Guerrilla Customer Research Made Easy

It only takes 4.5 minutes out of your day to watch Harvard Business School professor, Clayton Christensen, demonstrate what he calls "disruptive innovation".

He and his team wanted to know why customers were buying milkshakes for breakfast, and were able to uncover and understand this odd behavior.

The method they used is highly replicable and easy as 1, 2, 3...

1. Before you interview, observe. 

• The team spent an entire day watching and taking notes on the milkshake buyers. Observing was essential for they gathered that half of the milkshakes were sold before 8 A.M to people who were alone and took it to go. 

2. Ask the big-picture question.

• The next step was to ask the customers, "What job are you hiring the milkshake to do?" The team learned that customers weren't necessarily wanting an actual milkshake for breakfast, but it was something that was easier to eat and kept them occupied on their long drive to work. 

3. Conduct research face-to-face.

• Asking such a deceptively complex question in person allowed for the team to further explain what they meant by "job", ask follow up questions, etc. This was an effective approach for they were able to get more out of the consumer, revealing surprising preferences when it came to the early morning commute. 

Check out the video and let us know what you think! Would you consider a milkshake over your typical bagel in the morning?