The Guide for Perfect Customer Development: Problem Interview Checklist

<p>For a month, the Rocketech Team has been trying to adjust to the horrifying impact of the unprovoked Russian military invasion of Ukraine. We are grateful for the understanding and support from our clients, partners, and friends.</p>



<p>With a significant part of our Team remaining in Ukraine, our first and foremost priority has been their safety and wellbeing. At the same time, we keep working on all current projects following our standard operating procedure and remaining the reliable partner to all our clients who stand with us for peace.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Emergency Operations Centre and Employee Support</strong></h2>



<p>From the outset of the crisis, Rocketech developed the emergency response plan to ensure communication and all possible support to our Team members and their families in Ukraine.</p>



<ul>
<li>We created an internal emergency operations centre to help our Team members trapped close to the front line relocate to Western Ukraine, the Polish border, or Poland. It is a volunteer initiative of our colleagues located in safer areas of Ukraine or residing in other countries.</li>



<li>Our volunteers assist the Team members and their families in relocation, provide food and medical aid, and help colleagues and their relatives who remain in the hot spots.</li>



<li>We search for lost relatives, organise temporary homes for pets, and look for other ways to support our colleagues and their families close to the front line.</li>



<li>Through the internal fund, the company provides financial assistance to those who temporarily cannot work until they can get back to their regular work routines.</li>



<li>With the help of the Team members residing in other countries, we organised a network of people and organisations providing information and help in Poland, Hungary, Iceland, Austria, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, and Turkey.</li>



<li>We organised psychological help with professional counselling free for our Team and 24/7 volunteer support to fight anxiety and emotional distress.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Business Operations</strong></h2>



<p>Rocketech is withdrawing from the Russian market to end direct or indirect support for the aggressor country’s economy. We have completely stopped cooperation with Russian banks and companies – we no longer transfer money and accept payments.</p>



<p>We have discontinued all marketing and advertising operations targeting the Russian market. Among other things, we have withdrawn from the top-rated companies of the Russian market on Clutch and closed the company’s visibility to users from Russia in search results on the platform.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Team</strong></h2>



<p>Currently, about forty of our colleagues remain on the territory of Ukraine. We contact each employee regularly to verify their location and safe conditions. From the 28th of February, we strategically reassigned the teams dedicated to all our projects to ensure that we fulfil all our contract obligations.</p>



<p>We had to adjust our recruiting strategy. Rocketech no longer considers applicants from Russia and Belarus as we do not support these countries’ economies. We, however, stand against any human discrimination and are willing to onboard new talents who make a decision to relocate to countries that do not support the war in Ukraine.</p>



<p>We value all our current employees, appreciate their professionalism and experience, and want to continue cooperation. In these complicated circumstances, we establish a dialogue with each employee from Russia and Belarus and discuss their personal and family situations to find solutions to keep them as our Team members.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Concluding Statements</strong></h2>



<p>We are shocked and deeply affected by the human tragedy of some of the darkest days in European history and condemn the military actions launched by the Russian armed forces in Ukraine. We are witnessing unprecedented and tragic events that will forever reshape the world.</p>



<p>In this new reality, we find it crucial to be united by the common principles and the company’s core values. At Rocketech, we are proud of our international and multi-language Team based on mutual respect, support, and trust. Having said that, we decry any bullying of Russian citizens who do not support their government’s actions. We stand against any act of aggression and discrimination on the ground of nationality.<br></p>


Rocketech Operations During the War

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">I communicate with other Product owners in the team mainly in writing</h2>



<p><em>Written communication:</em></p>



<ol>
<li>Working Backwards: Designing a product hypothesis against a formal checklist, starting with<a href="https://rocketech.it/blog/post/customer-obsession" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> the ideal solution to the client’s needs</a>, taking into account the needs of the stakeholders and testing the risky assumptions.</li>



<li>Presentation of the hypothesis and collecting feedback not through voice narration, but through sending a textual description of the hypothesis in slack / mail or simultaneously reading printed descriptions during a group meeting.</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Written communication is cool, oral communication is bad</h2>



<p><em>Cons of oral communication:</em></p>



<ul>
<li>Oral communication puts people who know how to persuade in an advantageous position
<ul>
<li>One of the coveted skills of product owners is the ability to “sell your ideas.” When your ideas are not accepted, or when there is a colleague nearby who is good at selling their ideas, there is a natural desire “Cool! I want to be able to do the same! “</li>



<li>The desirability of this skill is rather a crutch, which is needed for the system “everyone pitches in a voice, I don’t know how beautifully, I want to learn”.</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Behind a beautiful / emotional pitch, it is easier to consciously / unconsciously hide holes in logic
<ul>
<li>Oral communication discounts the participation of people who need to think in order to form their point of view on the incoming information
<ul>
<li>There are people [me, Alex Borisov, one of them] who, during the discussion, find it difficult to digest all the information and need time to think over the problem from different angles, google something, talk with colleagues and then give feedback. connection. Written communication</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



<p><em>The pros of written communication</em></p>



<ul>
<li>Not one project from the <a href="https://rocketech.it/cases" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">knowledgeable cases</a> is complete without detailed technical documentation, this is important for the development team. This is the only way she can effectively deliver results and understand the product.</li>



<li>It is difficult to write large documents =&gt; hypothesis: something will be written in which there is more logic and which has a high probability of passing the challenge of colleagues =&gt; bring money.
<ul>
<li>this hypothesis is supported by the product’s story about internal processes at Amazon. He says that having to write a minimal document changes the mindset from “Let’s get the feature out now” to a more deliberate choice of what will pass the peer and stakeholder filter.</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Written communication forces you to think about the logic better, since obvious mistakes will be easily noticed</li>



<li>When reading, information is assimilated faster and better remembered</li>
</ul>



<p>Amazon has a culture of writing product requirements through the Working Backwards process. Presentations are prohibited, meetings begin with everyone sitting and silently reading documents that their colleagues have brought. So we are doing the same thing in ROCKETECH!)</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">I will definitely challenge each hypothesis with a different Product owner.</h2>



<p>Research [<a href="https://hbr.org/2018/11/why-its-easier-to-make-decisions-for-someone-else" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1</a>]: if a person makes the same decision for himself and for another person. For himself, the decision is made taking into account fewer factors and minimizing the risk, for another person it takes into account more factors and maximizes the likelihood of success.</p>



<p>This is the reason why we love to give advice, but for ourselves, we cannot come up with the same great advice and it is harder to follow it.</p>



<p>Another study [<a href="https://ideas.ted.com/why-were-so-attached-to-our-own-creations-even-when-theyre-ugly/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2</a>]: a person is inclined to irrationally overestimate the result of his work. People who offer their ideas, when choosing among all the ideas on which to spend money, I choose to spend more on their ideas.</p>



<p>Total: if you add the mandatory process of the product hypothesis challenge (it is important to choose a threshold, for example, everything that is more expensive than 16 total hours of all people who will work on this hypothesis), the quality of the decisions will increase for a small fee by the production time for the hypothesis challenge.</p>



<p>Of course, the presence of a partner helps me in ROCKETECH, it evens out and averages all the solutions, which subsequently leads to more correct conclusions and hypotheses. Many of our founders are doing the project in the same way, in tandem together.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The goal is to shoot the hypothesis, and not to smuggle it by hook or by crook into the food</h2>



<ul>
<li>



<li>Since you need to nail down hypotheses, then the process must be built in such a way as to find errors in the logic of the next hypothesis.</li>



<li>From the book Checklist Manifesto [<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Checklist-Manifesto-How-Things-Right/dp/0312430000" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">3</a>]: Introducing checklists in different processes significantly reduces errors. For example, 8 clinics in the United States conducted an experiment and introduced checklists for surgery. As a result, mortality from operations has been halved.</li>



<li>In my experience, a formal 5-question checklist helps target a myriad of hypotheses even before the design stage.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Make critical changes early on</h2>



<p>“Working Backwards, if done right, takes a LOT of work. But at the same time, writing and discussing such a document saves even more work in the future, increases the likelihood that you will do what the clients need ”- Jeff Bezos on Working Backwards [<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VOgUMqcHhU" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">4</a>]</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusions</h2>



<p>The Amazon Working Backwards process of writing product requirements according to a standard template fits into all of these principles.</p>


The Guide for Perfect Customer Development: How to Create Knowledge as Efficiently as Possible With Available Resources

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How is knowledge created in our world?</h2>



<p><strong>We all studied</strong> <strong>at school and there, at the level of any natural science lesson, it is created through one process</strong>:</p>



<ol>
<li>A hypothesis is put forward</li>



<li>Experiment in progress</li>



<li>Feedback is collected and the result of the experiment is analyzed</li>



<li>The hypothesis is either killed, or requires correction and repeated cycle, or is confirmed.</li>
</ol>



<p><strong>When we make a product, we create knowledge about:</strong></p>



<ol>
<li>What should be the product about?</li>



<li>What segment of the audience should our product be aimed at?</li>



<li>How to distribute it?</li>



<li>So that the client buys, and the company makes a profit</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">We’re constantly losing focus on hypothesis testing and knowledge creation.</h2>



