Lecture Notes: Be the Customer Concept

Introduction

• Elon Musk drives a Tesla
• CEO of McDonald's eats McDonald's meals twice a day
• Importance: Understand and experience what your customers experience

Key Concept: Be the Customer

• Step out of the executive role and put yourself in the customer's shoes
• Customer service channels often fail to capture honest feedback
• Example: Restaurant experience feedback is often not truthful

Practical Application

• Experience services/products as a customer: Undercover Boss method

Three Levels of Being the Customer

Level 1: Become Your External Customer

• Example: Product designer using the product at home
• Benefits: True understanding of the customer's pain points
• Internal Tests: Calls into the company, website testing
• Specific Cases:
  • Product designer experiencing seat comfort issues
  • Dispatch manager shipping packages to himself

Level 2: Become Your Internal Customer

• Example: CEO working in an accounts office
• Results: Improved internal processes
• Implementing respectful processes for team members
• Involvement of entire team, e.g., production to assembly transition
• Built-in quality assurance

Level 3: Applying it to Personal Life

• Example: Wedding planning
• Understand and empathize with others in personal interactions
• Communicate effectively by considering the other person's perspective

Lean Manufacturing and