Rachel Cooke is your guide to leadership and communication, helping you craft a workplace environment you can feel good about. She’ll share tips to help you balance your work and personal life, effectively invest your time, and be mindful about where you’re devoting your energy. Let Rachel help you navigate your path to success—however you define it.
…
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Content provided by Chad McAllister, PhD and Chad McAllister. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Chad McAllister, PhD and Chad McAllister or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.
Similar to Product Mastery Now for Product Managers, Leaders, and Innovators
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566: Competitive advantage by understanding customers using VOC and AI – with John Mitchell
Manage episode 519867954 series 1538380
Content provided by Chad McAllister, PhD and Chad McAllister. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Chad McAllister, PhD and Chad McAllister or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.
How product managers can leverage AI to analyze and act on customer feedback
Watch on YouTube
TLDR
In this episode, I’m interviewing John Mitchell, President of Applied Marketing Science (AMS), on the evolving role of AI in Voice of the Customer (VOC) research. We discuss how AI is transforming the way companies capture customer needs, the importance of thoughtful customer research design, common pitfalls, and the critical balance between leveraging human insight and machine learning. John gives practical advice on asking better questions, the value of storytelling, and real-world examples demonstrate both the power and current limitations of AI-driven VOC.
Introduction
Today we’re talking about how we understand customers’ unmet needs and problems. There’s a lot of information these days in reviews, social media posts, and other online mechanisms, and we’re probably missing a lot of it. There are some tools out there that could help us do a better job understanding what’s going on. We’ll dive into just what some of the options are for us and also how AI is impacting this.
Our guest is John Mitchell. He is the president of Applied Marketing Science (AMS). John has spent over 20 years helping Fortune 500 companies and startups alike understand their customers better. He has trained over a thousand people on Voice of the Customer (VOC) approaches and led customer-insight workshops at McKinsey, Innosight, and Vistaprint before coming back to lead AMS. Whether you’re pioneering VOC research in your organization or just getting into how AI can help us with this, AMS has a deep history with this that John has been part of.
This episode was recorded live at the Ignite Innovation Conference, the Product Development and Management Association’s annual conference. To find out more about PDMA and how it can help your career, go to PDMA.org.
Summary of Concepts Discussed for Product Managers
The Evolution of VOC & AI’s Role:
John Mitchell traces VOC from face-to-face interviews and observational research to today’s use of AI and machine learning, highlighting how AI accelerates insights, uncovers overlooked data, and helps companies extract more value from existing information.
Common VOC Mistakes:
Many teams underprepare for VOC research, talk only to “A-list” or friendly customers, or simply ask customers what they want (which often leads to generic answers). Deep customer understanding and competitive advantage come from well-structured research and targeting a broader audience.
Asking Better Questions:
Instead of generic questions, John Mitchell recommends getting customers to tell detailed stories about their experiences, which reveal both functional and emotional needs.
AI Tools in VOC:
There are three main AI approaches for VOC work: open tools (with noted security risks), secure commercial data analysis platforms, and purpose-built tools trained to articulate customer needs from large data sources. AI extends and enhances human analysis, often finding emotional unmet needs that people might miss.
Synthetic Customers:
While not yet widely adopted by AMS, synthetic personas have potential for rapid concept evaluation—though John Mitchell cautions against over-reliance, emphasizing that real human feedback remains irreplaceable.
Real-World Example:
In the paint and stains category, AMS compared traditional human VOC analysis to an AI model, finding that a combined approach surfaced the most comprehensive set of customer needs.
Voice Recorder Tip:
John recommends that every product researcher should record their customer interviews (using a dedicated device), ensuring nothing is missed and allowing for high-quality AI or human analysis downstream.
Useful Links
- Connect with John on LinkedIn
- Learn more about Applied Marketing Science
- Listen to 529: Is this the best AI-powered market research approach? – with Carmel Dibner
Innovation Quote
“ If I had asked customers what they want, they would have said a faster horse.” – attributed to Henry Ford
Application Questions
- How could you leverage AI tools to analyze existing customer feedback more efficiently without compromising on the depth and quality of insights?
- What steps can you take to ensure your VOC research covers a representative sample of your market, not just your biggest or friendliest customers?
- Reflect on a recent market research effort: did the team fall into any of the common traps discussed (e.g., insufficient preparation, asking customers for solutions)?
- How might you incorporate storytelling into your customer interviews to uncover both functional and emotional needs?
- What balance do you see between AI-driven analysis and human interpretation when making high-stakes product decisions, and where do you feel each adds the most value?
