Tell me about a time when a customer came to you for something that would not actually address their need.

Example Answers

E-Commerce Specialist

Certainly, I can discuss a specific scenario where a customer came to me for a product feature that would not actually address their underlying need. In a previous e-commerce role, a customer who was frustrated with the speed of our checkout process reached out to suggest we add a "check out as a guest" option. While this feature could have made the checkout process faster, it would not address the underlying issue of slow page load times and other technical issues that were causing delays.

To approach this situation, I first thanked the customer for their feedback and acknowledged their frustration with the checkout process. I then asked more questions to understand their experience with the checkout process and identify the root cause of their frustration. Through user research and A/B testing, we discovered that the slow page load times were the primary cause of the delays, not the guest checkout feature.

Based on this information, I proposed a solution to improve the overall performance of our checkout process by optimizing our page load times, reducing the number of steps required to complete the checkout process, and improving the mobile experience. These changes resulted in a significant decrease in checkout abandonment rates and an increase in conversion rates.

By taking the time to understand the customer's underlying need and approaching the situation with a solutions-focused mindset, we were able to identify the real issue and propose an effective solution that ultimately improved our customer experience and business results.

Mobile App Guru

Sure, I can give you an example of a time when a customer requested a feature that did not actually address their underlying need and how I approached the situation.

In my previous role as a product manager for a mobile social networking app, we had a customer request a new feature that would allow users to send anonymous messages to other users. This customer believed that this feature would increase engagement and encourage users to be more open and authentic on the platform.

However, upon exploring this request further, I realized that this feature could potentially harm the user experience by enabling bullying and harassment. Additionally, our app was not designed to be an anonymous messaging platform. Therefore, I approached the situation by having a conversation with the customer to understand their underlying need and goals in making this request.

Through our conversation, I was able to dig deeper into the customer's needs and motivations and identify that their real need was to increase the level of trust between users. To address this need, I recommended a different solution that would allow users to verify their identities using their social media profiles or email addresses.

After presenting this alternative solution, I was able to provide data from our existing user base that showed an increase in trust and comfort levels when user identities were verified. Ultimately, this solution was implemented, and it positively impacted user engagement and retention on the platform.

In summary, by taking a consultative approach and understanding the underlying needs of the customer, I was able to develop a solution that effectively addressed their need and led to a positive outcome for the company.

Consumer Electronics Enthusiast

Sure! As a product manager, I've experienced several instances when a customer came to me with a request that would not actually address their underlying needs. One such example happened when I was working as a product manager for a consumer electronics company.

A customer approached us with a request to make the smartphone camera capable of zooming in 10x. The customer thoroughly explained why they needed this feature, and how it would be a game-changer for them. They even showed us images from their existing camera that demonstrated why they required this much zoom capability.

However, after analyzing the market trends and doing some research, we realized that the customer actually needed a different solution. Our team understood that their zoom requirement was simply a workaround for the subpar quality of the customer's existing camera.

We carefully examined the market and discovered that there was a demand for smartphones with better camera sensors and image processing capabilities. We decided to include these features to significantly improve the overall image quality, which would in turn eliminate the need for extreme zooming.

We explained this solution to the customer in detail, showing them some sample shots taken by our upcoming product. We made them understand that they needed an overall superior camera experience, not just extreme zooming. After some convincing, the customer agreed to test our new product, which exceeded their expectations on image quality, color accuracy, and clarity.

As a result, the customer was extremely satisfied, and we gained an influential advocate in the market who helped us spread the word about our superior camera technology. Our team was able to succeed by not just listening to what the customer explicitly asked for, but by putting in the work to understand their underlying needs and creating a product that would truly address them.

Enterprise Software Savant

Sure, I very much remember a similar situation that I faced in my previous job as a product manager for an enterprise software company. Our client, a large manufacturing company, requested a particular feature that they believed would address their needs related to supply chain optimization. However, upon considering their request and doing a thorough analysis of their current system and operational model, I realized that our client's proposed solution would not achieve their desired outcome.