<p>One of the most important product skills is being able to focus yourself and your team on what needs to be done.</p>



<p>It is very easy to dig into analytics, design, interviews with clients, designing a huge feature, running from meeting to meeting, and juggling with demanding stakeholders. But when you look back at a quarter/year ago, you see that one and a half features have been released, none of them brings money, and even worse, burns them by complicating the code base and supporting endless minors and normals.</p>



<p><em>To sum up</em>: if you do not focus on consistency and the amount of knowledge generated per unit of time [quarter, month, week], routine and millions of distractions will consume attention. We set one of the Key Results for the maximum Objectives — N tested hypotheses per quarter.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Customer expectations are growing very quickly:</h2>



<ol>
<li><strong>The overall level of products with which customers interact is growing</strong></li>
</ol>



<ul>
<li>10 years ago [in Russia] everyone carried wallets and paid with cash, 5 years ago, wallets became thinner and everyone paid with cards, now many people stop wearing wallets, since in most places you can pay with Apple Pay / Google Pay</li>



<li>when Apple and Google release new versions of operating systems and when phone manufacturers update their product lines, huge numbers of people get access to slightly better apps, more natural interfaces</li>



<li>a huge number of services are cut for giving the client a slightly more enjoyable experience — for fewer actions, a little cheaper, a little more fun, a little more status. As a result, in the states of Amazon I taught myself to the pattern “clicked — tomorrow at the doorstep, and sometimes even tonight”, while in Russia grocery stores see a threat in delivery services, since the acceleration of delivery, dark kitchens [Kitchen in the District, Varlamov Is] allow you to get tasty and hot food in 15 minutes at an adequate price. </li>



<li>A rapidly growing 15 min delivery from the app of grocery is taking over now around the world for just the last few years and we have talked about it <a href="https://rocketech.it/blog/post/trending-e-commerce-business-models-to-watch-for-in-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. </li>
</ul>



<ol start="2">
<li><strong>While you sleep, the competitor sways</strong></li>
</ol>



<ul>
<li>Moreover, competition often comes from where you do not expect, since complex systems often lead to unexpected (at least, observing from the side) consequences of the second and third orders [<a href="https://fs.blog/2016/04/second-order-thinking/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1</a>]:
<ul>
<li>media publishers who owned TV stations, radio stations and franchises are losing margins as advertisers now buy ads from Facebook and Google [YouTube] and media publishers are just one of the providers of content on Facebook and Google platforms.</li>



<li>In the next 10-20 years, automakers may lose the status of “we manufacture cars and sell them to end customers” and turn into much less marginal OEM suppliers of hardware for Waymo, Tesla, Uber, as the scenario “open an application and call a car for $ 7” to smithereens smashes expensive, hemorrhoid and nervous car ownership</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



<p><em><strong>To sum up</strong></em>: this leads to the fact that one of the focuses of the product and the entire team should be the amount of knowledge created per unit of time =&gt; the number of hypotheses to be tested. Relaxing and testing one hypothesis per quarter will not work — companies in which teams test 20 hypotheses per quarter will inevitably bypass you.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">From the knowledge that each member of the company creates, aggregate knowledge is created about what the company, processes, product should be</h2>



<p>You can work with this knowledge in two ways:</p>



<ol>
<li>Implement in the form of a new feature, marketing campaign, layout, letter, operational process.</li>



<li>To broadcast knowledge within the company so that more people in the company receive this knowledge, if it is relevant to them, and managers see cross-cutting large patterns and, based on this, adjust the vision and goals of the company.</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusions</h2>



<ol>
<li>In order not to lose focus, we set one of the main Key Results for the maximum Objectives for each product — N hypotheses tested per quarter. // later, for different stages of the product and competencies of product / managers, I will write on the verification of which hypotheses it makes sense to focus on</li>



<li>We embed the process of transferring created knowledge up to CPO / CEO into the processes of synchronization with leaders / stakeholders. This is how we set all process in <a href="https://rocketech.it/contacts" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ROCKETECH </a></li>
</ol>


The Guide for Perfect Customer Development: Creating Knowledge Through Hypothesis Testing

<p>If the client does not have a need that he can cover by purchasing our product, we will not have sales and, as a result, profit.</p>



<p>If the client has a need, but our product does not solve the need very well. Then we can sell our product to the client through distribution, partnerships, marketing, but the cohorts will quickly die, we will be vulnerable to competitors who will make the product better.</p>



<p>Creating a product is an incredibly complex process. Defocusing, mistakes in logic, political games, emotional attachment to an “amazing idea!” lead to the fact that we, the products, create what no one needs.</p>



<p>In the venture capital industry, it is believed that 90% of startups die </p>



<ol>
<li>2012 <a href="https://integral-entrepreneurship.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Startup-Genome-Premature-Scaling.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Startup Genome Report on Premature Scaling</a></li>



<li>2019, CBInsights, Tackling problems that are interesting to solve rather than those that serve a market need was cited as the No. 1 reason for failure, noted in 42% of cases. <a href="https://www.cbinsights.com/research/startup-failure-reasons-top/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Top 20 Reasons Startups Fail</a></li>



<li>3 — 2017, Andreessen Horowitz, «Startups need 2-3 times longer to validate their market than most founders expect. This underestimation creates the pressure to scale prematurely… In our dataset we found that 70% of startups scaled prematurely along some dimension. While this number seemed high, this may go a long way towards explaining the 90% failure rate of startups», <a href="https://a16z.com/2017/02/18/12-things-about-product-market-fit/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">12 Things about Product-Market Fit</a></li>
</ol>



<p>The first principle through which, in my opinion, it is worth increasing the number of hypotheses fired per quarter/year is to ask yourself the question “Does the client need this?” or better yet, “Is the client willing to pay for it now?”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How Big Companies Are Culturally Sewing Customer Obsession</h2>



<p><strong>Google</strong></p>



<p><em>Focus on the user and all else will follow.</em> Since the beginning, we’ve focused on providing the best user experience possible. Whether we’re designing a new Internet browser or a new tweak to the look of the homepage, we take great care to ensure that they will ultimately serve you, rather than our own internal goal or bottom line. Our homepage interface is clear and simple, and pages load instantly. Placement in search results is never sold to anyone, and advertising is not only clearly marked as such, it offers relevant content and is not distracting. And when we build new tools and applications, we believe they should work so well you don’t have to consider how they might have been designed differently.</p>



<p><strong>Patreon</strong></p>



<p><em>Put creators first. </em>Deliver unusual care to creators. Our business is creators’ income and rent checks, so we do not take our responsibility lightly. We exist because of, and in service of, creators. There is a creator behind every text, email, call, request, bug, and payment issue, and we treat them as human beings, not users. We will fight to keep the human spark in our relationship as we scale. As a business, we invest in teams like Community Happiness and Creator Care who are on the front lines taking care of our creators. We revere these teammates on the front lines.</p>



<p><strong>Amazon</strong></p>



<p><em>Customer Obsession.</em> 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.</p>



<p>Amazon has Customer Obsession embedded in its core product creation process.</p>



<p>Working Backwards.</p>



<p><strong>Uber</strong></p>



<p><em>We are customer-obsessed</em>. We work tirelessly to earn our customers’ trust and business by solving their problems, maximizing their earnings or lowering their costs. We surprise and delight them. We make short-term sacrifices for a lifetime of loyalty.</p>



<p><strong>ROCKETECH </strong></p>



<p>Rocketech’s strategy is based on building long-term relationships with each customer. Therefore, customer service and customer experience are embedded in the company’s cultural code. Following the principles of “best customer experience” is broadcast to other teams so that their technological solutions become better and more efficient. </p>



<p>We offer not just development, but a dedicated team, which becomes part of the customer’s team for the duration of the work. We take upon ourselves not only the execution of tasks, but also share responsibility for the result, we offer expertise at each stage. On the one hand, this approach seriously complicates the task for the company, but we are ready to sacrifice time and invest in resources so that a startup that comes to us starts the path to a unicorn with us, having received a really working product the first time. It is the dedicated team as our unique advantage that allows us to do this with the greatest efficiency.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Not all clients are created equal</h2>



<p>ABCDX-segmentation is customer segmentation, through the prism of how much they need YOUR product.</p>



<p>ABCDX-segmentation works only for products that have thousands of paying customers, JTBD / problem interviews are suitable for finding a new segment, for products with hundreds of paying customers — Sean Ellis segmentation [<a href="https://firstround.com/review/how-superhuman-built-an-engine-to-find-product-market-fit/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">4</a>].</p>



<p>The essence of ABCDX segmentation: your product divides all the people who have paid you into 4 segments according to the degree of value your product brings to them:</p>



<ul>
<li>A Segment – the product is super needed, they buy a lot and with pleasure, the transaction cycle is small, they do not remind of themselves at all, they just pay.</li>



<li>B Segment – the product is needed, there are objections, something is missing. They pay plus or minus regularly, the transaction cycle is relatively small, the average check is above average.</li>



<li>C Segment – there is a need for a solution, but not yours, your product does not help them much. The cycle of the transaction is huge, the average check is small, it falls off easily, tortures salespeople and support.</li>



