We ask a lot of our customers: Fill out this survey! How likely are you to recommend my product? Can we interview you for a case study? Want to join our customer council? Seeking customer feedback is an ongoing part of every PM’s life (and if it isn’t a part of your, it should be!), but what about someone else’s customers?
In our poll this week, 88% of you agreed that talking to users of a competitor’s customer is important and helpful. The rest are probably weary of the focus on the competition derailing your own vision. As our debater, Sam advises, keep it classy!
Also
The big danger is to only solicit feedback from your existing customers. You gotta talk to a good sampling of the market, including those who don't use a product in your category and those who use your competitor's. But stay classy and don't confuse market research with sales.
Sam Boonin
VP Product Strategy, Zendesk
Yes
Of course, you should. It doesn’t mean you’ll copy your competitors -- you may very well decide to let them do their thing -- but do it after you know their users' needs, intents, what they like, what they don’t, etc.
David Schwartz
VP Product, Wix
