Value Co-creation in the Value Network
Framing value co-creation from a firms’ perspective
Appendices
Table of Contents
Appendix 1: Literature Overview Value Co-Creation ... 3
Appenidix 2: Audit Trails ... 6
Appendix 3: Research Data Gathering ... 7
Appendix 4: Interview questions development ... 8
Appendix 5: Interview Questions #1 of Open Coding by Focus on How and Why ... 10
Appendix 6: Open coderen Interview Case 1... 14
Appendix 7: Open code tree Case 1 ... 43
Appendix 8: Axial coding tree Case 1 ... 48
Appendix 9: Open coding Interview Case 2... 50
Appendix 10: Open coding tree Case 2 ... 77
Appendix 11: Axial Coding Tree Case 2 ... 81
Appendix 12: Selective Coding Tree Case 1 and Case 2 ... 84
Appendix 13: Memoing ... 87
Appendix 14: Validity and reliability... 117
Appendix 15: Biography Researcher Anita Eising... 119
Appendix 16: Questionnaire Waterwatch... 120
Appendix 1: Literature Overview Value Co-Creation
Authors Contribution and/or research objective Method
2000. Prahalad,
Ramaswamy Description how to employ the competence of the customer. Description concepts.
2002. Flint,
Woodruff, Gardial The study sheds light on the nature of customer’s desired value change and related contextual conditions. Grounded theory study- early stage. 2004a. Prahalad,
Ramaswamy Discussion how the concept of a market is undergoing change and transforming the nature of the relationship between the consumer and the firm. Theoretical analysis and conceptual development. 2004b. Prahalad,
Ramaswamy Elaboration on the role of the customer. Theorietical elaboration
2004. Vargo and
Lusch Exploration of a new evolving dominant logic for marketing. Theoretical analysis and conceptual development. 2006. Ballantyne and
Varey The linked exchange-enablers and their potential for improving value-in-use are discussed. The concepts of relating, communicating and knowing are integrated in the SD-logic exchange model.
Theoretical analysis and conceptual development.
2007. Spohrer,
Maglio, Bailey, Gruhl Developing further the science of service to provid theory and practice around service innovation.
Theoretical development by discussion.
2008a. Vargo and
Lusch Highlighting and clarifying the salient issues associated with S-D logic and updates the original foundational premises (FPs) and adds an FP. Theoretical analysis and conceptual development. Vargo & Lusch (2004) 2008b. Vargo and
Lusch These parallel logics, Good Dominant and Service Dominant, and their implications for marketing theory and practice of a full transition to a service-logic are explored Theoretical analysis and conceptual development. 2008. Vargo, Maglio,
Akaka Providing an alternative perspective on creation of value based on service science and S-D logic Theoretical analysis and conceptual development.Vargo & Lusch (2004, 2006).
2008. Payne,
Storbacka, Frow Explore the nature of value co-creation in the context of S-D logic; develop a conceptual framework for understanding and managing value co-creation. Field based Research.
2008. Grönroos Discussing the differences between value-in-exchange and value-in-use. Theoretical analysis and conceptual development.
Sphorer scale service systems. 2009. Fyrberg,
Jüriado Refine the S-D logic literature with regard to network actors and processes. How social and economic actors co-create value How the main network actors can be conceptualized given the specifics of S-D logic
Field based Research. 2009. Payne,
Storbacka, Frow, Knox
Developing and refining a model for understanding the brand relationship experience in the
context of service-dominant logic. Literature Study and Case Study Research.
2010. Lusch, Vargo,
Tinarru Applying S–D logic thinking to move marketing and SCM toward a focus on service provision, in which goods, while still important, are seen as service distribution or provisioning mechanisms, (2) explore and elaborate the concept of a value network, (3) develop a model which theorizes how a firm can learn to become an essential service provisioning part of a complex and adaptive value network
Concept development.
2010. Alexander,
Jaakkola The study describes resource contribution and integration involvin a range of actors with regard to value co-creation. It identified four critical prerequisites for value co-creation. Case study. 2011. Echeverri,
Skålén Studying about the interactive value formation at the provider-customer interface, from a practice-theory perspective. Emperical singel case study. 2011a. Grönroos Analysis underpinning logic of value co-creation in the service logic. Six of the FP are
reformulated. Theoretical analysis
2011b. Grönroos Formulate five service logic theses to provide an understanding of the value creation process
and its implications for marketing. Literature study of the history of services marketing. 2011c. Grönroos Analysis of the implications for value creation and marketing of adopting a service logic in
business relationships Theoretical analysis.
2011. Vargo and
Lusch Elaborate further that it is all A2A (or B2B) — that is, at an appropriate level of abstraction, all actors are fundamentally doing the same things, co-creating value through resource integration and service provision. But, perhaps more important, it is the purpose to point toward what becomes possible once there are normalized the actors.
Literature study for theory building purposes.
2011. Increase understanding of value co-creation at the service system and network level. Case study. 2011. Vargo, Lusch Discussion of the system-oriented framework (actor-to-actor approach) and elaborates the
marketin sub-disciplines, marketing practices, and disciplines external to marketing. 2011. Frow, Payne Explore value propositions in the context of S-D logic, within the multiple stakeholder
domains that form part of a marketing system. Its purpose is to identify how use of the value proposition concept, in this broader context, provides new insight into value creation within a value network.
Theoretical analysis and conceptual development.
2011. Ballantyne,
Frow, Varey, Payne The aim of the article is to examine the concept and functioning of value propositions, seen through a service-dominant logic. They make use of the fundamental premises of the S-D logic. Theoretical development by theoretical analysis. 2011. O’Shaughnessy, O’Shaughnessy
This paper is a rejoinder to Lusch and Vargo’s defense of their service-dominant logic
paper against criticism. Examining logic of Lusch and Vargo.