<li>D Segment – take out the brain and do not buy</li>



<li>X Segment – potentially your A segment, but your product in its current form does not suit them, requires modifications</li>
</ul>



<p><a href="https://iidf.vc/?convead_muid=JZXY9ihIEATIQ9Gn8:1632076450897" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IIDF</a> – one of the most active Russian VC funds and accelerators, analyzed portfolio companies and found that teams spend only 20% of their time working on the needs for A and B segments. At the same time, A and B segments bring 80% of revenue, while C and D – 20% of revenue.</p>



<p>Why? C and D scream loudly, write and call support, whine on social networks. As a result, we, as reactive animals, do what falls into the focus of our attention. And we don’t make money on them…</p>



<p>Therefore, it is not worth making a product for all customers, but only for AB-segments.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



<p>If you add the AB-Customer Obsession principle to the level of the company’s cultural principles and sew it through all processes, you can increase the likelihood that stillborn, unnecessary features and products will not be created. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Completing guide for perfect customer  </h3>



<p>in the previous article, we talked about <a href="https://rocketech.it/blog/post/the-guide-for-perfect-customer-development" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How to Talk to Users</a></p>


The Guide for Perfect Customer Development: Customer Obsession

<p>This topic is massive to pack it up in just one simple post with whole details. So we will split into a cycle of topics where we will try to talk deeply about Custev and how to make it. This is the first material where we will talk about How to talk with users.</p>



<p>For the past 5 years, all over the industry, you have heard about the importance of Customer Development, design thinking, customer discovery, UX research, and [substitute yours]. Each expert insists on a specific methodology and positions it as a panacea for all product troubles and business failures.</p>



<p>All of the above methodologies are just special cases of the most important skill of any grocery person – the ability to talk with customers.</p>



<p>By and large, it doesn’t matter if you study your clients in strict accordance with the Design Thinking methodology, or start frantically inviting them for in-depth interviews for an hour and a half in the office. It is important that you basically communicate with your target audience.</p>



<p>No approach will give you instant results, but with constant and long-term use, any of them will lead to a paradigm shift in your attitude towards the product. Start communicating with customers and your product will transform.</p>



<p>The beauty of communicating with clients is that even if you go to clients with a specific question about functionality, usability, etc., you may not get an answer to it, but you will definitely get a lot of useful feedback, some of which you did not even know.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to talk to customers? </h2>



<p>These are from the second video of the YCombinator 2019 startup school. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT4Ig2uqjTc&amp;t=12s" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Migicovsky explains how to talk with customers</a>.</p>



<ul>
<li>In our (YC) experience, the founders of the best companies communicate directly with customers throughout the life of the company, without intermediaries. If you are a founder and a person has appeared in your startup to whom you can delegate communication with clients, postpone this moment as long as possible.</li>



<li>Typical interview mistakes are coolly synthesized in The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick</li>
</ul>



<ol>
<li>Don’t share your ideas! Your job is to get the experience out of the client.</li>



<li>Do not ask the questions: “If we make such a feature, will you use it?”, Instead, study the path that led the person to this problem and to the fact that he began to look for a solution to his problem</li>



<li>Listen! And talk less! Your task is to extract as much information as possible in 20-40 minutes.</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top five questions of problem interviews </h2>



<ol>
<li>What was the hardest part when trying to deal with a problem? —This question will let you know which problems are really hurting people and which ones aren’t.</li>



<li>Tell us about the last time you encountered this problem. — from this question you will learn the context. Also, stories are remembered <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X0weDMh9C4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">22 times better </a>than facts, and you will better remember the stories of each individual respondent</li>



<li>What was hard about that? — Asking this question over and over again about each problem, you will get to the bottom of the real motivation. And through the answers to this question, you will find out what exactly your product will be bought for, for getting rid of what specific pains.</li>



<li>What did you do to deal with this problem? — If customers are not looking for a solution to their problem, they may not have a problem and you shouldn’t be making this product.</li>



<li>What do you dislike about the solutions you’ve already tried?</li>
</ol>



<p>Customer interviews are incredibly valuable in the three stages of a startup in the Pre-Product &lt;&gt; Market Fit stage.</p>



<ol>
<li>I have an idea? → we conduct problematic interviews and clarify what problem we are actually solving</li>



<li>Have a prototype? → looking for an audience segment to launch on</li>



<li>Launched? → iterate over and type the necessary features</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Do you have an idea?</h2>



<p>Where to find the first people to interview</p>



<ul>
<li>Conduct first interviews with the co-founders and the team. Look for the very first clients among friends, friends of their friends.</li>



<li>Find these people in the real world and talk to them live. For example, a startup from the latest batch, YCombinator, is making a product for firefighters, and cold emails didn’t work at all. They drove to the fire stations and caught the firefighters for a 15-minute conversation, and they responded with pleasure!</li>



<li>At industrial events: conferences, meetups</li>
</ul>



<p>Some hacks</p>



<ul>
<li>Take notes! Lots of detailed notes. If you do not have time to write, ask a colleague/friend to write down</li>



<li>Start with a small number of interviews: the first 10 interviews will give you a LOT of valuable information.</li>



<li>Be careful about the time people are willing to give you. Try to get as much valuable information as possible from the first 10-15 minutes. It can take even one hour to talk. </li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Have a prototype?</h2>



<p>If you select the wrong clients for your tests, you may be framing yourself with the wrong feedback. Try to find ideal clients for prototype testing — add questions about numbers:</p>



<ul>
<li>How much does it cost you to solve this problem? — how much money is burned out or the client can earn if he solves this problem.</li>



<li>How often does a customer face a problem? — Problems that a customer faces often tend to hurt a lot and customers are looking for solutions and may be willing to convert to your product. If customers, who often face this problem, do not start using your product, this is a strong signal that you have screwed up somewhere.</li>



<li>How big is the budget for solving this problem? – for b2b-specialists, only those who manage the budget can answer this question.</li>
</ul>



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<p>Ideal customers for your prototype often face a problem: they have the budget or the credibility to buy your solution and it hurts: they can make money with your product or save money.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Iterate towards Product &lt;&gt; Market Fit</h2>



<p>Eric strongly advises reading the article <a href="https://firstround.com/review/how-superhuman-built-an-engine-to-find-product-market-fit/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">how Superhuman searched for Product &lt;&gt; Market Fit</a>.</p>



<p>The material about how the Superhuman product-market fit searched by-polls</p>



<p>As a survey (and subsequent segmentation) to find out if your product has Product &lt;&gt; Market Fit by Sean Ellis — the founder of GrowthHackers.com, the person raised Dropbox and Eventbrite at their launch.</p>



<p><strong>Some hacks</strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Take the phone from customers at registration so that you can call them at the right time</li>



<li>Don’t make features from support. Take money for non-existent features.</li>



<li>Never mind positive feedback. This information will not give you information from which you can make decisions.</li>



<li>Avoid bad data, because it will guide you to the wrong features</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Main material output</h2>



<p>It is necessary to constantly work with the end-user and collect feedback from him and make high-level decisions based on this from in-depth interviews and not only. We remember that we have a startup and we need to save money, that is, we do not make features that no one needs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Read the next series of the guide:</h2>



<p><a href="https://rocketech.it/blog/post/customer-obsession" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Customer Obsession</a></p>



<p><a href="https://rocketech.it/blog/post/the-guide-for-perfect-customer-development-creating-knowledge-through-hypothesis-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Creating knowledge through hypothesis testing</a></p>



<p><a href="https://rocketech.it/blog/post/the-guide-for-perfect-customer-development-problem-interview-checklist" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Problem interview checklist</a></p>



<p>.</p>


The Guide for Perfect Customer Development: How to Talk to Users

<p><strong>Rocketech</strong> team is proud to become <strong>a Bronze partner of Nest.JS</strong>!</p>



<p>We consider collaborating with Nest.JS as a great opportunity for our engineers to work conveniently.</p>



<p>It is useful for everyday processes, hard tasks, which require Node.JS web-server realization. And even critical points are simpler to solve when the project stack is the same on the frontend and backend.</p>



<p>We believe that quality work should be praised and encouraged by others. So we support Nest.JS and hope to continue doing it more.</p>



<p>Happy to use this progressive Node.js framework for developing apps for our clients!</p>


Nest.JS Bronze Partner

<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default">
<figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://wp.rocketech.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/DSC_1786-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-299" width="530" height="352" srcset="https://wp.rocketech.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/DSC_1786-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://wp.rocketech.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/DSC_1786-158x106.jpg 158w" sizes="(max-width: 530px) 100vw, 530px" /></figure></div>


<p><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://rocketech.it/services" data-type="URL" data-id="https://rocketech.it/services" target="_blank">Software development </a>outsourcing is the hottest business trend these days in the corporate industry. It adheres to justify the excellence and outsourcing skills of other industries. It is not about being practical and strategic in its premises but gaining efficiency and productivity from the other company that works for software development plans. Countless companies are hiring other companies to increase software development outsourcing chains and trying to create a good image in the software development domain. Outsourcing partnerships play a vital role in enabling an organization to express essential business tasks and respond to boosting trends successfully. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Headway Towards Technology</h2>



