Main Takeaways: -Responding to the pandemic as part of the travel industry - What worked and lessons learned -Ensuring your product strategy is still relevant - Tough questions for product and business leaders -Proactive vs. Reactive product strategy (Will also try to include a framework here)

1. Build a Crisis-Proof Product Strategy
by fmr Expedia Product Leader
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5. Building a Crisis Proof
Product Strategy
Riah Sathe

6. ● Computer Engineer -
Specialized in Data Science
● Enterprise SaaS Products as a
Full Stack Engineer at Oracle.
● Master’s Degree in Product
Management
● Product at Expedia - Led
customer care platform during
the pandemic.
● Product at BYJU’s - Working on
Ed Tech for children
About Me

7. Pandemic - Impact to
Product & Business
BOOKINGS, CONVERSION
RESOURCE CAPACITY
SUPPLY CHAIN IMPACT
USER SAFETY & PAIN POINTS
CUSTOMER CARE IMPACTED
BRAND/PRODUCT REPUTATION
CUSTOMER BEHAVIOR SHIFTS
CHANGE IN GLOBAL STRATEGY
IMPACT
TO
BOTTOM
LINE

8. Strategy is
Crucial to
Respond
Why we need to reset now &
Build a strategy for the
future.
● ‘Fight’ or ‘Flight’ Mode -
When in crisis, We
physiologically lose the
ability to be rational.
● So you can Respond, not
React.
● Enables leadership to act
from a place of Empathy
not Fear.
● Rehearsals create mastery.
Similarly a strategy prepares
us for the unforeseen.

9. Good Strategy, Bad Strategy
● Good strategy acknowledges the unknowns & questions the status
quo. Bad strategy is Biased & based on limited experience.
● Good strategy considers the Bigger Picture, A good strategy
is never built in isolation - Our current reality, our environment,
the market and users, our limitations & then our goals. Bad
Strategy mistakes Goals for strategy.
● Good Strategy is revisited. Bad strategy is stagnant and fixed.
● Good strategy is proactive. Bad strategy is reactive.

10. A framework on
Proactive
Strategy
TOWS Framework

11. STEP 1 - IDENTIFY EXTERNAL OPPORTUNITIES & THREATS

12. STEP 2 - INTROSPECT INTERNAL STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES
WHAT DOES YOUR PRODUCT STAND FOR?
ARE YOU RELEVANT TO USERS - NOW & IN THE FUTURE?
HOW ROBUST IS YOUR BUSINESS MODEL?
DO YOU MAKE TECH DECISIONS ACCOUNTING FOR BEST & WORST CASE?
ARE YOU REALLY ‘AGILE’AS YOU CLAIM? HOW ADAPTABLE ARE YOU?
HOW PROACTIVE VS. REACTIVE ARE YOU?

13. STEP 3 - PLOT
STRENGTHS,
WEAKNESSES,
OPPORTUNITIES &
THREATS

14. An Example - Traditional Grocery Stores - Ralph’s
Strengths:
S1 - Reputation - Household name
S2 - Supply Chain
S3 - Inventory
Weaknesses:
W1 - No control over vendor supply
W2 - Lack modern infra or Tech
W3 - Labor - Turnover, Cost, Union
Opportunities:
O1 - More people prefer cooking &
more people want grocery.
O2 - Online grocery still not perfect.
O3 - Unmatched inventory & stores.
Threats:
T1 - eCommerce & Online grocery
T2 - Changing consumer behavior
that will stay long term.

15. Step 4 - TOWS Framework - Strategize
Strengths:
S1 - Reputation - Household name
S2 - Supply Chain
S3 - Inventory
Weaknesses:
W1 - No control over vendor supply
W2 - Lack modern infra or Tech
W3 - Labor - Turnover, Cost, Union
Opportunities:
O1 - More people prefer cooking &
more people want grocery.
O2 - Online grocery still has gaps.
O3 - Unmatched inventory & stores.
Threats:
T1 - eCommerce & Online grocery
T2 - Changing consumer behavior
that will stay long term.
S-O Strategies:
O1S3 - Catering to a new
segment of health aware &
culinary customers.
W-O Strategy:
Still have the best network &
reputation when it comes to produce
and quality. May not have tech, but
have e pertise in grocery.
S-T Strategy:
S2T1 - Make Online Delivery a
Priority - Delivery IN MINUTES
due to large network
More Geographic Reach.
W-T Strategy:
Modernize Tech & understand that
Tech competitors cannot be
ignored. New divisions, new
products to tackle this.
* This technique was developed by Professor Heinz Weirich in 1982.

16. Step 4 - TOWS Framework - Strategize
Strengths:
S1 - Reputation - Household name
S2 - Supply Chain
S3 - Inventory
Weaknesses:
W1 - No control over vendor supply
W2 - Lack modern infra or Tech
W3 - Labor - Turnover, Cost, Union
Opportunities:
O1 - More people prefer cooking &
more people want grocery.
O2 - Online grocery still not perfect.
O3 - Unmatched inventory & stores.
Threats:
T1 - eCommerce & Online grocery
T2 - Changing consumer behavior
that will stay long term.
S-O Strategies:
O1S3 - Catering to a new
segment of health aware &
culinary customers.
W-O Strategy:
Still have the best network &
reputation when it comes to
produce and quality. May not have
tech, but have e pertise in grocery.
S-T Strategy:
S2T1 - Make Online Delivery a
Priority - Faster Delivery due
to large network of stores. -
Within minutes
W-T Strategy:
Modernize Tech & understand that
Tech competitors cannot be
ignored. New divisions, new
products to tackle this.
CRISIS RESPONSE

17. SUMMARY
STEP 1 - MARKET RESEARCH - IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES &
THREATS
STEP 2 - INTROSPECT INTERNAL STRENGTHS &
WEAKNESSES THAT EXIST STEP 3 - PLOT STRENGTHS,
WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES & THREATS STEP 4 - BUILD
OUT SCENARIOS & STRATEGIES THAT COMBINE THESE

18. THANK YOU!

19. www.productschool.com
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