2011. Fisher, Smith The consumer perspective has received less theoretical and empirical attention in value co-creation. This in-depth investigation details the consumers’ experiences of co-creation within the context of a brand community
In-depth research by ethnography, videography, netnography, and interviews
2012 Karpen, Bove,
Lukas While the literature has pointed out the managerial merits of cocreating value, less is known about the organizational capabilities necessary to execute S-D logic in practice. This article devises an S-D orientation, specified as a portfolio of six strategic capabilities
Appenidix 2: Audit Trails
a) Theoritical data audit trail
b) Audit trail coding
*all phases include memoing
Open Coding
•Observing through first interviews cases •Coding interviews seperately •Produce list of codes
•Develop first set up of code tree
Axial Coding
•Structure code tree open coding •Making use of the coding paradigm
•Description of categories/concepts and patterns recognition •Make clusters: theme/concept and within this cluster factors •Description code tree by refering to data/ fragments •Keep on thinking about the data and the codes •Reformulate propositions per case
Selective
Coding
•Compare axial codes of both cases •Structure data
•Recognize links and relationships between categories and concepts. •Compare results with literature, interpret and discuss
•Reformulate final propositions
Propositions Literature Analysis & Adjust Propositions Case Question-naires; Validity Check Analysis; Accept or reject Propositions
Observing through first interviews cases Coding interviews seperately Produce list of codes
Develop first set up of code tree
Structure code tree open coding- add, re-phrase, delete codes e.g. due to synonyms Making use of the coding paradigm
Description of categories/concepts and patterns recognition Make clusters: theme/concept and within this cluster factors Description code tree by refering to data/ fragments Keep on thinking about the data and the codes Reformulate propositions per case
Compare axial codes of both cases
Recognize links and relationships between categories and concepts. Compare results with literature, interpret and discuss
Reformulate final propositions
Appendix 3: Research Data Gathering
Research Question In-depth Questions
Interaction/dialogue
1 By which practices (encounter moments) interaction is forced?
2 To what extend the quality of interaction is determined by a personalized interaction?
3 How important is dialogue in interaction, what does it lead to? 4 How to open up and keep dialogue?
5 Which factors increase the quality of dialogue? Value Propositions
6 Is initiating a value proposition the only way to get involved in customer value creation?
7 Which are the optional co-creation opportunities that can be implemented in the value proposition?
Relational experience
8 Which components construct a relationship among supplier and actors? 9 Which factors lead to a positive relational experience?
10 Does a joint problem-solving strategy lead to a positive relational experience? 11 How are joint expectations and perceptions created?
Supporting context for interaction
12 What is the value of a (consumer) community platform for the supplier? 13 How can the supplier integrate in the community platform?
14 Does the internal customer network play a role in the relational experience? 15 What is the value of identifying various actors in the value network including
intermediaries and institutions?
How interaction quality increases which leads to value co-creation between a firm and customer? 1.* How does your firm interact with the consumers? (Are there special moments) Construct
Suggestions Informing, approaching,delivery, charging and helping
1. How would you describe the encounter moments (touch points) with the consumer? 2. How does your firm enhance the quality of interaction moments?
2. What do personalized interactions (one to one) with different segmented customers such as intermediaries and institutions mean in your company?
2. Is it possible to approach those different stakeholders by a personalized interaction, and how do you implement a personalized interaction? 3. Does a personalized interaction enhance the unique co-creation experience of the various actors in the value network?
4. How would you describe the term dialogue, between you as a provider and a client? (What are the differences with interaction) 4. What do you find to the requisites of having dialogue between you and other actors in the value network?
4. Do you stimulate dialogue with the actors in the value network, and how? Construct
Suggestions Interactivity, deep engagement, ability and willingness to act on both sides. 5. Which factors help you in to increase the quality of dialogue?
Construct
Suggestions Access, transparency and risk/benefit assessment
5. How would you describe the influence dialogue has on the co-creation experience of the customer? How can value propositions be framed within value co-creation? 7. How do you construct value propositions?
7. How do (potential) customers and other beneficiaries allow the firm to co-create value? Construct
Suggestions Co-design, co-development, co-production, co-consumption
6. Do (potential) customers and other beneficiaries also initiate dialogue for personalized value propositions, and how/when?
6. Do you approach customers always by a value proposition, or are their also other ways of reaching the customer offering them the possibility to create value?
Construct
Suggestions Construct or participate in consumer (virtual) platforms
What is the role of relational experience within interaction, and how firms try to positively influence this relational experience? 8. Does the personal relationship on individual level between the employee and actor influence quality of interactions, and how?
*Number is related to in-depth question of table
9. How does the firm try to create a positive relational experience to enhance the co-operative willingness of the customer? Construct
Suggestions Joint problem solving, mutual trust & commitment,similarity, liking
9. When do you experience that a negative individual relationship influences relationships on business level? 10. How do you intend to enhance the relational experience with the actors in the value network?
11 How do you make sure that the actor (customer) has the same expectations of a service (thus a value creating opportunity) as you as supplier have?
11. How do you try to have an influence on the (co-creation) perceptions the other actor?
How can a firm create a supporting context for interaction which stimulates the actor to invite suppliers in the value creation process? 12. How does or would the firms participation in a (consumer) community platform give any additional value to you?
13. How could you get integrated in this community platform? 13. Why would a customer community be valuable for the customer? Construct
Suggestions Enhancing experience through interaction other customers.
14. How would this integraton in the customer network/community has a positive influence on the relational experience between the firm and actor (customer)?
Appendix 5: Interview Questions #1 of Open Coding by Focus on How and Why
Aim of the research: The aim of the master thesis research is to expand the amount of knowledge of value co-creation between a supplier and customer. The supplier’s perspective is taken to draw a process-based framework and to map those processes on a practical level. To define value co-creation the concept is split in two parts. Value means that customers, and suppliers, are better or feel better off than before they have been assisted by a self-service process or a full-service process. The concept process refers to the process in which the product or service is consumed and valued by the customer. This point in time is also called the in-use value or the customer valuation process. The customer as user is always involved in this value-creation process and influences the real value of the product/service. For example, without co-operation a hair dresser is not able to style the consumer in an appropriate manner. This negatively influences the value of the service. As this example shows, co-creation is desired to enhance value. Nevertheless, the customer decides whether or not to invite the supplier to co-create value. If the supplier is present at time of consumption, and the customer does not invite the supplier for co-creation, the involvement of the supplier leads to value co-destruction. Therefore value co-creation is defined as:
‘The value creation process, enabled by the customers’ invitation to the supplier, in which customer and supplier are better or feel better off. It embraces the value experiences of the customer and
supplier’
However, a company has the possibility to facilitate the customer with co-creation opportunities through their value proposition (e.g. co-design, co-development, and co-production) or increasing the number of interactions. The focus in this research is on interactions, and is the main concept in this investigation.