<p>By that time, the economic cycle has become so fast and technological. Business process outsourcers serve an important role beyond mastery and modish assets of technology in agile software development.</p>



<p>According to surveys from the last three years, the most emerging top reasons for partnering with software development outsourcers always go beyond decreasing costs to improve how they set out the customers as their priority.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Automation</h2>



<p>Study respondents featured the two territories as open doors for development. Organizations are looking to their innovation and business process outsourcers for admittance to work on new advances. They need to realize how to use emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning. Additionally, they need to assume a more dynamic part in development, new advances, and efficiencies. </p>



<p>The second territory has been a reliable theme in recent years—the requirement for better correspondence. Study respondents sympathized with their problematic areas including poor correspondence, a requirement for more prominent information security and protection, the executive’s oversight, and innovation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Software Development Outsourcing Guide</h2>



<p>Here are some important steps on how to succeed at software development outsourcing by being a good partner to the client.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Know Your Weaknesses</strong></h3>



<p>All you need to know is the upsides and downsides of your software development organization before taking outsource tasks. A decent organization consistently examines the need zones of their working cycle that are turning out to be obstacles in the way of progress. Prime outsourcing organizations as a partner need to acknowledge why other companies are searching for outsourcing partners and what successful outcomes they are not picking up from their workers. In case, companies are hoping to have a team to cover all their requirements from an IT perspective, you’ve just set a characterizing factor as you continue looking for outsourcing projects. Analyze your deficiencies at that point and continue rethinking. It will let the organization permit the specific imperfections and nonattendance of innovativeness. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Do Your Research</strong></h3>


<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default">
<figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://wp.rocketech.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/charles-deluvio-Lks7vei-eAg-unsplash-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-238" width="415" height="276" srcset="https://wp.rocketech.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/charles-deluvio-Lks7vei-eAg-unsplash-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://wp.rocketech.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/charles-deluvio-Lks7vei-eAg-unsplash-158x106.jpg 158w" sizes="(max-width: 415px) 100vw, 415px" /></figure></div>


<p>Complete your research size by analyzing all the outsourcing organizations working and hiring out there. Select quite possibly the most imaginative and perfect organizations to converge with your software development organization as a client at the hour of outsourcing. </p>



<p>Great research work will assist you with perceiving the expertise level of each organization and you won’t have issues in choosing the best one eventually to work on your outsourcing project. Quora still has charm in searching for good companies online. The research can release the real factors and figures throughout the audits of the market of any software organization working as a outsource project client.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Shortlist Promising Companies</strong></h3>



<p>Check out the companies that work expertly on software development outsourcing. Shortlist must be not more than five good companies. Nothing will support your outsource projects aside from the best ones who are excited and professionals. Continuously pin out the upsides and downsides of any organization so you will never burn through your time in choosing the best organization to turn out immaculately for your outsourcing projects.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Check the Candidate’s Experience</strong></h3>



<p>Experience matters a lot in the software development industry. Amateurs can destroy your company image surprisingly fast. Continuously go for expert software organizations if you have considerations to share your outsourcing projects with different software companies. Analyze their completed projects and read their employees’ psyche towards the outsourcing domains. Always check other experienced outsourcing companies that are related to the technologies you are going to work through such as Python, Java, PHP, Perl, and .Net. Experience is the key and experienced representatives dare to turn out stunning and surprising results in any event, for your software organization too. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Cultural Compatibility and Communication Skills</strong></h3>


<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default">
<figure class="alignright size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="509" height="339" src="https://wp.rocketech.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/istockphoto-1151593893-170667a.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-159" srcset="https://wp.rocketech.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/istockphoto-1151593893-170667a.jpg 509w, https://wp.rocketech.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/istockphoto-1151593893-170667a-158x106.jpg 158w" sizes="(max-width: 509px) 100vw, 509px" /></figure></div>


<p>Terrible English abilities are immense warnings. Keep in mind, you’re looking for an outsource client, and if you have somebody to cover all of the client’s IT requirements so for it. You need a proactive client that gets some answers concerning this field that you do. They must be educated and work with you to find the best change plan. </p>



<p>The work cycle will be described by individuals included, so their experience and culture will influence your company and employees. They must be on the same page as you, regarding your software development company culture and more than that, also your native culture. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Time Zone Differences</strong></h3>



<p>You can discover outsourcing projects in your own country as well. In case, the client is living in another country so you will have some time zone differences. Issues with this influence communication and profitability are real, but relying upon how the project is taken care of and how large the time region difference is, can be a smooth ride.</p>



<p>If the client is sharing a project solely, you don’t have to stress so much over the time zone differences. However, if you have two groups or more working in various nations, it can turn into an issue. You should have at least 4 hours per day of overlap time, to have the option to work proficiently together. Most outsourcing companies will also have an adaptable timetable so meetings and calls can be held when required even with large time zone differences.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Balance the Cost</strong></h3>



<p>If you are looking for an outsourcing software development company, there must be two aspects: cost and availability. Every software company wants to extend its business and expand its money but is always unable to find talented and skillful agile software development partners. Every software company looks for help to maintain their all issues at a very low cost and perfect availability. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Build a Long-Term Partnership</strong></h3>



<p>If you have the desire to work as a long-term partnership, you need to figure out the economical, financial, and political statuses of the region you are going to source out your projects. The company profiles and also check out the stability figure of that country. Moreover, look out for the facts of how your software development company will work with a partner for multiple years with a few hours of time zone differences. A good relationship between companies can overcome every issue including time zone issues.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Start Small</strong></h3>



<p>Always start your outsourcing projects with a small amount of software development plans and projects. Never accept more than 3 to 4 outsource projects for your company. Analyze all of them before taking and giving them some space to build your image in a software domain related to IT. Never go with the flow of taking on a large number of projects at the same time without understanding their niche. You will never have difficulties with small quantities of projects and it will be easier for you to tackle them with all the queries related to your outsource project client.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Conclusion</strong></h2>



<p>Analyze all the pros and cons before taking on any software development company’s projects and never go for the bulk of work. Limits of projects, time zone differences, culture, and communication skills are the essentials before starting a successful software development plan. Choose the most emerging company to work with so it will boost the image of your outsource company as well.</p>


Become a Successful Partner in Software Development Outsourcing

<p>While the back end is responsible for the server side, the front end is the client side — the visual part of a web application that users see when opening the site in a browser. Whether your digital product is designed for smartphones, computers, tablets, or smartwatches, it needs the front end.</p>



<p>However, the front end is not only the visual component but also the logic behind everything that happens on the screen. It means translating miles of code into what the user interacts with — buttons, blocks, boxes, and menus. The front-end development technology stack depends on many factors and may differ widely. The Rocketech experts summed up the <strong>top tools and instruments front-end developers</strong> should follow in 2022.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The Holy Trinity of Web Development</strong></h2>



<p><strong>HTML</strong>, <strong>CSS</strong>, and <strong>JavaScript</strong> are the three core technologies used for front-end development. Traditionally, these elements are responsible for either a <em>layout</em> or <em>logic</em>. In usual scenarios, business analysts articulate the problem, designers create layouts, and front-end developers translate this info into code so that the browser displays it accurately.</p>



<ul>
<li><strong><em>HTML</em></strong><em> stands for the </em><strong><em>HyperText Markup</em></strong><em> </em><strong><em>Language</em></strong><em>. It structures the content and tells the browser how to display it.</em></li>



<li><strong><em>CSS</em></strong><em> stands for </em><strong><em>Cascading Style Sheets</em></strong><em>. It styles web pages by describing the appearance of an HTML document (colors, fonts, shadows, and effects). Pretty much all websites on the Internet are created with HTML and CSS.</em></li>
</ul>



<p>Technically speaking, HTML and CSS are not programming languages; and real programming starts when it comes to logic. At this stage, front-end developers create the interactive elements. Essentially, it means receiving the data from the back end and accurately organizing the product’s logic for the user. Here’s where <strong>JavaScript</strong> entirely dominates front-end development by being the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://w3techs.com/technologies/details/cp-javascript" target="_blank">client-side programming language of 97.9% of all websites</a>.</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
<p></p>
<cite><em>JavaScript (JS) <strong>is a multi-paradigm programming language commonly used as an embedded tool for programmatic access to various application objects. JS is what brings to life the page layout (HTML) and user functionality (CMS) of web page</strong></em><strong><em>s.</em></strong></cite></blockquote>



<p>Strictly speaking, it’s impossible to create interactive websites as we know them today without knowing JS. Today, JavaScript is the basic browser programming language, fully compatible with Windows, Linux, and Mac OS operating systems as well as all popular mobile platforms.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The Triad of JS Frameworks</strong></h2>



<p>One can’t talk about the best technologies for front-end development without mentioning the most in-demand JavaScript frameworks — <strong>React</strong>, <strong>Angular</strong>, and <strong>Vue.js</strong>. Certainly, you can hire a team of developers to write your product’s code from scratch. But using frameworks helps significantly save time to complete the project.</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
<p></p>
<cite><em><strong>A framework is a ready-to-use model or a software template you can fill with custom code. It’s an intermediate option of flexibility and complexity between writing code from scratch and using CMS.</strong></em></cite></blockquote>



