Whilst many companies may not want to involve customers directly in product design, one type of co-creation can see them working with customers on how the product is delivered – on the service. You’ll often find that the customer doesn’t distinguish between product and service and so involving them in this can be a great way of bringing them inside the company.
From Amazon to FedEx, many firms have taken ideas from their customers to develop the way in which they deliver their products to them. The co-creation site MyStarbucksIdea is positioned more to services than to products and seeks to get customer input into the way they enjoy the product rather than into the product themselves. In fact this is a great area for using online communities – exploring and understanding how customers use your product and then taking and seeking their ideas on how to deliver them to you better.
Focusing on service has the advantage of directing customer efforts to how the product is delivered rather than to the product itself. It is a way of the brand improving the customer’s experience without impacting upon the product itself. It is also a way to bring the customer inside the business. Helping them work with the brand on a part of the experience that matters to them most.
Co-creating service redesign lets customers work with the brand and change the experience without changing the product itself. It goes beyond the types of co-creation that focus only on the customer’s own product or experience but does not cause lasting change to the product itself.
The next example we’ll look at in the co-creation series will look at a type that does just that.
Some more reading
- Co-creation 2: Real-time Self-service
- Co-creation 1: Mass Customisation
- Customer Satisfaction: Time Is Precious
Original Post: http://blog.freshnetworks.com/2008/08/co-creation-3-service-redesign/