Purpose of the interview: This interview will provide the necessary data to do an in-depth case study analysis. After two interviews the researcher is able to identify main concepts and constructs to build a process-based framework. This framework should serve to guide firms through the process of value co-creation within the value network. It facilitates by the implementation of a reciprocal value proposition which is the result of value co-creation. The first interview enables the interviewer to detect concepts and to reformulate proposed propositions. Another interview will be done with another firm to test those reformulated propositions. The second interview with WaterWatch enables the researcher to obtain additional necessary data to refine propositions which allows the researcher to construct a valid framework for co-creation from a firm’s perspective. The proposed propositions and proposed framework are not shown in order to obtain data without biases.
Case information: WaterWatch functions as the first case. The second case is a firm which recently launched Mexican tequila brand in the European market. Both cases include firms offering services or branded products which are both valued by the consumer on intangible aspects. The good or services are provided through web-based offerings. Both classifications lead to intangible experiences rather than tangible benefits in the first place.
Definitions
Actor: all social and economic actors who integrate their resources (incl. time, money, effort) with regard to a product or service and create value. These actors include the supplier and also the customer such as individual end-users, institutions and intermediaries. Actors are often seen as ‘equal’ rather than distinct having the common purpose of value (co) creation. In this case the actors are the different customer segments e.g. farmers, institutions, intermediaries etc.
Dialogue: an exchange of ideas or opinions. Dialog can only take place when there is interactivity, deep engagement and the ability and willingness to act on both sides.
Experience Environment: the environment which stimulates co-creation by the construction of a social identity of the firm and/or its good or services. In this consumption environment, collaboration between different actors is enabled through the participation of actors in e.g. (virtual) consumer communities and networks. In the experience environment the customer has the opportunity to personalize and create their own unique consumption experience.
Interaction: a mutual or reciprocal action or influence.
Relational Experience: the relation experience of an actor in the value network consisting of three elements: cognition (information based), emotion (feelings) and behaviour. Behaviour is the actions that stem from and result in experiences
Value Co-Creation: The value creation process, enabled by the customers’ invitation to the supplier, in which customer and supplier are better or feel better off. It embraces the value experiences of the customer and supplier’.
Questions
The coming questions may be expected during the interview. However, since the interview is rather exploratory (how and why questions), during the meeting new questions may appear and others may be removed. Please, try to elaborate your answers on the question to enable the researcher to detect important concepts in value co-creation processes. Please, feel comfortable to express your experience and/or opinion. Duration: I would like to take 1, 5 hour for this in-depth interview.
* = definition available.
1. When does your firm interact with the consumers/actor* (see definition)?
2. How does your firm interact* with the actor? Are there any special practices, or encounter moments, between the firm and the diverse actors?
3. How would you describe the encounter moments (touch points) with the consumer? Are there opportunities for value co-creation*?
4. How does your firm enhance the quality of interaction moments?
5. What do personalized interactions (one-to-one) with the diverse actors such as intermediaries and institutions mean in to you and the firm?
6. Is it possible to approach those different actors by a personalized interaction, and how would or do you implement a personal interaction?
7. Does a personalized interaction enhance the unique value co-creation experience of the various actors* in the value network*?
8. How important is dialogue with your (potential) customers, and what does it lead to?
9. What do you find the requisites of having dialogue between you and other actors in the value network?
10. Do you stimulate dialogue with the actors in the value network and how? 11. Which factors help you to increase the quality of dialogue?
12. How would you describe the influence dialogue has on the co-creation experience of the customer?
13. According to you, how can the concept value co-creation be framed within value propositions? 14. How would value propositions help you do to get invited by the other actor to engage in value
co-creation?
15. How do actors (customer) allow the company to co-create value?
16. Do (potential) customers and other beneficiaries also initiate dialogue for personalized value propositions?
17. Do you approach customers always by a value proposition, or are there also other ways of research the customer offering the possibility to create value (common goal)?
18. How do relationships, on business and individual level, influence interaction?
19. How does the firm try to create a positive relational experience* to enhance the co-operative willingness of the customer?
20. When do you experience a negative individual relationship influences relationships on business level?
21. How do you intend to enhance the relational experience with the actors in the value network? 22. How do you make sure that the actors (customer) have the same expectation of a service (thus a
23. How could a firm facilitate the experience environment* in which customers could create their own unique experience? Do you see any opportunities for your firm?
24. How does or would the firms’ participation in a (consumer) community platform give any additional value to you?
25. How could you get integrated in this community platform (e.g. own set up) ? 26. Why would a customer community be valuable for the diverse actors?
27. How would this integration in the customer network/community have a positive influence on the relational experiences between the firm and the actor?
Appendix 6: Open coderen Interview Case 1
1. When does the firm interact with consumers/actors?
We interact with them when we try to sell our products, our service. We interact with them once they have bought our services or product. So that is typical your sales follow up, your hmm. Once they have signed the contract, you of course need to do the work. You need to connect the systems. You need to understand… you need to deliver the product these of things. . So I am trying to differentiate that from customer service because for me customer service for me is more, they are working with the product, they have an issue with the product. So for me there is a difference, between a regular sales follow up once they have signed the contract and the sale has occurred, up to the type of contact we have with our customer. During that phase we are trying to find out what they trying to do with our product, what is their problem. So we are not approaching them with *** or products to buy this. It is more like, what is your problem and how can we help you solve this problem. What is your challenge, how can we help to overcome this challenge. How can we help you to grow this business? And that’s all prior to the actual sale occurring.
So this communicating, how to help, how to solve the problem is very different for you then the sales approach? No uhm, if you look at our sales progress, first we identify what we believe are potential customers. *** Certain industries, geographical**. Where we feel we have certain services, certain data components that would solve certain issues they have, or help them grow their business. And then we approach this customer, what is their current situation issues, what are their challenges, what are they trying to do right now? And then we are trying to pitch our services to them, ok we understand your situation and we are trying to do certain things and we believe that with our service you can make this better or do this better. Do it better. That’s what we feel, that this happens between identifying who we think is a good *** customer and the sale. The customer will only buy when he believes he’s better off with your product than without. In my opinion there are several reasons why a customer would buy your product uhmm. He has to see that it makes for example him better off financially, but also it changes how others perceive him or how he feels when he uses your products or service. I can give you a list of what I feel determines why a customer buys your service or what perceives. So it is really***
Theme: moment of interaction - Selling - Delivery - Customer service - Problems - Pre-sales - Challenge/Problem solving
Theme: Problem solving - Market analysis
- Problem solving approach
Go back to the question, during this sales preparation we interact with the customer because we try to**. Once the sale has occurred we interact to implement what we have agreed to do. And then, once it is implemented and it is an operational system or he has implemented our service we have customer service, where he reports back to us to good and the bad of our products and services. So customers tend to tell you what doesn’t work a lot quicker than what does work. They also tend to speak to others about what doesn’t work than what does work. So in opinion, having listening to the customer can tell you a lot about your product. Uhm, we do not interact, see… in our company the general direction is set, we are going to sell data about water vegetation. I mean that’s what we do, like a car company sales cars. We are not trying to **. What we discuss is what data components you need. So I think we can also say, we interact with our customers during the R&D phase. Once you have a relationship with your customer, keeping that customer is a lot better than trying to every time find a new customer. As your customers’ business grows, his problems change. So we try to involve him in the R& D process, to really find out what is his situation we can provide what would help him, overcome this situation, grow this business really.