<p>React, Angular, and Vue.js have been holding the top three positions in the <a href="https://2021.stateofjs.com/en-US/libraries/front-end-frameworks/#front_end_frameworks_experience_ranking" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">State of JS</a> ranking as the most widely used JavaScript frameworks since 2017.  </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/MHuREVzDXkFEGIFfO-cfFa4_3fM1HG1RDNCA9UtEYwNOrt65liC04Ev7gliHabYcfG9L55sZ0zqZqAPPJt-Z5s2W0NcdYNbuTm0bSF2AODB3WfYIg58U63YpVgC7YYFnTC_uoatI" alt="D:\Omnia Mea\для умных\работа\Rocketech\02.22\frontend tech\frameworks.png"></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>React</strong></h3>



<p><em>GitHub Stars 183K</em><em>☆</em></p>



<p><a href="https://reactjs.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">React</a> is an open-source front-end JavaScript library for building user interfaces and rendering UI components created by Facebook developers. With React, developers create web applications that change the display without reloading the page. It enables applications to respond quickly to user actions like filling out forms or applying filters. Besides, React can fully control the front end. In this case, developers combine it with state management and routing libraries like Redux and React Router.</p>



<p><strong><em>Who uses React?</em></strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Facebook, Instagram, Salesforce, Uber Eats, New York Times, Walmart, and Netflix </li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Angular</strong></h3>



<p><em>GitHub Stars 79.8K</em><em>☆</em></p>



<p><a href="https://angular.io/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Angular</a> is a free, open-source TypeScript-based web application framework developed by Google. It’s a structured framework for dynamic web applications that lets developers use HTML as a template language and extend HTML syntax to make the code concise. It functions on the browser JavaScript and works with any server technology. Brad Green, Google’s former Engineering Director, considered Angular a platform. It means that the framework is supported by plenty of libraries, tools, and services that create a complete and scalable development infrastructure.</p>



<p><strong><em>Who uses Angular?</em></strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Microsoft Office, Deutsche Bank, Gmail, Forbes, PayPal, Udemy, Delivery Hero, and Amazon</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Vue.js</strong></h3>



<p><em>GitHub Stars 193K</em><em>☆</em></p>



<p><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://vuejs.org/" target="_blank">Vue.js</a> is an open-source front-end progressive JavaScript framework for building web user interfaces. It’s “approachable, performant, and versatile” and easily scalable “between a library and a framework depending on different use cases.” The main features include reactive UI, declarative rendering, data binding, custom directives, components, CSS transitions and animations, event handling, and filters. On top of that, Vue.js is lightweight and allows single-file components. </p>



<p><strong><em>Who uses Vue.js?</em></strong></p>



<ul>
<li>GitLab, Google, BMW, Grammarly, Xiaomi, Adobe, Nintendo, and 9GAG</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Other Tools: Our Top Picks</strong></h2>



<p>As the functionality of web apps increases, front-end developers need a more advanced toolkit. In most cases, using just the code editor, terminal, Git, and one framework is insufficient to solve all routine tasks. From front-end design technologies to build and testing tools — every product has an instrument set to meet the requirements and achieve the objectives. Here are the expert insights on additional front-end tech stack options from Rocketech specialists. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Redux</strong></h3>



<p><em>GitHub Stars 57.5K</em><em>☆</em></p>



<p><a href="https://redux.js.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Redux</a> is an open-source JavaScript library for centralizing and managing application states, used for building user interfaces with React and Angular. Redux is ideal for medium to large applications when it’s impossible to manage the application state with a standard tool (for example, in React) or any other library.</p>



<p><strong><em>Who uses Redux?</em></strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Instagram, Amazon, and Robinhood</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>MUI Core (Formerly Material UI)</strong><strong><em> </em></strong></h3>



<p><em>GitHub Stars 75.8K</em><em>☆</em></p>



<p><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://mui.com/" target="_blank">MUI Core</a> is a React UI library that provides “foundational and advanced components, enabling you to build your design system and develop React applications faster”. It’s based on Google’s material design — a language that uses flexible animation and transitions, grid-based layouts, and depth effects. The library provides 100+ components, 1000+ icons, and Sketch, Figma, and Adobe Xd files for designers. On top of that, it has comprehensive documentation with code examples.</p>



<p><strong><em>Who uses MUI Core?</em></strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Spotify, Netflix, NASA, Amazon, Unity, and Shutterstock</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Ant Design</strong></h3>



<p><em>GitHub Stars 78.3K</em><em>☆</em></p>



<p>Ant Design is an “enterprise-class UI design language and React UI library” and the most <a href="https://ant.design/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">popular</a> library of this kind that provides the entire package of development tools and design resources. It includes over a hundred different components, from typography to tables. All components have attached Sketch and Figma files and support both JSX and TypeScript. Besides, the Ant Design documentation is clear and easy to understand.</p>



<p><strong><em>Who uses Ant Design?</em></strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Alibaba, Tencent, Lenovo, and Baidu</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Storybook</strong></h3>



<p><em>GitHub Stars 69K</em><em>☆</em></p>



<p><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://storybook.js.org/" target="_blank">Storybook</a> is a UI component explorer and a development environment for UI components that allows developers to view the library and component states and interactively develop and test components. It’s designed for React, Vue.js, Angular, and other front-end development frameworks. Moreover, Storybook provides many add-ons for interactivity, documentation, component design, and testing.</p>



<p><strong><em>Who uses Storybook?</em></strong></p>



<ul>
<li>Airbnb, Lyft, Slack, Microsoft, and Gov.uk</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>SwiftUI</strong></h3>



<p><a href="https://developer.apple.com/xcode/swiftui/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SwiftUI</a> is Apple’s framework for developing user interfaces for iOS, macOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and watchOS. As this instrument uses the Swift language, it allows you to create applications of the same complexity but with much less code. SwiftUI automatically enables such features as Accessibility, Dynamic Type, Localization, and Dark Mode. Besides, it minimizes version control issues with the user interface as the code is much easier to read and manage than XML files.</p>



<p><strong><em>Who uses SwiftUI?</em></strong></p>



<ul>
<li>OkCupid, kevin., and Rose Rocket</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Final Thoughts</strong></h2>



<p>Front-end development is a vast and ever-changing field of expertise that involves plenty of tools and technologies, with more appearing every day. When choosing the project’s tech stack, you first consider its architecture. If it is well thought-through (and you have a good understanding of the final product version), the choice most likely would be Angular. If the project is at the MVP stage, React or Vue.js will work.</p>



<p>However, the front-end development process goes beyond choosing one framework and includes various frameworks, libraries, other instruments, and their combinations. Moreover, it implies understanding the logic and principles of the back end and communication between them. Rocketech’s philosophy is to know that each project is unique and requires an individual approach and a hand-picked tech stack. By assigning the <a href="https://rocketech.it/blog/post/dedicated-team-the-future-of-software-development" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dedicated Team</a> to a project, we ensure that our specialists’ competencies meet the project requirements to create the highest-quality digital products. </p>


Trending Technologies In Front-End Development

<p>The “new normal” is a hot topic across media channels, as we observe dramatic changes in people’s lives caused by the global pandemic. According to the <a href="https://www.raydiant.com/blog/state-of-consumer-behavior-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>State of Consumer Behavior 2021</em></a> by <em>Raydiant</em>, 40% of the interviewed visit physical locations less frequently, while 48% said they switched to the online alternatives of the products they used to buy in brick-and-mortar stores.</p>



<p>The Rocketech experts have already shared their thoughts on <a href="https://rocketech.it/blog/post/hybrid-living-five-trends-of-the-new-normal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>hybrid living</strong></a> based on the <a href="https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/2022-trend-report-research" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2022 Trend Report</a> published by Trend Hunter. However, there’s hardly any area of life that hasn’t been affected by the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19. While the New 2022 has not yet brought much good news, the “new normal” remains a critical concern for many business owners. We summed up the five trends in marketing and retail that can help you bring your enterprise to a new level. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>App-Powered Stores</strong></h2>



<p>Despite the lockdowns and restrictions, consumers still prefer offline shopping — <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.raydiant.com/blog/state-of-consumer-behavior-2021/" target="_blank">46%</a> of respondents of Raydiant’s report said they would opt for the in-person experience if they had a chance. Furthermore, the most recent statistics provided by Shopify show that <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.shopify.co.uk/retail/retail-statistics" target="_blank">54%</a> of consumers are likely to choose a product online but purchase it in-store.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Social Retail</strong></h3>



