During the new years it is often a great opportunity to start fresh or to try new things. Some businesses even launch new products to take advantage of the new years buzz as well. One thing that got me thinking though is how a lot of people don’t like change. So if you are a business that has an established customer base but wanted to change directions in some way would you be inclined to ask your customers for feedback first as if it was an investor’s meeting? Or would you simply just do it as that is the direction you wish to go?
I guess it really depends on what you are offering. If it is something that people go back to you regularly for such as grocery shopping then it could be wise to let people know your thoughts first in carrying completely different products. Especially if you have an existing loyal customer base.
This is versus people who are one time purchase customers of say the latest smartphone. You could do market research in terms of what people want ahead of time. But often in these cases people don’t know what they want or have unrealistic wish lists to the point where the company just needs to make the decision they think is best.
I suppose that’s why soliciting for constant feedback is valuable which not everyone does. Ultimately it’s your choice, but people often appreciate having some kind of voice for big changes.