2. How does your firm interact with the actor? Are there any special practices, or encounter moments, between the firm and the diverse actors?
We interact with our customers through personal sales, personal visits and phone calls most likely. So, I am saying direct communication between two individuals, or group of individuals.
Personal visits and personal contact, you mean phone calls, emails? Yes, yes.
And you feel that is very important for the customer? That’s critical without that no sales.
Do you also have the feel that for one actor, with the farmer for example, you need more contact than with the other like institutions?
They need different type of attention. They need to uhmm… Our strategy is to work with validate partners. Because
- Product/service implementation - Feedback
- Customer involvement product design and co-development
- Relationship - Changing needs Theme: Interaction approach
- Personalized contact - Direct communication
once you have come to the inside that every target market that could benefit from our data is different, based on geographical market or based on industry. For example a farmer, a potato farmer in The Netherlands has very different questions, different requirements, they want to do very different things with our data than the department of agriculture in South Africa. Quite obviously, but the data we have can create value for both of them. So we want to work with validate partners to have an understanding of a certain understanding of a certain region or a certain industry.
How do you implement it, do you have certain procedures for it? I mean you have different target groups, target market.
The procedures are the same. Whatever target market we go for, the procedure is the same. You identify, we as eLeaf identify certain target markets that is geographic market and certain industries. And then we say which of these target markets are attractive from our perspective. And then we identify who are the validate partners who we need to enter this market because as you rightly said; the information itself does not create value. The customer has to turn this value or information into action, he has to do something, and he has to act based on the information that he got. So telling the customer your VAP transpiration is 7 mm today, so what do I do? There is no value. Now if someone turns up, I learnt that your VAP transpiration is 7 mm today, and it rains 2 mm today, you need 5 mm more. We need to implement an irrigation system on your farm, and that is going to look like this and that, and it is going to cost this and that, and then we will give you a signal totally automated to turn on your irrigation system. Ah, so you will grow 2 tons more, customer value.
That is also the consultant?
Yes but that’s… This is an example of irrigation agriculture. Let’s say a government, the same story. There is no value for the government; he doesn’t care to turn on the irrigation system. They want to have different information, so that’s why we always need a validated partner that delivers the application, then that the customer can use. That creates value for him. And the type of application that the customer wants and needs is different from customer to customer, and market to market.
- Market knowledgeable Partners
Theme: customer value - Value system
And that’s just approached by an individual contact, encounter moment?
Yeah, there is no other way. Once the application is in place, then the validated partner can approach his clients. Say for example, you have an application irrigation management. You can approach all the people that want to irrigate their crops. And once you have an application in place to manage water on a regional level or a national level, once you have that in place, you can approach many other customers that have similar issues. That’s not us, we need to have this validated partners that can set up a water management system in Australia. But that in system should use our data. You always need to interact with the client base on a personal level. Talk to them, ask them: what are you trying to do? How can we work together on how to create value for your customer? That’s always the say.
So your customers are always the business-to-business clients? Yes
Never the individual farmer? No.
3. How would you describe the encounter moments (touch points) with the consumer? Are there opportunities for value co-creation?
Yes definitely.
Could you tell me more about it?
Typically what happens is, we actively approach a certain target market and certain validated partners we need to be successful in that particular market. Or we are approached, but no matter what whether you come from this angle or that angle, we meet, you meet, you talk about how we can create value together. It’s always the same.
- Personal interaction - Problem identification - Business clients
Theme: value co-creation opportunity
- Active validate partners market approach
And why is it so difficult in the South African market? The institutions don’t want to invest, but there is also co-creation right, don’t they see the importance of it? Or is it just legal issues?
There are many-many reasons. The attractiveness of a market is also…. Or no… We believe the markets that we would go for have a sense of urgency. Consider yourself at an airport. You just found out, hey man I have contact lenses; I forgot my contact lens solution. So you know that if you don’t have that product very soon you will have problems. So, even if the price of contact lens solution is twice as high as in your pharmacy, you will still buy it. Why? Urgency! So if you approach a certain market, but there is no sense of urgency at all, you can talk for years before anything happens until they have a sense of urgency.
So you think that in South Africa the institutions they don’t have the sense of urgency?
It is a combination. Uhh, they do have a sense of urgency because they have a major water problem but they are so busy with themselves.
On political issues?
Yes, I think they have 60-70 ministers in a country that has half the population of Germany. And, it’s really… that’s government sales. And government sales and creating value with governments is very different is very different than creating value with commercial companies. Not in the process and the steps in the process, what you need to do. That’s always the same but how a commercial decides or a government decides is different.
Decision-making process?
Yes, decision making process is different and also who you talk to and decides is something very different. But how would you describe the encounter moments, that’s the question. Uhm, but government… It’s really a function of the target market. Say, we would talk to governments. It’s a lot about, do we have the budget for it. That’s a big issue, do we have the budget for it. Uhm, and it’s also a lot about convincing someone, just lobbying… so it is… Yeah well, this about strategic importance for you as a country. Kind of like, in Japan for example, farmers have a tremendous influence on the economical system. The importance of Japanese farmers is neglect able. Japan does not realize its agriculture defeat its population. They contribute almost zero to the gross domestic product but for some reason
they are tremendously influential. Now, if you want to sell something to a government, a product, a service, a new technology, you have to do lobby work in the background to tell: well this is important and we have this, this and this. They need to allocate a budget, it’s just very different. And when you want to approach a commercial company they both have a problem, and are looking for a solution or they don’t.
So governments never approach you?
They do. If they have a problem, they do. But going… see… a government. There is a difference between a government approaching us, and say: hey we need a study, and a government saying: hey we need a service, an on-going service for several years. We want to create something that goes on and on, year after year. So that is different. Maybe I should… uhm.. yeas. I am kind of going for and backward (luckily we have the recorder!)