Bio
John has over 25 years’ experience in marketing strategy, market research, and innovation. He specializes in research to support new product development and customer experience design, and has led engagements in the U.S., Latin America, Europe and Asia. John has also trained and coached hundreds of AMS clients to develop their in-house insight capabilities.
He is a RIVA-trained focus group moderator and was formerly a Customer Insights Expert in the Marketing & Sales practice of McKinsey & Company and North America Customer Insights Director at Vistaprint. His clients include leading medical device, technology, and consumer services companies.
Thanks!
Thank you for taking the journey to product mastery and learning with me from the successes and failures of product innovators, managers, and developers. If you enjoyed the discussion, help out a fellow product manager by sharing it using the social media buttons you see below.
511 episodes
566: Competitive advantage by understanding customers using VOC and AI – with John Mitchell
Product Mastery Now for Product Managers, Leaders, and Innovators
Share
Manage episode 519867954 series 1538380
Content provided by Chad McAllister, PhD and Chad McAllister. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Chad McAllister, PhD and Chad McAllister or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.
How product managers can leverage AI to analyze and act on customer feedback
Watch on YouTube
TLDR
In this episode, I’m interviewing John Mitchell, President of Applied Marketing Science (AMS), on the evolving role of AI in Voice of the Customer (VOC) research. We discuss how AI is transforming the way companies capture customer needs, the importance of thoughtful customer research design, common pitfalls, and the critical balance between leveraging human insight and machine learning. John gives practical advice on asking better questions, the value of storytelling, and real-world examples demonstrate both the power and current limitations of AI-driven VOC.
Introduction
Today we’re talking about how we understand customers’ unmet needs and problems. There’s a lot of information these days in reviews, social media posts, and other online mechanisms, and we’re probably missing a lot of it. There are some tools out there that could help us do a better job understanding what’s going on. We’ll dive into just what some of the options are for us and also how AI is impacting this.
Our guest is John Mitchell. He is the president of Applied Marketing Science (AMS). John has spent over 20 years helping Fortune 500 companies and startups alike understand their customers better. He has trained over a thousand people on Voice of the Customer (VOC) approaches and led customer-insight workshops at McKinsey, Innosight, and Vistaprint before coming back to lead AMS. Whether you’re pioneering VOC research in your organization or just getting into how AI can help us with this, AMS has a deep history with this that John has been part of.
This episode was recorded live at the Ignite Innovation Conference, the Product Development and Management Association’s annual conference. To find out more about PDMA and how it can help your career, go to PDMA.org.
Summary of Concepts Discussed for Product Managers
The Evolution of VOC & AI’s Role:
John Mitchell traces VOC from face-to-face interviews and observational research to today’s use of AI and machine learning, highlighting how AI accelerates insights, uncovers overlooked data, and helps companies extract more value from existing information.
Common VOC Mistakes:
Many teams underprepare for VOC research, talk only to “A-list” or friendly customers, or simply ask customers what they want (which often leads to generic answers). Deep customer understanding and competitive advantage come from well-structured research and targeting a broader audience.
Asking Better Questions:
Instead of generic questions, John Mitchell recommends getting customers to tell detailed stories about their experiences, which reveal both functional and emotional needs.
AI Tools in VOC:
There are three main AI approaches for VOC work: open tools (with noted security risks), secure commercial data analysis platforms, and purpose-built tools trained to articulate customer needs from large data sources. AI extends and enhances human analysis, often finding emotional unmet needs that people might miss.
Synthetic Customers:
While not yet widely adopted by AMS, synthetic personas have potential for rapid concept evaluation—though John Mitchell cautions against over-reliance, emphasizing that real human feedback remains irreplaceable.
Real-World Example:
In the paint and stains category, AMS compared traditional human VOC analysis to an AI model, finding that a combined approach surfaced the most comprehensive set of customer needs.
Voice Recorder Tip:
John recommends that every product researcher should record their customer interviews (using a dedicated device), ensuring nothing is missed and allowing for high-quality AI or human analysis downstream.
Useful Links
- Connect with John on LinkedIn
- Learn more about Applied Marketing Science
- Listen to 529: Is this the best AI-powered market research approach? – with Carmel Dibner
Innovation Quote
“ If I had asked customers what they want, they would have said a faster horse.” – attributed to Henry Ford
Application Questions
- How could you leverage AI tools to analyze existing customer feedback more efficiently without compromising on the depth and quality of insights?
- What steps can you take to ensure your VOC research covers a representative sample of your market, not just your biggest or friendliest customers?
- Reflect on a recent market research effort: did the team fall into any of the common traps discussed (e.g., insufficient preparation, asking customers for solutions)?
- How might you incorporate storytelling into your customer interviews to uncover both functional and emotional needs?
