Growth via Simplicity
“The lesson: Growth is best achieved by making things simpler for your customer rather than for you.”
Another great article from Harvard Business Review (register to read full articles). Â The McDonalds case study is illuminating and I’ll let you read it, but the real less is making your product work for your customer, not for you.
I love that stat that says 64% of cunsumers say they would pay more for a simpler and more convenient experience. Â That reminds me of a recent tweet where a large desk phone manufacturer showed a video of a user ordering a pizza via the browser on the desk phone. Â My response was along the lines of you *can* do that, but who want’s to. Â It’s not a convenient experience. Â My usernames/passwords/credit cards are on my cell phone or my laptop browsers already. Â NOW I have to put them in my desk phone as well? Â UGGGG. Â The feature-bloat on desk phones just as an example is causing huge user confusion. Â I have a desk phone to make calls – not browse the web. Â Let me make calls and do things like transfer and three-way call and make it super easy and intuitive, but don’t give me things I don’t need and will actually be slower and more frustrating to do via your device.
Like the simple jug – do one thing and do it really well.
In short, listen to your customers and make their lives easier or more convenient and you’ll have a winning strategy!
Sources:
Original article from HBR: Why Adding More Products Isn’t Always the Best Way to Grow.
Image Source: The Met Open Access. Bronze pinochle: ole (jug);  Archaic period – 6th Century B.C.  Etruscan culture.