<p>However, physical storefronts now face the challenge of reimagining in-store browsing to attract customers. Zoomers and younger millennials create the market demand for more advanced and sophisticated forms of <em>experiential shopping</em>. Take one example, the famous luxury brand <em>Burberry</em> opened its <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.luxurysociety.com/en/articles/2020/09/social-retail-landed-luxury-brands" target="_blank">first social retail store</a>. The idea is to engage visitors both in-store and online by encouraging real-time interaction with their communities. Guests enjoy augmented reality features, QR codes, and exclusive, personalized offers as a reward for active posting on social networks.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Mixed Reality</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Mixed reality</strong> (MR) is an emerging tech trend that still reminds a sci-fi narrative. <em>Microsoft</em>, the current leader in MR development, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality/discover/mixed-reality" target="_blank">describes</a> it as “a blend of physical and digital worlds unlocking natural and intuitive 3D human, computer, and environmental interactions.” It’s a meeting point of advancements in computer vision, cloud computing, input systems, graphical processing, and display technologies. MR connects the virtual (VR), augmented (AR), and real worlds. </p>



<p>For retailers, the technology means new ways of engaging customers, from virtual showrooms to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/changsha-ifs-creates-igo-the-first-mr-shopping-navigator-in-china-to-open-smart-shopping-with-one-click-301193764.html" target="_blank">MR in-store navigation</a>. It will allow customers to find the right products using labels and mobile devices quickly and effortlessly. High-resolution holographic smart displays, scanners, and AR glasses can guide buyers to specific products and provide the information they need. Similar to online shops, pop-up tips in augmented reality at a physical store and next-best-action offers will be designed to raise the average check. It’s also a way to increase customer loyalty by providing the highest-level personalization.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Innovation Insights</em></strong></h4>



<ul>
<li>Virtual try-ons </li>



<li>Social retail stores </li>



<li>Omnichannel airport retailers</li>



<li>Mixed reality shopping navigators</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Comfort Commercial</strong></h2>



<p>Long COVID, tech fatigue, and extended times of self-isolation severely affected many people’s psychological well-being. People expect brands to provide comfortable and gentle communication that will help them overcome stress — aggressive advertising is unlikely to bring results for a while. The new marketing campaigns focus on inspiring and relaxing themes that, unlike last year, offer a more positive outlook for the future.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Marketing Insights</em></strong></h4>



<ul>
<li><em>Expedia</em>, the leading travel shopping platform, launched a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.shootonline.com/video/expedia-remedies-all-myself%C2%A0traveler-woes-spot-directed-anthony-mandler" target="_blank">new campaign</a> targeting people who anticipate post-COVID travel. In the commercial <em>All by Myself,</em> the brand reintroduces itself as the “ultimate travel companion.”</li>



<li><em>For When It’s Time</em>, the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.today.com/food/viral-extra-gum-ad-imagines-post-pandemic-life-t217627" target="_blank">video ad</a> made by <em>the Extra</em> gum brand, communicates the “comforting nostalgia of pre-pandemic life.” It depicts the near post-pandemic future and ends with the catchy ‘We could all use a fresh start.’</li>



<li>Last year, the Canadian beer brand <em>Coors Light</em> released a series of <a href="https://thisispopulist.com/master-of-chill-class/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">short virtual relaxing classes</a> taught by grandparents, known as ‘Canada’s chill experts.’ For this project, the company collaborated with the lifestyle brand <em>TEAMLTD</em>. The <em>Masters of Chill Classes</em> recommend various relaxing activities to viewers – from knitting and fishing to lawn care and even washing their cars.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Niche DTC</strong></h2>



<p>The direct-to-consumer model is not a novelty itself. In a broad sense, it’s the way of communicating with the consumer directly, without intermediaries. In a classic view, companies and retailers would build and maintain their own platforms — websites, online shops, or social network pages. Now, imagine marketplaces connecting local, small businesses directly with their niche target market. </p>



<p>Recently, higher-income consumer groups like Boomers and Gen Xers, have shown increased interest in particular food and beverage categories. While lockdowns affect specialty retail, ordinary marketplaces and grocery deliveries rarely offer premium-range products. The new DTC channels allow buyers to access them without violating social distance rules.</p>



<p>Apart from environmental friendliness and convenience, specialty DTC retailers offer their customers an additional sense of authenticity. It’s an essential element of the business strategy of luxury brands targeting affluent groups willing to pay more for high-end products.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Business Insights</em></strong></h4>



<ul>
<li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://www.delamer.ca/" target="_blank"><em>De La Mer</em></a> provides its customers with the “freshest and highest quality seafood from around the world.” It offers a selection of naturally raised, organic, and sustainably caught fish and seafood directly delivered to your door from the provider.</li>



<li>American Airlines’ <em>Flagship Cellars</em> <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://globetrender.com/2021/02/05/flagship-cellars-wine-subscription-american-airlines/" target="_blank">launched subscription delivery</a> of premium wines passengers usually enjoy in first class. Now the wine selection is available for at-home delivery. Moreover, by placing orders, American Airlines AAdvantage loyalty program members earn miles they can later use for regular flights.</li>



<li><em>Grazing Days</em> is a “small-scale, family-owned, owner-operated farm<em>”</em> that <a href="https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grazing-days-farms" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">delivers high-quality grass-fed beef, pork, and chicken</a> directly to customers. The owners follow strict rules of organic food production and humane treatment of animals.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Robot Retail</strong></h2>



<p>Despite controversies over the reduction of human-operated jobs due to the increasing automation of many business areas, the process seems irreversible. Social distancing regulations and the need for contactless services have only accelerated the process of robot systems adoption. With the current public health situation, safety remains the key concern for consumers when they leave their houses even for routine tasks like grocery shopping.</p>



<p>Let’s take <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.cnet.com/home/kitchen-and-household/smart-grocery-carts-are-coming-to-change-the-way-we-shop/" target="_blank">smart shopping carts</a> as an example. The technology is based on artificial intelligence and various sensor integrations. The carts are equipped with cameras, scales, and graphics processors and operate automatic checkout transactions through the built-in payment system. Additionally, such carts collect and analyze shopper behavior in real time and generate reports for business owners.</p>



<p>The next example is a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14491287" target="_blank">robotic restaurant</a>. There are different models to implement the technology in your business. It can be a contactless drive-through order with built-in face recognition and payment systems, where orders are packed and handed over to customers by robots. It also can be a robotic service based on QR codes and full automation or even robotic chefs. However, while contactless <em>KFC</em> in Moscow and <em>Robot.He</em> in Shanghai seem to be doing well, some skeptics say that we are not there yet for the robotic restaurant business. After all, <em>Creator</em> in San Francisco and <em>Spyce</em> in Boston had to close their doors.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Innovation Insights</em></strong></h4>



<ul>
<li>Bookstore assistance robot</li>



<li>Contactless delivery robots</li>



<li>Contactless robotic restaurants</li>



<li>Smart shopping carts</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Shoppable Experience</strong></h2>



<p>How often did you want to buy a trendy item in a hotel or a restaurant? Shoppable experience is the new way to articulate brands and establish close connections with customers. It’s an easily applicable idea with great potential to reshape many retail business models.</p>



<p>In the digital world, the concept translates into shoppable video content. Luxury brands like Ralph Lauren, Valentino, and Zimmermann launch <a href="https://www.smartzer.com/single-post/how-luxury-brands-drive-sales-through-interactive-and-shoppable-video" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">video marketing campaigns</a> to drive conversion. The idea is simple – as you watch the clip, you can hover over the item and add it straight to your shopping cart.</p>



<p>Now experiential retail also successfully penetrates the real world. The concept of shoppable hotel rooms, although not new, is on the rise. Visitors can try items in natural environments and buy the ones they want to bring home from vacation. Airbnb <a href="https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/airbnb-shoppable-rentals-hotel-rooms-268106" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">adopted</a> this business idea a while ago.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Business Insights</em></strong></h4>



<ul>
<li>Shoppable promo videos</li>



<li>Interactive shoppable cooking classes</li>



<li>Shoppable hotel rooms and rentals</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Final Thoughts</strong></h2>



<p>The global pandemic has already affected millions of businesses. In these circumstances, executives and decision-makers have to find new, fresh, and innovative ideas to attract and retain customers. Difficult conditions have also accelerated technological development and adoption. Successful examples show that businesses affected by constant lockdowns and public health regulations can revive. And with the right idea and implementation, there’s always room for new startups.</p>



<p>Whether it’s enhancing your existing retail business, repurposing your target market, or launching your new project — you need a reliable tech partner to accompany you in this journey. Rocketech is always happy to hear new ideas and help our partners create valuable products. <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://rocketech.it/contacts" target="_blank">Contact us</a> for more information.</p>


Marketing and Retail: Five Trends of the “New Normal”

<p>In recent years, the number of cyber attacks has been rapidly increasing. Moreover, there have been many new methods of carrying them out – viruses, ransomware, rootkits, spyware, user data cryptologists, and more. Cyber attackers have also become more subtle and increasingly target supply chains and company partners they try to harm. However, there is a way out of this situation to save face. Let’s look at how to solve cyber security incidents. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Is an Incident Response</h2>



<p><em>Cyber security incident response</em><strong> </strong>is a specific term that describes methods of handling phishing, data leakage, and other cyber attacks. After all, the primary goal is to limit the direct and collateral damage (time, costs, brand reputation, etc.) </p>



