What have you found to be the most efficient way to conduct research from existing customers? How do you use that research to influence the product roadmap?

It is important to align with the product team before connecting with customers for input, as they own the product roadmap. This alignment also ensures that stakeholders are brought along the journey of gathering customer feedback effectively.

Here are the top 5 ways I’ve found most efficient for conducting research with existing customers to influence the product roadmap:

1. Engage the Customer Advisory Board (CAB): Share concepts with 2-3 questions for feedback.

2. Connect with Customer Success Managers (CSMs): Engage CSMs who are already connecting with the target customers to establish research calls and gather input.

3. Include in Beta Testing: Promote participation through proper channels for including customers in beta testing to provide feedback.

4. Develop Ongoing Surveys: Incorporate surveys as part of the product experience to gather relevant feedback.

5. Partner with Product, Engineering, and UX Teams: Include stakeholders in qualitative and quantitative research efforts with customers.

By implementing these strategies, you can effectively gather insights from existing customers and use them to inform and influence the product roadmap.