Examine the buyer job-to-be-done to spark product innovation

This text is sponsored by Procter & Gamble.

Whereas firms work to cut back their environmental impacts, additionally they ought to design their merchandise to assist remedy shoppers’ challenges in a extra sustainable manner.

A shopper problem may be outlined as a “job-to-be-done,” which is solely an issue persons are making an attempt to unravel. From this attitude, merchandise aren’t simply issues folks purchase, but in addition one thing they “rent” to unravel their downside. 

That is necessary as a result of there’s a nice alternative to cut back the environmental affect of a product’s use phases. That is much more essential when such merchandise require water and vitality, corresponding to showering, doing laundry or washing dishes. Whereas it’s essential that firms proceed to cut back their very own operational and provide chain footprints, merchandise even have an necessary position to play within the creation of sustainable habits at residence. Client insights shed gentle into how model affect and product innovation can encourage new behaviors.  

By creating merchandise that carry out properly and are higher for folks and the planet, this helps the buyer full their job extra simply, and helps to cut back the corresponding environmental affect. Growing an answer that may ship efficiency for folks and planet requires a deep understanding of how an individual makes use of a given product and their surrounding setting. 

The next outlines how Procter and Gamble (P&G) applies shopper insights to cut back the environmental affect of dishwashing utilizing a three-principal strategy. First, P&G research how folks use the product via understanding their surrounding setting; second, develops a deeper understanding of why sure behaviors exist; and at last, leverages the insights within the product design. 

1. Zoom out to know the total image of the setting the buyer is in

As P&G creates each dish cleaning soap and dishwasher detergent, we examine handwashing and auto-washing habits. It’s necessary to place ourselves within the footwear of shoppers to know what’s taking place within the kitchen and why in order that we will outline the job to be completed and downside to be solved. That data, powered by further shopper insights, informs the product necessities for our innovation. 

Some shopper behaviors we examine embody: How usually is the sink operating? How lengthy do the dishes sit there? What number of dishes are washed by hand? What temperature is the water? How a lot water is used? What number of dishes are put into the dishwasher? 

These questions and extra allow a greater understanding of behaviors that use water and vitality within the kitchen.  

2. Perceive how folks really feel concerning the process to get to the foundation of their habits

Washing dishes is a chore and usually folks need it completed quick and conveniently. Many busy folks state that they really feel overwhelmed by the sight of a full sink of soiled dishes. Individuals then undertake compensating behaviors that they suppose will assist them get the job completed extra effectively. Some examples:

• Protecting the tap operating to be able to save time, leading to vital water and vitality use;
• Soaking dishes to shave off time scrubbing;
• Cleansing dishes on an ongoing foundation to forestall stuck-on messes versus doing all of them on the finish;
• Rising the water temperature to assist dishes dry sooner, leading to elevated vitality use; and,
• Washing dishes earlier than loading them as a result of they don’t consider the dishwasher will get them clear, leading to wasted water and vitality.

Understanding the why behind the actions — on this case a want for effectivity mixed with a mistrust of dishwashers — offers R&D groups concepts for brand spanking new options that foster extra sustainable habits. 

3. Leverage insights to design merchandise for efficiency for folks and planet

With an understanding of individuals’s behaviors and the motivation behind them, P&G can then design merchandise to assist shift habits whereas delivering in opposition to the job to be completed. On this case, the job is quick and efficient dish cleansing that avoids useful resource intensive compensating behaviors. 

By a examine of dishwashing habits and the water and vitality used, P&G R&D decided that dishwashers must be the most well-liked alternative to cut back environmental affect in the course of the product use section. All it takes is eight dishes washed by hand to make use of the identical quantity of water and vitality {that a} dishwasher makes use of. Utilizing a dishwasher, folks can save 100 gallons per week.  

By understanding shopper obstacles to dishwasher utilization, P&G R&D groups optimized the chemistry in Cascade Platinum Plus dishwashing pods to wash dishes higher and get rid of the necessity for pre-washing or re-washing. The answer conserves sources and helps save time by avoiding soaking or pre-rinsing — folks scrape the dish off and instantly load it in. 

Whereas dishwashers provide probably the most sustainability advantages over hand washing, some folks don’t have them. Daybreak Powerwash was developed to cut back water and vitality use for those that hand wash their dishes. The R&D crew simplified the expertise by avoiding water on the onset of cleansing dishes. The end result: refillable packaging and formulation designed to launch suds with out the necessity for water to activate them.

Making dishwashing a sooner and simpler chore may also encourage additional sustainable behavior adoption, corresponding to cooking and consuming extra at residence.

Innovating a superior and sustainable product 

Client manufacturers have a duty to determine the place affect may be made and the place they will step in to innovate, resulting in a superior and sustainable product that delivers added worth. 

A science-based strategy is necessary as a result of it exhibits the place the largest enchancment for the setting may be made. A consumer-inspired product is equally necessary as a result of it ends in a happy shopper when perform and expertise is delivered. The 2 have to be merged for a holistic proposition that folks need to purchase.

When completed proper, the result’s one thing we will all get behind: merchandise that delight, allow higher habits and cut back environmental footprints at residence.