<p>Established businesses need to have a precise plan on how to solve these issues. It should determine the impact of the incident on the organisation and all steps to emerge from the existing situation with minimal losses. Furthermore, it’s imperative to specify who will manage the whole situation. <strong>It should be a clear list of teams or employees with established roles when an incident occurs</strong>. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Who Is Responsible for Solving Cyber Security Incidents</h2>



<p>Generally, every company or organisation has a specific cyber incident response team called a <em>computer incident response team</em> (CIRT). It usually consists of IT and security employees and legal, HR, and PR staff. According to the <a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/information-technology/glossary/cirt-cyber-incident-response-team" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gartner definition</a>, CIRT is responsible for identifying viruses, data breaches, ransomware and other intrusions that significantly affect the company’s security. It comprises the experts who deal with particular threats and guide the company’s leaders on adequate communication due to such incidents. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to Effectively Respond to Cyber Attacks: 6 Essential Steps</h2>



<p>Experts of the SANS Institute <a href="https://sansorg.egnyte.com/dl/xA2zHfNRL2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">specify</a> six basic cyber security incident response plan<strong> </strong>steps. Let’s learn them in more detail. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Preparation</h3>



<p>First, every organisation must be prepared for an unavoidable attack. Namely, companies need to determine how their technical specialists will react in the case of a security breach. The preparation stage involves the elaboration of the following aspects:</p>



<ul><li>policy;</li><li>response strategy;</li><li>duties of CIRT staff;</li><li>appropriate tools;</li><li>communication;</li><li>access control;</li><li>supporting documentation.</li></ul>



<p>That’s why this step is placed first in the cyber security incident action checklist. <strong>Apparently, no project may have an effect without due preparation.</strong></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Identification</h3>



<p>During this phase, the CIRT members detect the incident. Ideally, it should be done in the shortest possible time to save money and limit damages. IT employees monitor the whole situation, from <em>error notifications</em> and <em>firewalls </em>to <em>intrusion detection systems</em>. This approach helps to identify the scope of the cyber attack. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Containment</h3>



<p>Once what can cause a cyber incident is detected, employees try to contain it. Why is it paramount? The primary purpose of the containment step is to hold the current level of damage and prevent further detriment. As mentioned before, <strong>the earlier CIRT members identify the attack, the sooner it can be contained to prevent more significant damage</strong>. </p>



<p>This phase comprises three crucial steps:</p>



<ol><li>short-term actions;</li><li>backupping;</li><li>long-term actions.</li></ol>



<p>It should be especially noted that IT and other staff must follow all the necessary steps to prevent the leakage of any evidence that may help identify the perpetrators and convict them. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Eradication</h3>



<p>This stage implies that technical employees will remove the danger and restore the system to stable functioning (with as minimum data losses as possible). Further, CIRT members should ensure that all the proper measures have been taken. For instance, the malicious content must be removed, and the attacked systems should be spotless. IT employees should follow their re-entry plan as quickly as possible.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Recovery</h3>



<p>The cyber security incident response team tests, monitors, and validates all the affected systems when it comes to this phase. The reason is simple: <strong>IT staff should ensure that systems are no more compromised</strong>. Another essential step is decision-making when restoring all operations and monitoring for suspicious activity. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Lessons Learned</h3>



<p>Once the incident has been resolved, the CIRT members should analyse and update future threat response policy. The organisation must create a cyber security incident report that provides all the necessary information for future cyber attacks during this stage. It will be used during training sessions for new employees and performance evaluation. </p>



<p>🔵 Last year we reviewed the cyber security mash method as one of the current technology trends. Check this <a href="https://rocketech.it/blog/post/gartners-technology-trends-of-tomorrow" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">article</a> to find out more!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top 3 Well-known Cyber Security Incidents and Lessons To Learn From Them</h2>



<p>Phishing technique is used in 80% of all cyber attacks, according to the <a href="https://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizon-2021-data-breach-investigations-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2021 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report</a>. Moreover, about 40% of data leakages are concerned with ransomware and other malicious apps. Many financial and IT companies were victims of cyber intrusions. Let’s analyse the best-known incidents and lessons learned. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Twitter</h3>



<p>In Summer 2020, Twitter became a victim of severe phishing activity. Cybercriminals compromised the control panel, took over dozens of private and corporate Twitter accounts (mostly are related to public figures), and organised a scam BTC giveaway in their names. </p>



<p>Furthermore, hackers contacted several Twitter employees disguised as their technical staff and asked for their work account login details. They helped cybercriminals take over the admin panel, empty accounts of famous people and post fake links. </p>



<p>Creating a comprehensive cyber security policy is imperative, but it may not be the only measure. Companies should also organise <strong>regular training sessions</strong> to check if their employees follow the basic digital security rules. For example, who is responsible for resetting passwords. </p>



<p>Moreover, some users’ accounts need additional protection since they have access to vital systems and information. If cybercriminals have access to privileged accounts, it may harm the brand’s reputation and security. That’s why <em>it is essential to provide multifactor authentication and continuous monitoring of all system activities</em> for a better cyber security incident containment.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Microsoft</h3>



<p>Another significant example of a<strong> </strong>cyber security incident and threat management is a financial fraud made by a Microsoft testing team employee. The attacker worked as a software developer for e-commerce projects and cheated the company out of $10 million in cryptocurrency. He used scam store accounts and test accounts of his associates to make fictitious payments and withdraw money.</p>



<p>Microsoft Store blocked most of the real goods orders, but digital gift cards were successfully stolen. Later they were sold through online marketplaces. </p>



<p>Analysing this case, we can indicate different approaches to provide top-notch security for privileged employees’ accounts. For example, integrate tools for multifactor authentication, one-time passwords and manual access control. Such secondary solutions help check people’s behaviour under the control panel or service management account.  </p>



<p>Another essential measure is regular password rotation. According to the <a href="https://pages.nist.gov/800-63-3/sp800-63b.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Institute of Standards and Technology</a>, <strong>this option should reduce the risk of unauthorised access to the privileged account</strong>. Moreover, CIRT members need to check if privileged users (excepting administrators) can’t create new accounts or edit access rights for unprivileged users. This approach helps keep all keys to your network exclusively for a specific category of users. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Capital One</h3>



<p>The last case to analyse is the massive client data breach from the financial company Capital One. A former staff member of the cloud hosting company took over the corporate database and withdrew important information. The data leakage was caused by the misconfigured web software that opened access to sensitive records of over 100 million customers: full names, telephone numbers and addresses, insurance policy numbers, and IBANs. </p>



<p>What is a cyber security incident response plan for this case? First, the company needs to choose the third-party service provider correctly. Pay due attention to the cyber security regulations and practices; if a possible contractor doesn’t execute them, indicate it in the service level agreement. Among other things, the <em>service access should be revoked for fired staff</em>. </p>



<p>Moreover, the access to your vital systems and information must be limited to the level required for the performance of the contractor’s duties. High-quality monitoring tools are also paramount; they help monitor access to your critical systems. You should also keep records of third-party vendor actions for conducting effective audits. And don’t forget about multi-factor authentication, manual access control, and one-time passwords. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



<p><strong>Organisations and companies should effectively solve cyber security threats.</strong> First and foremost, we are talking about preparing a clear plan for effective incident response, and this is the only way to limit the damage in the shortest time. Moreover, a comprehensive cyber security incident plan will save time and money for your company to restore the affected systems when a data leak occurs. And Rocketech can help you with all this stuff. We provide full-cycle <a href="https://rocketech.it/services" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">services</a> on software development and cyber security. <a href="https://rocketech.it/contacts" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Contact us</a> to learn more about how we can assist in your case.</p>


What Is a Cyber Security Incident, and How To Respond to It?

<p>Knowing how to grow businesses is essentially the transition to a new level. Successful entrepreneurs achieve it by making the right decisions. Moving forward “blindly” will most often lead to financial losses. A sound development strategy based on a preliminary analysis of the current situation helps you minimize the risks and grow your company quickly. We summed up <strong>seven tips for business success and effective scaling</strong>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="874" height="620" src="https://wp.rocketech.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/how-to-grow-your-biz-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-4840"></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>7 Tips for Business Owners and Startupers</strong></h2>



<p>Small and mid-sized businesses often disregard the concept of <strong>strategic planning</strong> considering it solely a prerogative of large corporations. In reality, every enterprise needs a strategy. The secret here is a <strong>comprehensive</strong>, <strong>multi-perspective approach</strong>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#1 Set the Right Goals</strong></h3>



<p>Developing a company (or improving businesses in general) fast is impossible without <strong>clear objectives and a thought-through roadmap</strong>. And there are many ways to create it. In the early 1980s, George T. Doran <a href="https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/smart-goals/brief-history-of-smart-goals.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">introduced</a> the <strong><em>SMART criteria</em></strong> for improved goal setting. </p>



<p>Simply put, it’s an <em>objective description method</em> that helps you make the planning more detailed and tangible or, more precisely, <em>specific</em>, <em>measurable</em>, <em>achievable</em>, <em>realistic</em>, and <em>time</em>–<em>bound</em>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="2000" src="https://wp.rocketech.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/how-to-grow-ur-biz-smart.png" alt="SMART citeria for business growth" class="wp-image-4830"><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">SMART criteria</figcaption></figure>



