic Report - Customer Perceptions of Corporate Social Responsibility Fit

All too often these days corporate social responsibility is seen as a given, but in then given little thought when it comes to execution. This may be a huge missed opportunity for companies. According to researchers in Singapore, customers care about the "fit" of a company and their CSR.

Take for example AARP's "Drive to End Hunger" Campaign. According to their website, AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a membership that helps people age 50 and over have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. The general public perception of AARP is that it is an organization for old people. In the fall of 2010, AARP partnered with Jeff Gordon and NASCAR on a program called the Drive to End Hunger. This was the first time for a cause-based organization to fully sponsor NASCAR. Jeff Gordon is a very philanthropically involved figure, so he was a logical face for the program. Unfortunately, the cause of hunger doesn't automatically trigger the thought of old people. As a society, we have been programmed to picture emaciated African children with gaunt bellies instead of elderly Americans. While unfortunately there are certainly hungry people over the age of 50, hunger and old age are not a clear "fit". 

There were many causes and CSR focuses that AARP could have chosen to create a program around. The rationale behind this choice is unclear. A better choice would have been Alzheimer's or even generally healthy aging. 

But how important is this “fit” to customers? Do customers care about a company’s reputation and what they are doing in the way of social responsibility? How do these perceptions influence buying decisions?

Recently McDonald's announced that they were going to stop sourcing their pork from suppliers that used inhumane practices in raising their pigs. This is a choice that will please animal rights groups concerned with the treatment of animals raised for slaughter. But does it matter? Some think not - they key being availability of substitutes. This idea makes logical sense. If you can only get the product from one company then you are less likely to let your opinions on their CSR change your behavior. However if you can go down the street and get a similar sandwich that is sourced responsibly the choice is easy. It seems that consumers want to do the right thing, but only if it is convenient.

So how do these ideas come together? I am interested in exploring how a company's corporate social responsibility decisions impact their customer's loyalty and buying decisions. 

How can social media behavior provide insights about a consumer?

With the world quickly boiling down to tweets, posts, check-ins and pins, it seems that everything we ever wanted to know about anyone is just a click away. We are at the point where what brands a person “likes,” what restaurants they “check in” at, and what products they “pin” could hold the key to some of the most illusive consumer insights.

LOOK and LISTEN

The first step to learning about your customers is listening to what they are saying in social media and looking at what they post about. An obvious example would be a rant about poor customer service at a new Vietnamese restaurant. Depending on if you are the restaurant, a competitor, or a different business that provides great customer service, you could learn different things here. Maybe you now know that this customer likes Asian food and that she values having her water glass filled. You can also learn about a consumer from less blatant activities. If, perhaps her Pinterest boards are full of exercise tips and diet recipes you can infer that she would be a great target for your new weight loss system. It is all a matter of observing.

FORWARDS and BACKWARDS

This system can work in multiple directions. For example if you are a brand like, say Pottery Barn, one strategy would be to look at what people are saying about other brands that are your competitors. Things that people like (or dislike) about Crate & Barrel or Restoration Hardware can give you ideas about what people in the space in are interested in and what they prefer. Alternately, you could sift through and monitor a test group of individuals that you see as your target. By looking at what they, individually are talking about you could find new ways to provide service in their lives. As Pottery Barn, you could learn that customers are really dissatisfied with the durability of their furniture upholstery, but still want a fashionable look. That could inspire you to go back and further research your fabric selections and offer something that your customers aren’t getting anywhere else.

ENGAGE 

This is not a new technique, but as we’ve discussed some companies do it oh, so right and some fail miserably. The most powerful way to get your message across is get someone else to talk about it, preferably someone with influence. As we discussed in class, there has been great work done in attempting to measure the influence of individuals - who’s messages are amplified the greatest. The trick here is to get on their good list. But before you can do that, you have to know who they are and who their audiences are. It may be very cool for Michael Jordan to tweet about your new baby sling, but odds are his followers aren’t new mothers. It is your job to know who influences your target customers and get in good with them. Follow them on Twitter or Pinterest. Then put content out that will be retweeted or repinned or reposted. Once some sort of trust has been established it is time to up the ante. If you are a shoe company, maybe you get people to post a photo of their shoe collection! Not only do shoe lovers love to talk about shoes and will show them off - you can see what styles and quantities your customers have in their closets already. See there are insights to be found just about anywhere!

