Customer is King

<p>Back in the day when batteries in remote controls ran low, they would be working one moment and not the next, right? Apparently though, based on how different remotes are designed and how power is distributed, different buttons and functions are affected differently when power starts running low. I noticed this over the weekend when&#8230;</p>

<p>When companies create products, focus often tends to be on maximizing perceived value and profitability (within the respective value category). It’s like they are looking outward, being reactive (to competitors), and playing their part in a herd. Yet every once in a rare while, comes a product that has been built so thoughtfully, you begin&#8230;</p>

<p>Many Rolls Royce cars have a sheer vertical drop front design. And while they are extremely powerful and can go fast, they normally don&#8217;t, because they are meant to transport their occupants safely, in luxury, and in a refined manner, not to indulge in drag races. And so the vertical drop might be alright on&#8230;</p>

<p>When naming a startup or product, many settle for the first decent option, while others obsess over finding the perfect one. But as a WWII life-saving invention revealed, sometimes the name can make all the difference between success and failure.</p>

<p>In a world of mundane everyday products, it&#8217;s rare to find one that catches your eye for its thoughtful design. The Bisleri 5-litre bottle, with its curved sides for easy pouring, is a surprising example of clever, practical design that makes you appreciate the beauty of function.</p>

<p>Time and Price form interesting aspects of current B2C businesses. Uber for instance, has its routes generally optimized for speed (recommends a shorter route even if it is more expensive). Ola, on the other hand, at least used to have routes optimized for price (recommends a slightly longer but the cheaper route). One sees an&#8230;</p>

<p>Focusing on the &#8220;average&#8221; majority often leads to oversimplified, generic solutions. But by innovating for users at the extremes, you create more flexible, inclusive products that better meet everyone’s needs.</p>

<p>Ergonomically designed products are often comfortable for short use but can become more uncomfortable over time compared to plain designs. For instance, while sleek bike grips or beautifully designed wireless earbud cases feel great initially, they may be less practical for extended use.</p>

<p>I was recently at a few car showrooms, just browsing.. And I noticed something. Many of the popular brands tend to keep a higher or top end variant of different models on display. And interestingly, Toyota, at least the showroom I went to, had base variants on display. We could look at this in two&#8230;</p>

<p>Netflix does something admirable with its listing thumbnails. it toggles the image thumbnails of many of its movie and series listings, and also the hover preview clips, from one of 2-3 different ones. While it might make finding a specific movie or series just by scanning thumbnails a bit tedious for some, in general I&#8230;</p>

<p>Wondering if the new goals of Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol risks repeating an old mistake Starbucks made.</p>

<p>Discounts are everywhere, but the best platforms make it easier by automatically applying the most advantageous offer at checkout. Services that simplify and clearly present discounts enhance customer trust and loyalty, avoiding the hassle of searching for deals.</p>

<p>Here in India, we citizens as consumers don&#8217;t quite take customer feedback as seriously yet, as they do in some other countries. In my first job for a short stint at a BPO in Bangalore, I was puzzled to find out that random surveys went out to retail customers of our Hewlett Packard products in&#8230;</p>

<p>The bout between the tech giants Amazon and Google regarding Google&#8217;s payments related policy, that has been going on since 2022, has finally hit India recently, and the two giants have taken a big dump on user experience here. Users in India might no longer be able to buy digital goods on the Android Amazon&#8230;</p>

<p>Present day products, be it cars, or consumer products; they have become extremely safe and similar-looking. Like the past, one can only hope the future too has some brave designs in store. Clip: Tom Fisk</p>

<p>Product miniatures &nbsp;</p>

<p>There is a beauty to how some products (and software) are designed. Think scissors. If we want to cut something fast, we use the forward section of the blades (speed multiplier). Want to cut something fatter or tougher, use the rear end of the blades (effort multiplier); and cut slower, or risk breaking the scissors&#8230;.</p>

<p>Firstly, should laptop charging lights be put on the side the charger plugs in? That is where the charger plugs in, but not where we sit. Which means many a times, it would be an effort to confirm charging. How about on the front? Better, since most often, many of us (remember to) charge the&#8230;</p>

<p>Researching chopping board designs&#8230; ..in the search for a better one.</p>

<p>Researching chair designs&#8230; ..in the search for a better one. &nbsp;</p>