ABSTRACT

If the goal of all new products is to create something that a customer is willing to purchase and thus generate a profit, understanding a customer’s needs, desires, issues, and concerns is important. Voice of the customer is a process that can be used to do this by capturing a wide range of customer likes and dislikes based on qualitative and quantitative information. This information can be generated through focus groups, interviews, and surveys and is usually very structured, with an emphasis on comparing current products and alternatives in order to get a sense of customer satisfaction. The information gathered is used to develop a hierarchy of needs and wants that become a starting point for product innovation.