4. How does your firm enhance the quality of interaction moments?
Well, what we are trying to do… we are trying to document what has been or how we have approached a certain customer. We try to enhance our marketing, in a sense that we have lay down certain criteria on how we qualify markets and rank markets. Uhm, what else, we try to deliver a clear message. It’s really; it’s an on-going process. So every day we try to get better on how we approach the customer and how we interact with the customer.
What are your steps than in the process? There is no true process at the moment. Just, like based on a feeling at the moment?
It is more based on a personal training or job experience or whatever. For example, uhm, the story you have to tell to a certain target market. You have to prepare a certain story for each target market. That’s my opinion. When you
approach different people with the same story, they get bored. They are only interested basically in: what is in it for me? And why should I listen to you right now? And finding something that of interest for everybody is quite difficult, so if you want to enhance your interaction moment that you have with a particular customer. If you want them to buy something, you needed to know yourself before you talk to that person. You need to know what is it that I am trying to achieve here. Is it something, that I just spread some in front of him and just ask him of all the things that I just show to you, what do you want? He
- Target market dependable
Theme: Interaction quality - Documentation - Market criteria - Clear message
is not going to buy. You need to give him some choices: maybe this or that, so let’s talk about A, B and C. And then you can illustrate what are the advantages and what are the disadvantages of each option. And what would be his benefit with each option. You shouldn’t question in general, is that person going to buy from me? As a salesperson you approach customers not with the idea: I don’t know if he is going to buy from me? He is not going to buy. You need to have the mindset; we have a product that creates value for him after having talked to him of course. And then, you can get him to buy something. And what you put on the table you have to find out from the customer. So if you interact with that person, one of the first thing you should find out is what does he want to do. Does he want to fly to the moon? Does he want plant potatoes in his garden? What does he want to do? And then as a good sales person, you have your bag of tricks. You just pool out what you feel is appropriate for this particular customer. So how we are trying to enhance the quality of the interaction moments is really: train sales people on how to approach customers, identify the right markets, and try to have the right products for these customers.
So right markets and right customers?
No, products. So try to find that out from the customer really. What does he want to do? Sometimes it’s just that simple. There is the very big difference between asking for example using your Blackberry: would you like to have a touch screen, or would you like to have this, or that feature. Would you like to access your email that way or this way? That’s not what I am talking about. Its more, would you like to communicate with your friends when not being at home or from anywhere you are? Would you like to do that? And if the customer says; yes I would like to communicate with my friends! Than you can try to think how can my product make that happen for you? I don’t think you care whether the logo on your phone is Twitter or Facebook or…. You don’t care. But what Facebook does, it enables you to interact with your friends. You don’t care about the rest. I mean you don’t care what chips are in. So you need a solution, and it doesn’t matter what it is if it helps you. That’s what you mean?
That’s what I mean. Of course some customers say, ok we want specifically this technology. They have the experience that technology allowed to do that before. But in my personal opinion, in general the customers are more interested in what do I want to do and what can help me to do that. Solution-based?! Yeah.
- Interact self awareness
- Personal customer approach
- Active listening - Market criteria
- Personal underlying true need identification
5. What do personalized interactions (one-to-one,) with the diverse actors such as intermediaries and institutions mean, to you and the firm?
They are everything.
Could you tell a little bit more about it?
It is really, if we do not interact with our customers and validated partners we are out of business. It is the core.
6. Is it possible to approach those different actors by a personalized interaction, and how would or do you implement a personal interaction?
I think it is possible but I think it’s also essential to do that.
But does it always work? Is it always possible for you to approach every client personal? It is time consuming.
Well what we are trying to do… We are not approaching the end-user. So, we don’t consider the end-user really… Of course he is the customer in the sense that he pays for our data. But we do not interact with our end-user. We try to do that through the validated partner. So the validated partner channels through us what their customers need. So, from a marketing perspective, uhm, our target markets are certain groups of end users of course. Trying to find out what these end-users need, uhm, we believe we cannot do that at the moment ourselves. Maybe it is contradicting a little what I said initially, we need to talk to each and every customer. When I was talking about customers, to me that is our validated partners. It is not the end-users. So when there are 50,000 farmers out there that use a certain application. Good.
They are not the most important contact person for you? No, we have almost zero contact with them.
And do you see in future any opportunity to have some interaction with the end-user?
Theme: meaning of personalized interactions
- Business core
Theme: Implementation personal interaction
- Intermediary interaction
I don’t know, very good question. Uhm, yeah, that’d be good to do that. Than we have to do that through the Internet or some other electronic medium. Hadn’t really thought about, or looked at it this way. It would be a different approach really. Right now what we are trying to do is to use the validate partners as our medium on how finding out what does the end user want. But I guess we could also say…it would be asking end-users, tell us what you want and we will find validated partners helping us to deliver that.
7. Does a personalized interaction enhance the unique value co-creation experience of the various actors in the value network?
Yes. And how?
Well, you really got me thinking about how we can involve the ultimate end users more in what product we develop and how we develop. I think uhm, personalized can also mean the experience has when somebody uses our website for example. It is different. So every customer has a personalized website experience. That could also be a personalized interaction. I was thinking a lot about persons, people talking to each other**.
You are seeing it happening a lot these days, platforms etc.
Yeah **** A lot of these consumer brands, they do a lot of co-creation. The process I thought a little about, how can we use that in our business? I haven’t really seen how we could really use it. I haven’t seen an opportunity in really something like how to use that in our competition.
Competition in the region; who is using the less water e.g.….
There are so many different ways of doing that. But so far I was very much focused, and I still need to focus on… creating value. Say uhm, for our validate partners. Cause that is really, that is the most tangible at the moment. Say, even if you were to involve your end-users more, that would require a lot of. You’d have to have your processes in place to really take advantage of that knowledge. And if you want to take advantage of that knowledge, that has
Theme: unique experience
quite some implications for how you produce products, develop products. It’s very different and now we are not at the stage where we can really leverage that inside.
So at the moment you really focus on the partners? Yes.
And if you have this personal interaction with them, you have that already; it gives them the unique co-creation experience?
Yeah
They feel really like, we are together, we co-create value and we both get e.g. income out of it, benefits?
It is also reflected in our business model, the validated partners we go for revenue sharing. They make more money, we make more money. The make less money, we make less money.
And do you also feel because of this business model, they also feel stimulate to give you feedback about your services, what it need more?
Yes, very much so. It creates: we are in the same boat. And they have a brilliant idea; we can make that happen for them.
