In UX Bites #13, we outline the real costs and very real returns from an investment in user–centred design. You will learn how you can champion UX design in your organisation and persuade your colleagues, senior–level decision–makers and other internal stakeholders of its value.
The True ROI of UX – Convincing internal stakeholders
Video: UX Bites by Fathom webinar 13 ‘The True ROI of UX – Convincing internal stakeholders’. Find this webinar and more on Fathom’s YouTube channel.
Q1 Our software product sales are performing well, but it is clear that the product lacks a user–centered approach. The software has a strong USP compared to similar products and therefore sells well, however, it is not user–friendly and the results are clearly visible.
How can I convince my boss that we need to re–look at the approach? When sales or money is involved or a clear KPI it is easier to convince them. How can I best put forward a case to invest time in UX?
A1 The best lens through which to view the question is one of competitive advantage.
Your company’s current product strategy is focused on functionally–focused differentiation. To their credit they’ve clearly established a foothold in the market with that approach and if they are able to maintain that functional edge then that might well be enough to sustain the product’s performance into the future.
The challenge comes when competitors are able to offer equivalent functionality and that competitive advantage disappears. And that threat is very real as your competitors are probably pursuing functional equivalence right now. There are countless examples of organisations across a range of sectors thinking that they didn’t need to worry about how they treat their customers or users because their competitive advantage was so strong.
Sage was the dominant SME accounts package for decades before Xero, Freshbooks and Quickbooks offered equivalent functionality with a much more pleasant user experience and stole a very significant market share from them. Sage has been playing catch–up ever since.
Ryanair focused on their low fares message for decades and almost took pride in their brusque customer service, until other airlines got close to their prices and customers were happy to pay an extra £20 for another low fare but with a pleasant experience. Ryanair noticeably changed tack around 2015 by focusing on the digital aspects of their service delivery.
In the experience economy, where consumers have a choice between functionally equivalent products, they will always select the product with the best experience.
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