Satama’s consulting Director, Vesa Ilmarinen, emphasis in this insight the importance of simplicity in design and communications.

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This phrase is probably familiar to many of us. I kept coming back to this principle when I was trying to work out a simple way of explaining to my customers and colleagues what my unit actually does. For example, we have been devising “web strategies”, producing “concept designs” and defining “target states” for years and continue to do so. But how can I explain this in a way that makes sense to you, my valuable customer? Below, I have tried to explain how we want to help you, in plain English.

Understand, Target or Boost?
Do you know how to make the most of technological trends or how changes in consumers’ behaviour affect the evolution of your online services? We have compiled a practical guide on what web 2.0 means for the average enterprise. We can help you to pinpoint which aspects of your online service you should strive to develop over the next few years. Alternatively, we can take your development plan to a whole new level with ideas that are based on the mega-trends in consumer behaviour. After all, technological advances are worthless until a sufficient number of people adopt them.

Optimise, Revise or Revolutionise?
So how major a change should you look to achieve in your business through electronic channels? Should you specify a target state for your online service too, like you do for other aspects of your business? And what would the consequences be if 50% of your sales or transactions happened online? Would you be prepared to transform your entire industry like the travel business has done? Different target states work for different companies. Sometimes it’s worth determining a tangible target state for your online service, and other times it’s better to strive to transform the way the business sells or offers its services through an array of channels. On the other hand, there are situations where it makes sense to set your sights on the open seas (google: Blue Ocean Strategy) and challenge the entire industry. We can help you to come up with the right business, channel and online service strategy for all these situations.

Usability, Want or Desire?
What role do you want your online service to play in your customers’ minds? How should your service be executed? In many cases, all it takes is usability. This means creating a service that meets the generally accepted usability criteria and making sure of this by asking a couple of people who represent the target market to test the service. Sometimes it’s worth taking things a little further and creating a service that makes customers really want to use it. It’s only when customers actually want to use the service that we can start to analyse their purchase process and develop solutions that make buying easier for them. For example, it pays to recognise that customers are sometimes unsure and seek other people’s advice before making a decision, or that they might use the online service not on its own but in conjunction with a printed catalogue. It’s also possible to aim for an even deeper relationship and target people’s desires.

Offering social status or allowing customers to express themselves, for example, offers many opportunities for generating services that also benefit the company. There are people who would love to decorate other people’s houses or advise others on which technical appliance to go for. Your company can offer a channel for realising this desire and the outcomes can benefit your other customers. It’s all about designing a solution that best fits the situation at hand.

So, what is being desired and wanted? In the Want services the usefulness and usability conjoin with experience and appeal especially in the emotional level. Desire services ‘hook’ users for example through the social needs that I mentioned earlier. Together these services offer experimental, pleasurable experiences (visual and functional) and elements that appeal for users’ basic needs creating excitement, pleasure and also makes the user come back again to use the service.

Yes, of course I’m trying to sell these services. So whenever you discover a need, call me or send me an e-mail – it’s that simple. As much as I’m not denying the fact that I’m a salesman, my team and I are also passionate about our profession and want to create solutions that really make a difference.

PS. For more information on KISS, type it into Google to get a definition in Wikipedia, naturally.

Further information:
Vesa Ilmarinen
Director, Strategy & Service Design
Satama Productivity
Tel. +358 (0)40 508 6447
E-mail: vesa.ilmarinen@satama.com

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