What's the Problem?

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About Us

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Foundation

Bio-founder

Core Values

For winning businesses it's all about delighting the customer like this exuberant and clearly delighted little girl.

The bottom line in a winning business -- it's about delighting the customer.

So what is the bottom line?

According to Ian Alam

"... the task of a product manager is to translate the problem into a product that solves it." (Alam, p. 255)

But how well can you do that if you haven't taken the time to really understand the problem?

And so the most important thing we do at Breakthrough NPD is to uncover the deeper, unarticulated needs of your customer.

Then you can set the most profitable course for your company. Head for the right markets. You can invest in product developments with much less risk. Develop products that will have the greatest ROI and strategic benefit. Grow your company. Save your company. Compete on something other than price.

We go beyond that and can help you create or find technology, make your processes more efficient, and craft strategy. The bottom line though -- knowing who your customer is and understanding their needs is the foundation the rest is built on. Your business is not your technology, not your product, not your organization. Your business is your customer.

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REFERENCES

Albert D. Ehrenfried, "Market Development - the Neglected Companion of Product Development," IEEE Western Electronic Show and Convention (WESCON) (San Francisco: August 24-26, 1955) 1-2. (As quoted by Grabowski’s 1995 paper “Who is going to buy the darn thing?”)

Ehrenfried quoted from, "Planning Products for Profit," The New England Council (Boston: 1953). (Per Grabowski, 1995)

Gerald Zaltman, "How Customers Think, The Mind of the Market" Harvard Business School Press, 2003.

Richard W. Fortier in testimonial at marketingvp.com

Edward F. McQuarrie, "Customer Visits -- Building a Better Market Focus," Sage Publications, Inc., 1998)

Ian Alam, "Interacting with Customers in the New Product Development Process," in The PDMA Handbook of New Product Development, 2nd ed., editted by Kahn, Castellion, and Griffin, Wiley, 2005.

Ralph E. Grabowski, "The Board's Fiduciary Responsibility To Market Research," The Corporate Board, May/June 1998, Vol. XIX No. 110: 22-27.

Ralph E. Grabowski, "Who Is Going To Buy The Darn Thing?" Boston, June 21, 1995, IEEE Electro International Conference Proceedings: 69-96.

Charles Miller and David C. Swaddling, "Focusing NPD Research on Customer-Perceived Value," in The PDMA Toolbook for New Product Development, Vol. 1, editted by Belliveau, Griffin, and Somermeyer, Wiley, 2002.

Robert G. Cooper, " New Products--What Separates the Winners from the Losers and What Drives Success," in The PDMA Handbook of New Product Development, 2nd ed., editted by Kahn, Castellion, and Griffin, 2005.

Sheila Mello, "Customer-centric Product Definition," PDC Professional Publishing, 2002.

Michael Nevins, "Marketing Excellence Takes a Total Commitment," Electronic Business (June 15, 1984) 88. (Per Grabowski, 1995)

Dr. Barry Unger quoted by Grabowski, 1998.

Gerald M. Katz, "The Voice of the Customer" in The PDMA Toolbook for New Product Development, Vol. 2, editted by Belliveau, Griffin, and Somermeyer, 2004.

Abbie Griffin, "Obtaining Customer Needs for Product Development," in The PDMA Handbook of New Product Development, 2nd ed., editted by Kahn, Castellion, and Griffin, Wiley, 2005.

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