How can you address a problem at work when you don’t have all of the information?
Sometimes it seems as if we could solve our problems at work with a little help from foreseeing what will happen in the future. Wouldn’t that be handy? The best way to get ahead is by breaking down each problem individually. For instance:
- What do our clients want?
- What is the best price for our product?
- Which feature should be developed next?
- How can we increase our income?
- What will give the best customer experience?
Are you overwhelmed yet?
I suppose. It’s difficult to answer these types of questions without a working crystal ball.
Here are three things you can do to have a better idea of the future and make better decisions in the present:
- Run small tests. You can always ask your customers what they want, but sometimes it’s nice to know for certain. You could run an online A/B test and find out which product or service customers prefer in real-time.
- Make small bets (at first). The key to getting traction is making small bets. You might build an MVP or redirect resources toward a new geographic area in order to see if you can gain traction over 6 months. This will allow for more feedback and help make sure your idea is worth taking on in the first place.
- Measure the right metrics. Chasing shiny objects is a bad idea. For example, if you notice that sales have dropped recently and it’s not due to any recent changes in your strategy then don’t jump the gun by assuming this means one thing – there could be other factors at play! Before taking action on anything else start looking into trends among customers as well because they can tell us whether or not something works better than before.
So, how do you make a crystal ball?
Use small tests, and small bets, and measure the right metrics to anticipate what’s coming, how it might affect you, and how to prepare for them.