8. How important is dialogue with your (potential) customers, and what does it lead to?
Well, for me personally and also how I want to run this entire department, it is very important. I think, if you wanna be a successful sales person. Or if you wanna have a successful product, then you need to understand the needs of your customers. So you may so now, what about an Iphone? No-one said, I want an Iphone, of course not. But they looked at what are the needs. For example, customers would like to interact with their phone in a convenient and fine way. So, you could ask someone: how would you like to be able to flip your pictures, like in a photo album. Would you like that? And then you could also look at, what are people doing today? Uhm, when they interact with their environment, how do they do that? And how could you make that more fun and easier. So you try to identify the needs of your customers. Let’s go back, how do you do that? How do you interact? You don’t ask for a specific functionality about how would you like to have the button? Here or here? Or how would you like to do that specifically. It’s more, say, a more general need someone has. And…. To do that, a dialogue is in my opinion the only way. You ask them something, they tell you something. You think about it, when you tell them something and they may ask you something back. It goes back and forward. So for example in the insurance industry, a while ago certain people in the company felt that the insurance company needed a particular service, or product that we have. In a particular way, and use it in a particular way. No-one bought it, no-one bought it, and not because they don’t have the need for certain things but just how we wanted to satisfy that need was not the right way. So it was very much focused on technology and functionality, so more of an engineering approach. And not so much the approach of what’s your need. The need is not, uhm, I need to sell that image once a week. That’s not the need. The need is, I need to know how much, or what area was damaged by hail storm and to what extent. That’s the need.
With need you mean, I think, you need an easy solution. Not all the function? No, it can be a very complex solution. The need is not…..
Customers must have a feeling that their problem is solved?
Yeah, the problem is very often not my hard disk doesn’t work for example. A lot of times, the problem is: I can’t store my photos anymore. So, the need that you have is, I want to keep my memories. I want save the great
Theme: dialogue
- Needs identification
- Answer triggering - Giving and receiving
moments I have shared with my friends, I want them to be safe and secure. So whenever I feel like, I can go back and re-live that moment. That’s your need.
How we can make that happen whether it is a hard drive, a USB stick, your phone, a tablet or photo album, it is the same underlying need.
So actually you say that a supplier has to think as the customer?
Yes! And try to find out what is the need of the customer. And you can only find that out through a dialogue in my opinion. And it leads to, good sales numbers.
9. What do you find the requisites of having dialogue between you and other actors in the value network?
Trust. Trust? Trust, I will not tell you much about my business if I don’t trust you. I don’t know how you are, what you are going to do with this interview. I don’t know. So, will I disclose to you if I don’t trust you? No. So, if I am a supplier to a certain business, and they say: we are going to develop this ** platform. Ah interesting… It puts their business at danger sharing that information. So if they tell me, we need once a week, we need that image of that particular area. That’s all I am going to tell you. How can you create value for them? That’s very-very difficult. So, if they told me, we are going to create this position forming platform, this is how we are going it do tatatata. And then I could think; yeah sell that image could work for you but much better would be this and that, but that’s a dialogue.
So first you need know to know of the customer?
No, first you need to establish trust, and then they will tell you what they need. How do you establish trust?
Authenticity as a person. You have to be authentic. You don’t have to be fake. People realize quite quickly whether you are fake or whether you really are who you are. So, you know I could tell you: you are such an as whole, and I could smile. But that’s fake. I am not smiling at you because I want to smile, you know you can realize immediately. You can feel now… Oh god… I can tell by how you look; that guy just called me a name. So, how are you smiling, that’s fake! And that doesn’t fly, that doesn’t fly. You don’t trust these kinds of people, you don’t trust. And also experience and prove of what you are saying is
true. So prove of concept for example. If you tell someone: we can measure the VAPO transpiration deficit. I don’t believe it, prove it to me. An pop-up, an report, from an independent university, sided 500 times. Ok, now I have 500 people. Go ahead. And you start calling people; yeah they are really good. That’s trust. That builds trust. After that they will talk you to about what they really need, what’s their problem. What do they really want, they will enter a dialogue. They will develop with you together a product. If I go to client and say: we have a swatch for a platform and its going to get you rich. I am not going to sell anything. It can be true. It can be perfectly true, but they don’t believe you. Now, say, I have established that they believe that I am authentic and that I am not a liar. And then they develop trust, and then they talk to me about; so how can we do this together? And then they experience than: wow this really works. That’s how you create a sustainable business relationship. And then you can enter a dialogue, so that you can really co-create value.
Did you therefore implement GrapeLook for example, just to show that it really saves input? That is really works? Yeah I think that that was one of the main purposes of GrapeLook.
Did it work?
Gehgeh… Well you ask me question about I don’t know enough about. But I will try to answer anyway. In my opinion it didn’t. Uhm because what I said is that people need to experience it. Especially when you talk about farmers. Farmers they don’t believe you just because you are telling them something. They need to experience it, but once they have experienced it. They are in foregood.
So you think that they didn’t experience it? No.
And why didn’t they experience it?
- Experience - Prove
- Sustainable business relationship
There are many-many reasons. Uhm, no-one asked them what do you want. What they need. They may have said: I am almost going bankrupted because the electricity prices have increased automatically, and water prices have increased. So, I really need to kept down my irrigation costs. That’s… well that’s not his need, his need is even deeper underlying, but let’s just assume that is what he wants. He wants to cut irrigation costs. What he really wants is not going bankrupt. He wants continue grape farming. So one way of doing that, satisfying is need, is by cutting back his irrigation costs. So, and uhmm, how do you cut irrigation costs? Not by looking at some funny maps on the Internet. So then if we had asked the farmer what you wanna do? I wanna cut down irrigation costs, you need to think about: he wants to cut down on irrigation costs. So how do we do that? How do we make that happen for him? We know that we have something, some information that could help him. So, than you’d say; we need to talk to irrigation advisors and then we need to talk to IT people to set up a webpage and then we need to consider the Internet speed and coverage in South Africa. You know than.. and after that, you would have found out that the Internet speed is very low. The coverage is, say, sparse. Farmers don’t care about funny pictures. Uhm, you need to have certain players in place that know how to work with your data, what the data tells them. You need an application in place that tells the farmer: irrigate today 5 mm. Stuff like that, you have to have in place. And then, the customer can experience the value. Before that he is just experiencing a technology. Then he is experiencing value. As long as he is not experiencing value, forget it.