Persona

 This is Jeff. He is 36 years old, married and the father to beautiful 5-year-old twin daughters. Together with his wife they make approximately $215,000 a year. Jeff works in commercial real estate and works hard to balance his job with his obligations at home taking care of his family. Jeff’s home is large and in a good neighborhood near his parents and in-laws, but it is highly leveraged and they are unsure if the schools nearby will be ok long terms for their kids. Though they are making good money, Jeff worries about keeping up their lifestyle and the expense of possibly paying for a private high school education on top of college. Even so, he loves his classic car and likes to have the latest gadgets to help him “simplify his life”.

What does Jeff think and feel?

Jeff’s family is the most important thing in his life, and so doing what is best for them is generally the priority. However, he married young and sometimes wonders if he missed out on some of his “youth”. There is a bit of “midlife crisis” sometimes that comes out in his hobbies. He does think that he has a pretty great life though – he’s got a beautiful wife and adorable, precocious kids! He truly loves his wife and daughters. He aspires to “keep up with the Joneses” and provide for his family. He is working hard to move up in his career. His wife is a high-powered attorney, and sometimes he feels a little threatened by her success, which drives him to work harder.

What does Jeff see?

He lives in an upper middle class/upper class neighborhood. He sees beautiful homes with manicured lawns. As he drives to work he sees first expensive boutiques and high-end restaurants, and then big box stores and major retailers in strip malls. Jeff’s friends are mainly a mix of people that he knows from college and high school (many of them have landed in the same neighborhood). He is frequently at soccer games and ballet recitals. Afterwards he and the guys will hang out in the backyard and drink scotch or a few imported beers while the wives drink wine in the house.  He looks around his home and sees the latest technology – from flat screen TVs and surround sound, to front loader washer and dryer and gas range. Jeff’s kids are experts on his iPad and sometimes teach even him something!

What does he say and do?

Jeff is relaxed and confident in public. He puts on wry amusement at all the “girly stuff” he has to do as a dad, but he really loves it all and can’t get enough of his girls. During the week he wears a suit to work everyday and looks very sharp. In his time off he is a polo and jeans kind of guy. He always looks put together and his clothes are usually of a recognizable brand (but not trendy – legacy luxury brands like Lacoste, J.Crew) so that people know that he values quality. Jeff is a good-looking guy, but not “pretty”. He is a man’s man and knows how to work with his hands, though he’d rather pay someone to do the dirty work.  He does respect those folks though. He treats the people that he employees at home (housekeeper, nanny, yard crew) with great respect.

What does Jeff hear?

He gets a lot of feedback from those around him. His wife expects him to contribute to the home, and wishes he would focus more on helping within the family and less about “competing” with her career.  His boss likes him a lot and they have a good relationship. The only problem is that often his boss wants him to stay out late for drinks and dinner with clients when Jeff would rather be home with his daughters. Jeff’s friends are always comparing their latest toy (or bauble for their wives). There is quite a bit of friendly competition in the circle, and being a high school athlete, Jeff can’t resist trying to stay on par with his buddies. His parents are aging, so Jeff hears more and more about their needs. They are also very concerned about the schools in the area and are very vocal about their grandchildren’s education.

What are Jeff’s pain points?

Jeff’s greatest fears surround letting people down, whether that be his wife & kids, his boss, his buddies or his parents. He tries to be everything to everyone. He worries about his kids and would do anything for them. If something were to “threaten” them (physically all the way to something like a learning disability) he would move mountains to make it right. Even though in many ways it appears that Jeff and his family couldn’t want for anything and are the luckiest of the lucky, he still worries about what would happen if something were to happen to him. So Jeff tries to plan ahead. Even so, he worries about the economy and how that will affect his ability to provide at the level they expect.

What does Jeff hope to gain?

If there could be more hours in the day to get everything done and please everyone then Jeff would be happy. He hopes to find ways to spend more quality time with his daughters. He hopes to find more time with his wife. He wants to make more money to pay for his life.