Main Takeaways: - A flexible definition: It can mean different things to different PMs. - It’s not a single quality: PMs can exhibit multiple behaviors to demonstrate their hyperfocus on the customer. - Build the muscle: It’s a muscle you build over time; there are many tactics to develop the mindset.

1. Customer Obsession: What Does It
Mean? by Lime Lead PM
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5. Customer Obsession:
What does it mean?
Zach Kahn, Sr. PM @ Lime
4/15/2021

6. About me
● Current: Sr. Product Manager at Lime
○ Joined in Product Ops
● Ops @ FB
● MBA
● Nonprofit consulting, microfinance @ Kiva,
strategy @ Groupon

7. Agenda
● Defining “Customer Obsession”
● The qualities of customer-obsessed PM
● Tactics for building the muscle

8. Key takeaways
● Flexible definition: Means different things to different PMs & companies
● Not a single quality: PMs can exhibit multiple behaviors to demonstrate their
hyperfocus on the customer
● Build the muscle: It’s a muscle you build over time; there are many tactics to
develop the mindset

9. Customer Obsession

10. ● Leaders start with the customer and work backwards
● They work vigorously to earn and keep customer trust
● Although leaders pay attention to competitors, they obsess over customers
Source: Amazon

11. ● Customer obsession describes organizations that continuously add value to
the customer experience.
● These companies collect feedback regularly and prioritize customer needs
in every business goal.
● They're more concerned with retaining and delighting existing customers
than acquiring new ones.
Source: Hubspot

12. My high level thoughts
● Not just about obsessing over the customer in product
development
● What you do after is what matters
● Keep and retain customers

13. A customer-obsessed PM

14. Behaviors of a customer-obsessed PM
1. Nail the details
2. Seek customer feedback
3. When it doubt, do what’s best for the customer

15. Nail the details

16. Seek feedback

17. No “trust busters”: When in doubt, do what’s best for the
customer

18. Build the muscle

20. Simple tactics
● Read customer reviews (e.g., App Store, Play Store, etc.)
● Read (and respond to) customer support tickets
● Nothing is someone else’s problem

21. Customer reviews
● Read them weekly (and respond if possible)
● It’s eye opening...and it might hurt

23. Build a culture of customer obsession

24. Key takeaways
● Flexible definition: Means different things to different PMs & companies
● Not a single quality: PMs can exhibit multiple behaviors to demonstrate their
hyperfocus on the customer
● Build the muscle: It’s a muscle you build over time; there are many tactics to
develop the mindset

25. Contact me
https://www.linkedin.com/in/zjkahn/

26. Part-time Product Management
Training Courses
and Corporate Training
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