So you think the approach with GrapeLook was more top-down?
It was more: we have a technology, let’s bring the technology to grape farmers. Cool. They do have needs that we could help them satisfy. Not by just popping a website onto the Internet and say, hey, look at this website it’s so wonderful, look what we can do. Have you ever experienced an Iphone, have you ever picked up an Iphone? Yes. Immediately you pick it up, and play around… you immediately experience the value of this thing. The very moment, no sales person involved, no manual to read, nothing. It’s just pick up: how could… how could I have lived without it, and you just can’t go back. That’s exactly how you create a sustainable business. The moment the customer really experiences the value that he gets when he buys your product. He’s hooked. And that’s… one of the failures of GrapeLook, and also of many project, not just our GrapeLook, but many other companies and product and.. You know, technology can be great. Look at, you are probably for young for that, there was a time when there was no DVD. There was VHS and Sony Beta. So, the end customer, what was his need? I want to watch a movie! I don’t care about
resolution. No, I wanna watch a movie and VHS was from technological point of view inferior to Beta but it had all the movies you wanted. So, that’s really, that’s really were you need to get to. You didn’t buy this phone because of the
processor what’s in this phone. You probably don’t even know what processor is in that phone.
10. Do you stimulate dialogue with the actors in the value network and how?
We are trying but right now we are doing a poor job. How do you think you could stimulate it?
Change our sales approach, change how we approach the market. What do you mean by that?
Put yourself… one of my fundamental theories is: businesses are people, the business but people. That doesn’t apply to… it is not an answer to your question. Just keep that in mind: businesses are people, the business but people. So, put yourself in the position that you are at a party. Someone comes to you, says: Hello, I am Patrick I am the greatest person in the world and he starts talking about what he has done and how great he is and this this. And, you must-must meet me, and I am so great you must-must marry me; I am the best guy in the world. You think you are going to marry him? Probably not, because the impression you get is he doesn’t care about you at all. He cares about himself. Now if you wanna approach a client, and you tell a client: hey, I know everything about your business; I know exactly what you need. You must buy my product. What you don’t want it? Are you stupid? You know there is actually no way how that would create a dialogue. Now if you are of the firm opinion that I am the perfect person for you to marry, let’s just assume that. And I want you to marry me, and we are at the party. Than the proper approach would be that, transferring that to our products. I am definitely convinced that the product we have is the right product for you. Now, if you wanna make that fail, you gotta ask that person, what is your product and what is your problem
tadaada... Let him do all the talking, and then by guiding him with your questions to the conclusion: it would be nice to have quantitative measurements of VAPO transportation deficits for all my fields. That would really help me, kept down my irrigation costs. Then only gotta do is open your bag of tricks and pull out the VAPO transportation deficits. Say hey, it’s right here. So…
Theme: dialogue
First make it more personal, and…?
Listen to the person. Ask him, just ask, listen to the person.
11. Which factors help you to increase the quality of dialogue?
Uhm, knowing some background about the customer’s industry, his business, his clients. Trying to understand the customer.
Ok, so you approached from yourself what you could do. But also the customer needs to have the feeling that they want to talk. How would you do that? Now you know all about the customer, but does the customer for example also needs to know something about you?
Yeah.
And how would you do that?
Uhm, I would go back again to… See we have an understanding of what market, we believe have a need that we can satisfy. Now what I would do, I would…. Well, it…. We don’t do a lot of hard selling, cold calls. That is really not a lot, we don’t do that a lot. Normally it’s really people talk to each other and then we try to have some information on what we do and how we do it, and why we do it online. So people that have say a problem that we can probably solve kind of have that feeling themselves in a way. And look at it and say: ok, maybe this could be something for me. Uhm, but if you want to. Let’s say, you have to… The subject here is co-creation, value co-creation, so how would I get the customer to enter into dialogue me and increase the quality of the dialogue with factors? Uhm, I think just, what I said I would like to know more about the customer. I think the reverse is also true. Make it easy for the customer to learn about what we do and why we do it. I think that’s probably…
12. How would you describe the influence dialogue as on the co-creation experience of the customer?
Just all based on my initial assumption that this dialogue is with the validate partner. I think… I think in that case the dialogue has a great influence because it helps establish trust. It helps him and us to understand better what are our challenges, what can we do. It helps us to understand better how we can create product together, value together. So I think in that selling, the influence is quite substantial. Now… try to think about how that would translate to end-users. To farmers for example. I think than the influence of dialogue is, it’s really is important, except the dialogue would be different. It would be personal dialogued in terms of a person talking to another person. It would be more, they could submit certain request for example like; hey I would like to do this. And you can have, let’s say, a ranking of most popular requests. And then you’d have to have a blog or a tweet or whatever I don’t know. Uhm, addressing certain topics, hey we picked this up at our website, what do you guys think? So, that is also a dialogue and that makes the individual feel a little more important. Uhm, but that’s not something we do at the moment.
You don’t do anything with social media at the moment?
No, not well, not that we’d say we do something. I mean how posting a twitter or a tweet every now and then is not working with social media. But it’s like saying, you put a steady website on the Internet and then say, we use the Internet.
Oh we need to hurry up. Oh…. No I am talking too much. What time do you need to leave? I don’t know….
13. According to you, how can the concept value co-creation be framed within value propositions?
Hmm… hmmm. I don’t know. It’s a good question.
Maybe you… because you are also talking about co … hmm for example that the customer is going to let you know what he wants and what kind of data he wants etc.
Let’s go to the next question and come back. Could you mark it? Let’s come back.
Theme: dialogue
- Reciprocal trust
It’s related to the other question. You are really triggering very interesting thoughts but… I can’t answer that at the moment. So let’s go to the other one.
15. How do actors (customers) allow the company to co-create value?
Well, we develop applications together. They say; we would like to do this or that for our customers. They ask us: do you think you have the data for that?
And also other ways, or is that the only way that you feel you can co-create some value? Because co-creation also happens at the consumption of the service. So do you also think it means that value co-creation happens when the partners or farmers use the data?
Well technically speaking value is created when they consume the product in a way. So when you drink the coke, that’s when you have the value really. Uhm.. So how do they allow us to co-create value.. .hmm…
Yeah because here (drawing on a paper) is the customer, here is you and there is value co-creation block. So how do you get in there?
Hum, well right now only through validated partners. It’s really the only way we get information. For the services it is different, you know professional services that’s different. Then end-user approaches: hey this type of work we want you to do for us.
What do you mean by services?