I started by setting up a meeting with our client's key stakeholders to discuss their requirements. I listened actively to their feedback, identified their concerns, and acknowledged the significance of their need. I then carefully explained and demonstrated to them why their initial request would not address their primary need, and why we were proposing an alternative approach to accomplish their end goal. I also supplemented the discussion with data and statistics that we collected on similar scenarios of other clients to validate our alternative approach.

Although our alternative approach required more time and resources, given the magnitude of the potential business impact, our client accepted our solution. We packaged it within a highly customer-centric methodology to deploy it with minimal disruption to their existing operations and processes.

As a result of being proactive, patient and client-centric, our solution delivered a significant improvement in our client's supply chain optimization efficiencies, which was evident in the form of enhanced customer satisfaction scores, reduction in lead times and lower operational costs.

To sum up, in such situations, it is critical to carefully study a client's request and problem before proposing a solution. By bringing the right stakeholders to the table, taking time to fully understand the issue, offering supporting data and proposing recommendations with a focus on delivering enduring customer value, Product Managers can pivot individual challenges into solutions that delight clients and deliver business results.

SaaS Strategist

Thank you for the question. Indeed, I have encountered a similar situation before where a customer came to me asking for a specific feature that would not address their actual needs. In my previous company, we had launched a new feature on our SaaS platform, which was designed to streamline the content creation process for our customers.

One of our customers approached me, requesting that we add a new feature to the platform - an in-app messaging function. The customer felt that this feature would help their teams collaborate better and streamline their communication. However, as we dug deeper into the customer's workflow and needs, we discovered that an in-app messaging function would not actually address their main issues.

I approached the situation by setting up a meeting with the customer to discuss their requirements further. During the meeting, I asked several open-ended questions to gather more information about their workflow, pain points, and goals. I listened carefully to their responses to understand their true needs.

After analyzing their feedback, I presented an alternative solution, a feature that focused on integrating with their existing communication tools. This enabled the customer's teams to continue using their preferred means of communication while still being in sync with the platform.

We stressed the value proposition of the solution and provided examples of how our other clients had benefited from it. The customer was initially hesitant but ultimately convinced by the proposal's efficacy. We agreed to deliver the integration as part of our roadmap.

The result was that the customer was pleased with the new feature. They acknowledged that our suggestion was more efficient than their initial request and saved them time. Through communication, actively listening with empathy, and careful consideration, we delivered a solution that addressed their needs. As a result, the re-engagement rate of our customers improved, driving growth and long-term sustainability for our SaaS platform.

Cybersecurity Expert

Thank you for the question. As a product manager, it is not uncommon for customers to come to me with requests that do not actually address their needs. In such situations, I believe it is important to take a step back and thoroughly understand the customer's problem before offering a solution. This approach ensures that the customer receives a product that is tailored to their specific needs and addresses their concerns.

For example, I once had a customer come to me asking for a product that would encrypt all of their data in transit and at rest. While encryption is a critical security measure, in this particular situation, it was not the best solution. After conducting a thorough analysis, I discovered that the customer's real concern was not encryption, but rather data loss prevention. They were worried about employees accidentally sharing sensitive data with unauthorized parties.

Based on this insight, I recommended a data loss prevention solution that would monitor and prevent the unauthorized sharing of sensitive data. I explained to the customer that while encryption would provide an additional layer of security, data loss prevention would more directly address their underlying concern. The customer was initially hesitant, as they had been pushing for encryption for a while, but I was able to demonstrate and articulate the benefits of a data loss prevention solution compared to encryption.

After a series of discussions, the customer agreed to implement our data loss prevention solution, and they were extremely satisfied with the outcome. They were able to prevent sensitive data from being mishandled or disclosed while avoiding the costs and complexities associated with encryption.

In conclusion, as a product manager, I believe it is important to thoroughly understand customer needs before offering a solution. By taking the time to listen to the customer and understand their context and needs, and creating a solution that best serves their requirements, I have been able to develop successful products that truly meet customer's needs.