The Interviews
The segment that I chose for assignment 12A was students that are current season ticket holders that have either lost their ticket or a guest they have purchased prior to a football game. With each interview lasting around 10 to 12 minutes for each interviewee, I was able to find out more information about how they choose from the alternatives that I proposed to them during the process. Since the opportunity that I presented in previous assignments is limited to certain alternatives, the information I got from them was similar to what others have said in past interviews.
The Alternative Evaluation
Before the interview process, I create a small list of alternatives and proposed it to the three interviewees to figure out which one they preferred regarding their unmet need.
1. A would-be system in the ticketing office software that can track lost or stolen tickets and be reprinted for the purchaser.
2. Hoping to find your ticket after you have lost your ticket.
3. Buying another ticket through the ticketing office or a Facebook group
4. Not attending the game.
The last three alternatives were proposed to them before I asked them about the first alternative to get results on both sets of alternatives. Without the first alternative, two of the three people stated that they usually stick with the third and fourth alternative when it comes solving the issue of losing their ticket(s). The third participant mentioned that he went to look for his lost ticket from the first game of the season this year. He was able to find it after he retraced his steps from throughout the day after he picked up his ticket from the ticketing office. However, I proposed the first alternative to the participants and they all were in agreement that if this alternative did exist now, they would've chosen this one as the first step to figure out their problem.
How/Where do they buy?
When I asked them about how they go about purchasing a new ticket after losing their previous one, they usually use their credit card if they go through the ticketing office, but cash when they purchase through the Facebook group because you have to pick it up with the seller to get the ticket. One of the participants mentioned that she has used Venmo once because she didn't have cash on her at the time, but usually pays with cash. All of them mentioned cash is easiest way to go about purchasing tickets because you have to pick it up at the same time.
Post-Purchase Evaluation
When I asked them about the post-purchase experience, they usually are happy with having a ticket for the game instead of not having one after losing their ticket. One of the participants mentioned that they have got a seat that wasn't as good as his previous seats so he was upset about that, but he was just happy that he had a ticket for the game instead of not having one. The participants did express negative feelings when I asked them about the potential system in place to find lost tickets because they wish it existed now so they didn't have to buy tickets again after they have lost their previous ones.
Conclusions
After interviewing the participants and running through the alternatives that I proposed to them, it's similar to my previous interviews with the consumer audience that this opportunity is geared towards. This opportunity is specific and niche to the consumer audience that it starts becoming mundane when interviewing more people because of the limitation of what the opportunity is. I still believe the opportunity still exists for the consumer audience, but I think it is simply just limited to that. I don't believe is there some form of expansion outside what the opportunity intends to do with the original unmet need.
Sean,
ReplyDeleteCertainly, your proposal is a more ideal option than the three alternatives that you proposed. I do like how you proposed the alternatives prior to your solution. Doing so prevented the interviewees being biased towards your solution. Of course, it is important that you receive objective not subjective feedback from your interviewees.
Perhaps you could have proposed another option such as tickets being solely digital on your phone. There may be certain drawbacks to tickets being solely electronic; however, if your interviewees preferred that option over your proposed option, then maybe you could have changed your solution to this problem.
I do like your solution; however, it never hurts to think long and hard about other potential solutions to this "unmet need."
I enjoyed seeing how you evaluated your target market and their major needs however the set up of your interview seemed a bit biased towards the service you were intending to offer. Despite this, just being able to gain customer feedback and having that one-on-one contact can allow you to get an in-depth look into your target segment; these interviews can lead to potential ideas which is beneficial to you as an entrepreneur and allow you to even tailor your product and services directly to the consumers needs.
ReplyDeleteSean,
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job of explaining the step by step process that you took throughout your interviews. It was a great idea to provide the interviewees with two sets of alternatives to see how they react to various alternatives. I can see your idea developing through each assignment for this course.I like that you touched on the small details as well. Excellent job on this post!