Consulting really, but that’s….. here we are talking about products, not so much about services. That would be too diverse. Everything that I am saying here is really related to products, to data. I think right now it’s really. Some of it is, we approach certain people and say he we think we have something for you that could a value create. We discuss how would we have to do that… how hum… what validated partners have to be involved, how and what applications we have to develop? So that is again a personal dialogue. So that’s how do they allow us personal dialogue really.
Value co-creation
- Product development
- Consumption
- Intermediaries
16. Do (potential) customers and other beneficiaries also initiate dialogue for personalized value propositions?
Yes yes yes. How do they initiate that? Well they send us and email or a call. Or approach you at a show, something like that.
And then they tell you what they need or?
Yeah, they say uhm… Yeah they tell you what they need or they say: we see some business potential. It is always going back to: let’s talk on the phone, let’s meet, let’s develop something together.
17. Do you approach customers always by a value proposition, or are there also other ways of offering the customer the possibility to create value?
No sometimes it is value propositions, sometimes its technology. I am just saying ok technology you can have. But from a technology point of view it is very top-down right?
Yeah
But do you feel you really co-create value at that moment? Or do you think like: I have a technology, let’s sell it? No I don’t think we would co-create value that way. I think it’s….
So you think you always need a value proposition, and initiate a value proposition?
No, that would mean you know what the customer wants. That’s not correct. I think it can also be based on a
technology on: what we have, what we do. It can also be why we do it. For example you could… uhhh… forcross Senseo. I understand you are trying to feed the world, we are trying to do te same. How about a chat?
Theme: value creation
- Customer-provide approach
Theme: value creation
So first you are actually looking for a similarity between the two of you?
Well it could be one, we are looking for a similarity and overlap in general strategy, no not strategy… In…. yeah the mission, the objective of the company.
So it is not always a value proposition?
No it can be why we do something. Yeah sometimes it is why we do something, sometimes it is what we do, sometimes it is a value proposition we have in mind where we say: we want to deliver something to a certain target market, how about if we would deliver together?
So actually like a partner: we think we can deliver value to your end-user?
It could also be that someone approaches us with the value proposition and says: can you make that happen for me? It can also be that someone says: I just want to have your data. I am not going to tell you what I am gonna do with it; I just want your data. And then we also… than… Well that can also initiate the process of value co-creation. Eventually, he’ll tell us what he wants to do and then.. What it initiates it,.. it can be so many different things.
18. How do relationships, on business and individual level, influence interaction?
Right now very much. In our business it is very much: people do business with people at the moment. That’s how it is. And, then personal relationship is very important. It maybe-maybe very different in the future where the relationship becomes less important.
Why?
Well, as we say standardize or commoditize our product than a lot of people will just say: Ok, I want that data, I wanna do something with it. We are not really personally involved and he may, a person may suggest a certain data component, or certain use, or certain feature through an Internet platform. So in the future, I am guessing, we will see less, less uhm personal…..
But still they would have the feeling it is personal because they have this platform?
- Similarity - Overlap - Same objective - Implementation in value proposition - Acceptance of customer’s value proposition
Theme: relational experience - Personalization
- Involvement
Yeah. That’s right? Hm-hm (confirming)
19. How does the firm try to create a positive relational experience to enhance the co-operative willingness of the customer?
Yeah how do you create it, a relational experiences is all about emotions…
It’s what you said it is creating trust, create trust… yeah. Be authentic, do what you say what you are going to do. Don’t lie to your customer, be a trustworthy partner.
And by partner what do you mean, what does partner mean for you?
Well there is customer here, supplier here. So customer says we want something and we deliver. So… Do you think a partner is for short term or long term?
It can be anything from one time interaction to a multiyear defer that we do together. Every time, no matter how often we interact with the customer, the customer has to feel: ok, I can trust if I order once I will get a certain quality in a certain time. I will get what I order. Every time I do it, no matter if it is once, or for a hundred years. The general, every customer that approaches us needs to have the feeling of ok I can trust these guys. We do business with people halfway around the world we have never met. I have never met customer, they don’t know me. They don’t know the people who do the processing. They met some other person who told them: yes we will do this. And I think to.. to.. well.. create a positive experience for them is really do everything that you would expect of someone you trust.
So meeting the expectations?
For example! No promising things you can’t do. Not trying to rip the other person off.
Theme: relational experience
- Trust
- Experience
20. When do you experience a negative individual relationship influences relationships on business level?
Of course it does (have an influence), of course it does. But you can’t let a negative feeling interfere with your business. So if I don’t like someone then I either get over it or find someone else that can work with that client.
Actually I think it does influence…
Yes it does. Say, there is this person who says: I want to order a ten million Euros worth of product. And then he is a complete ass. I hate his cuts. I can’t work with him. Than the option is not to let that… just say: No, I don’t do business with you. The option is: I either get over it, or I find someone else to take care of that client.
Do you have ever experienced a client or a potential client just went away because you had a problem on personal level?
Yeah, it happens.
21. How do you intend to enhance the relational experience with the actors in the value network?
Oh, very many plans…. Uh…. There are so many things… Uh, most of it, well some of it is about people interaction. So for example we have summer schools where we invite validated partners to learn more about technology and the company, and meet other validated partners. So we build a community. Uhm, then… have account managers so they know: I have a person that is in charge, and is responsible for me and my business, and will help me grow my business. It is also, at a technical level, have certain documentation, certain.. say prove, certain proves of validity and validity of technology, quality, parameters uhm…… As well as, making sure that the customer actually experiences what he was hoping for what we agreed, that way we bailed. Uhm, we want to have… Our validated partners have to go through certain training and if you don’t complete the training you can’t become a validated partner. So kind of create sense of exclusivity. You can’t just show up and say: hey I want your data and I wanna develop an application.
Theme: relational experience
- Ignorance
It has to be a certified partner. So a lot of it is about certification. But I go, let’s say look at the end-users and relational experience ***.. It think it is really delivering what we promised: a reliable, dependable partner. So that they so ok if I buy this product I will get it on time, it will be what I was hoping for.
22. How do you make sure that the actors (customer) have the same expectation of a service (thus a value creating opportunity) as you, as supplier, have?
I don’t wanna make sure… well, make sure by: speaking with them, by specifying, by specifying our product. Product specifications, service levels. Yeah for example: you will get the pixel 20 by 20 m in size containing that information with that accuracy and with that accuracy it won’t be older than 48 hours stuff like that. So they know that well quite precisely what they will get.
And you communicate this how?
