How Micro Product Changes Keep Consumers Happy

News flash! People are easier to please than we think. Yes, that’s right, consumers don’t need wild changes to the products they love, product designers are proving that small changes can make just as big of an impact.

When consumers decide to switch to a different product, it takes a lot of work. They have to find a product they like better, vet the brand, check reviews, and purchase or sign up for it. For that reason, if a consumer is already using your product and knows that you care about prioritizing their experience by making the changes they need or want, they’re going to be less likely to hop to a competitor.

A Look at Apple: One of the Most Successful Companies in the World

Let’s look at one of the most successful companies in the world as an example: Apple. Apple’s product designers are seen as some of the most innovative. Consumers wait patiently to see “What’s next?” from the brand at their new product releases.

However, have you noticed that almost all their new devices haven’t boasted anything drastically different than what they already do? Most updated versions of the iPhone simply offer better battery life or a slightly better camera and photo quality.

Apple answers the easy-to-solve issues that consumers have with their devices and makes slight changes to each new edition of their product. People line up to get the newest version every time.

Buyers Crave Positive Brand Experiences

Buyers crave positive brand experiences, it’s as simple as that. Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, answered what makes a great brand experience, “…if the customer doesn’t need to call you, doesn’t need to talk to you. It just works!”

Product designers need to keep this in mind when making improvements to their pre-existing products. Often times changes don’t need to be drastic. Simple updates like Apple working to improve battery life will make a significant impact on a user’s experience. As a result, users feel heard and that their concerns are genuinely cared about, resulting in the development of brand loyalty and trust.

Big Product Changes Can Be Risky

Big product changes can actually run a higher risk of losing loyal customers. Why? Because they’re already using your product, they must like it to some extent. If you revamp it entirely, and change the way the consumer has to interact with it, your customer is likely going to end up frustrated over anything else. It goes back to the age-old saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

In an email between Entrepreneur.com and serial entrepreneur Sigurd Vedal, Vedal wrote, “Loyal brand consumers generally think they want new changes to the products they consume, but reality shows that they do not like many changes because it disrupts their familiarity with the product.”

Take all our favourite social media networks as an example. Every time Instagram comes in with a major change to its design and interface, users backlash immediately.

Instead, make smaller changes to the platform or service you are providing that improve the consumer’s experience without completely turning it upside down. This is what product designers need to focus on.

What do you think of embracing micro-changes as a product designer? Let us know in the comments below.

About: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories. Also, our founder Kevin Mako hosts The Product Startup Podcast, the industry's leading hardware podcast. Check it out for tips, interviews, and best practices for hardware startups, inventors, and product developers. Click HERE to learn more about MAKO Design + Invent!