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).  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.  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.  My response was along the lines of you *can* do that, but who want’s to.  It’s not a convenient experience.  My usernames/passwords/credit cards are on my cell phone or my laptop browsers already.  NOW I have to put them in my desk phone as well?  UGGGG.  The feature-bloat on desk phones just as an example is causing huge user confusion.  I have a desk phone to make calls – not browse the web.  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.