- What balance do you see between AI-driven analysis and human interpretation when making high-stakes product decisions, and where do you feel each adds the most value?
Bio
John has over 25 years’ experience in marketing strategy, market research, and innovation. He specializes in research to support new product development and customer experience design, and has led engagements in the U.S., Latin America, Europe and Asia. John has also trained and coached hundreds of AMS clients to develop their in-house insight capabilities.
He is a RIVA-trained focus group moderator and was formerly a Customer Insights Expert in the Marketing & Sales practice of McKinsey & Company and North America Customer Insights Director at Vistaprint. His clients include leading medical device, technology, and consumer services companies.
Thanks!
Thank you for taking the journey to product mastery and learning with me from the successes and failures of product innovators, managers, and developers. If you enjoyed the discussion, help out a fellow product manager by sharing it using the social media buttons you see below.
511 episodes
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Similar to Product Mastery Now for Product Managers, Leaders, and Innovators
Rachel Cooke is your guide to leadership and communication, helping you craft a workplace environment you can feel good about. She’ll share tips to help you balance your work and personal life, effectively invest your time, and be mindful about where you’re devoting your energy. Let Rachel help you navigate your path to success—however you define it.
…
continue reading
How can business help solve society’s biggest challenges? Welcome to Take on Tomorrow, the award-winning podcast from PwC that examines the biggest problems facing society and the role business can—and should—play in solving them. Hosts Femi Oke and Lizzie O’Leary talk to industry innovators, tech trailblazers and visionary leaders from around the globe about timely topics: from the climate transition to AI and data; and from the future of food to how we build, move and power the world.
…
continue reading
Call them changemakers. Call them rule breakers. We call them Redefiners. And in this provocative podcast, we explore how daring leaders from across industries and around the globe are redefining their organizations—and themselves—to create extraordinary impact in today’s rapidly changing world. In each episode, Russell Reynolds Associates Leadership Advisor Hoda Tahoun and former CEO Clarke Murphy host engaging, purposeful conversations with leaders in and out of the business world who shar ...
…
continue reading
1
The Brutal Truth about Sales and Selling - We interview the world's best B2B Enterprise salespeople.
Brian Burns
10k287
No BS Allowed - Are you sick of empty suits telling you to work harder? - Learn about The Maverick Selling Method, which models the world's best salespeople and what they do differently. If you are in sales and are passionate about selling, you will like this podcast. The focus is on b2b sales and selling. If you are selling or in sales, this podcast is for you. I cover cold calling, spin selling, challenger sale, solution selling, and advanced selling skills. Strategic selling, LinkedIn, sa ...
…
continue reading
Some Goodness is hosted by Richard Ellis, a seasoned sales leader passionate about inviting top business minds to share their wisdom. Each episode is only 15-20 minutes, perfect for your commute or workout.
…
continue reading
Alessandro Bogliari, CEO and Co-Founder of The Influencer Marketing Factory, a global influencer marketing agency, talks with great guests about influencer marketing, social media, the creator economy, social commerce and much more.
…
continue reading
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast. I've met so many brilliant people as I traveled the globe and have had some fascinating conversations that I've wished had been recorded so I could share them with you - this podcast was a way for me to recreate those moments and let you in on some fantastic insights. My current conversations center around one objective: what's next for companies and individuals as they look to innovate and grow. I hope these conversations inspire you as much as they have ...
…
continue reading
The Knowledge at Wharton Network Acast feed serves as a curated showcase highlighting the best content from our podcast collection. Each week, we feature one standout episode from each show in the Wharton Podcast Network, giving listeners a comprehensive sample of our diverse business and academic content. This rotating selection allows audiences to discover new shows within our network while experiencing the depth and variety of Wharton's thought leadership across different topics and forma ...
…
continue reading
A top podcast for healthcare leaders, with over one million downloads, Radio Advisory is your weekly download on how to untangle the industry's most pressing challenges to help leaders like you make the best business decisions for your organization. From unpacking major trends in care delivery—like site-of-care shifts and the rise of high-cost drugs—to demystifying stakeholder dynamics, to shining a spotlight on priorities that may get overlooked, we're here to help. Our hosts and seasoned r ...
…
continue reading
Awarded Best of Apple Podcasts, The $100 MBA Show delivers practical business lessons for the real world. These no fluff episodes are packed with only the pure business building training you want. Omar Zenhom shares lessons, strategies and insights from 20+ years of entrepreneurship. He’s bootstrapped two multi-million dollar businesses (and several smaller businesses, too). Join him for short, actionable lessons on how to do everything from validating your idea, to audience-building and mar ...
…
continue reading
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