<p>Imagine you opened a new business, a co-working space. Although you have a great place, modern equipment, and nice hosts, the business is not really developing. So far, you’ve managed to sign a contract with a few freelancers, but it’s barely enough to cover the running costs. Here’s how to set a SMART goal.</p>



<p>For example, “<em>I need to attract 10 new regular customers within a month.</em>” You can keep advertising the way you’ve done before and likely miss your objective in a month, or you can look for alternative ways. You can target professionals and organizations holding workshops or educational courses. Helping them will increase the company revenue and provide additional advertising as your customers will put your address to their promo content. Here, the time-bound factor and the specificity make you look for alternative ways to achieve your goal.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#2 Hire the Right Team (Which Knows How to Grow Your Business)</strong></h3>



<p>At the beginning of the journey, founders often do almost everything singlehandedly. However, as the famous saying goes, a Jack of all trades is also a master of none. When launching a business, it’s vital to <strong>assemble the right team</strong>. Essentially, by <a href="https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-hire-someone" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hiring</a> your trusted team, you establish the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/05/13/the-operational-approach-the-reverse-side-of-managing-an-it-startup/?sh=5e819b5f7074" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">company’s operations</a> that become the driving force behind scaling in later stages.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#3 Research Your Competition</strong></h3>



<p>Let’s say you already have an established business. It’s been functioning for a couple of years. While everything seems fine, some metrics like customer lifetime value or customer retention rate are behind your planned business development stage. Most often, it means there are <strong>competitors </strong>(who grow quickly)<strong> with a better offer on the market</strong>. Analyzing the competition will help you win your customers back — to understand what attracts them most, make a unique offer, and create value.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.managementstudyguide.com/competitor-analysis.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Competitor analysis</a> is integral when you take on something new and don’t know how to approach it. Besides understanding what makes your competitors successful, thorough market research helps you <strong>identify their weaknesses and win the customer by fixing them</strong>. Whether you start a social media promo campaign, prepare to launch a new website, or expand the product line, check how your competitors did it. This way, you can spot their mistakes and do things better.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#4 Diversify Your Offer</strong></h3>



<p>As the company grows, diversifying the offer becomes rather a necessity. What <strong>additional products</strong>, <strong>services</strong>, or even <strong>information</strong> can you offer your customers? Typically, at this stage, you already know your target audience. Now you need to analyze how they spend money and what else they can buy from you in one extended package.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-gray-50-color has-primary-background-color has-text-color has-background"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Remember: </strong>People value their time. If there’s an opportunity to buy three items in one place instead of three places for each item individually — most customers will prefer this option.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<p>Consider some of the popular tips for a small business you find online. You don’t have to radically expand your product offerings: follow the consumer logic, do a couple of studies, and build product or service packages that potentially appeal to your customers. Seasonal demand peaks are also an excellent chance to offer more and alternate the product line.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#5 Keep Improving Your Product</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Constantly improving the quality of your product or services goes hand in hand with solid growth in business.</strong> If you are a manufacturer, buy better raw materials or parts. If you are a service provider, consider investing in upgrading employee skills or developing a new motivation system.</p>



<p>Even if there’s not much to do to improve the product itself, the business can always focus on customer interaction to increase service quality and satisfaction levels. The latter always leads to boosting retention rates. Remember, there are multiple <a href="https://www.designrush.com/agency/website-design-development/trends/consumer-spending" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.designrush.com/agency/website-design-development/trends/consumer-spending" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ways to increase consumer spending</a> while keeping your customer happy.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-light-color has-primary-background-color has-text-color has-background"><tbody><tr><td><strong>The ideal offer formula: context + problem + customer pains + actions + profit.</strong></td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<p>To follow the formula of an ideal offer, you need to already know your customers and their pains. That’s the point of your product or idea. However, you should always keep in mind that <strong>context and the ways your buyers solve their problems change</strong>. Your offer might become irrelevant in changed contexts and other circumstances impacted by external factors (take the global pandemic as an example).</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#6 Adapt to Accelerate Business Growth</strong></h3>



<p>The recent events caused by the global pandemic have shown how important it is to quickly adapt to ever-changing conditions, whether economic or social. Companies that were not ready to promptly switch to a home office or build contactless or delivery services simply didn’t make it. While digitization is not new, thousands of enterprises still struggle to understand the importance of change.</p>



<div class="wp-block-blog-action wp-block-action has-light-color has-primary-background-color has-text-color has-background"><div class="wp-block-action__text">Looking for a tech vendor to build a profitable digital product? Let’s discuss your project.</div><button class="wp-block-action__button has-light-background-color has-primary-color" data-type="callback">Book a call</button></div>



<p>First, you need to <strong>understand which external factors have affected the market</strong> to expand a company. Then compare your organizational system to the one required by the market. Simply put, any further strategy should be based on this comparison and the business environment assessment. Most often, you have to be ready to rebuild the organizational structure, business processes, and product line.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#7 Establish New Partnerships to Develop Your Business</strong></h3>



<p>Every modern market niche is intersected with related industries through thousands of invisible but solid connections. In fact, <strong>no business can survive solely on its own</strong>. For example, adherents of healthy lifestyles look for gyms, specific nutrition suppliers, and sports clothing stores in their neighborhoods. <strong>Segmenting your target audience by lifestyle, location, age, or income also helps identify potential strategic partnerships</strong> and understand how to grow a small business.</p>



<p>Affiliate programs with mutual advertising, joint promotions, and discount programs allow businesses to quickly expand the pool of customers and equally share the cost of attracting new customers between partners. Look for companies and entrepreneurs in your environment that can complement yours and offer opportunities for collaboration that will bring mutual profit.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="2000" src="https://wp.rocketech.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/tactics-for-business-promotion.png" alt="tips for small businesses; how to grow your business" class="wp-image-4832"><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">How to grow your business</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>How to Expand a Business: Final Thoughts</strong></h2>



<p>There are plenty of strategies for growing your business. However, it may be challenging to choose the right one, especially for aspiring entrepreneurs. <strong>Establishing a long-term partnership with a tech service provider is one of the ways to succeed by creating marketable digital products</strong>. </p>



<p>At Rocketech, we help startups find ideas with great potential and advise decision-makers on how to grow the business by implementing innovative tech solutions. Do you have questions about our services? <a href="https://rocketech.it/contacts" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Contact us</a> for more information.</p>


How to Grow Your Business: 7 Secrets of Success

<p>Until relatively recently, building a new product or launching a new service meant <a href="https://rocketech.it/blog/post/in-house-it-department-or-dedicated-team-what-is-more-profitable-for-your-business" data-type="URL" data-id="https://rocketech.it/blog/post/in-house-it-department-or-dedicated-team-what-is-more-profitable-for-your-business" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hiring an in-house IT team</a>. It posed many limitations for startups and small businesses as hiring and training your own tech team requires impressive budgets and extra expertise in recruitment and HR. On top of that, you’d need to know at least some technical intricacies of the developers’ jobs to make the right choice.</p>



<p>The practice of outsourcing software development projects has changed many industries and businesses in general dramatically. Particularly, the <strong>dedicated development team model</strong>. Here, the collaboration is based on the customer’s goals, wishes, and requirements.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Dedicated Team Structure: How Does It Work?</h2>



<p>Dedicated software development teams typically consist of <strong>various roles that work collaboratively</strong>. At Rocketech, many teams are already established and have worked together before. It means our professionals can start a project as soon as possible and don’t need any extra time to learn to navigate the waters between each other.</p>



<p>Teams are assembled according to the specific requirements of each project. For example, building a <a href="https://rocketech.it/blog/post/how-to-create-a-marketplace-platform-in-2022" data-type="URL" data-id="https://rocketech.it/blog/post/how-to-create-a-marketplace-platform-in-2022" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marketplace </a>and launching a <a href="https://rocketech.it/case/kurdcoin" data-type="URL" data-id="https://rocketech.it/case/kurdcoin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cryptocurrency exchange service</a> require specialists in different expertise domains.</p>



<p>However, a standard dedicated team structure is the following.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="2000" src="https://wp.rocketech.it/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/dt-structure.png" alt="An infographic describing a dedicated software development team structure. " class="wp-image-5746"></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Business Analysts</h3>



<p>Business analysts bridge the gap between the technical team and the business stakeholders. They gather and analyze requirements, document functional specifications, create use cases, and ensure the development team understands the project objectives and user needs. Business analysts are key to aligning the technical solution with business goals and facilitating effective communication throughout the development process.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Product Owners</h3>



<p><a href="https://rocketech.it/blog/post/key-responsibilities-every-po-should-take" data-type="URL" data-id="https://rocketech.it/blog/post/key-responsibilities-every-po-should-take" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Product Owners</a> represent the client or end-users within the development team. They define the product vision, prioritize features, create user stories, and communicate the project’s requirements to the team. POs act as a single point of contact for clarifying requirements, making critical decisions, and ensuring the final product aligns with the stakeholders’ expectations. In many projects, the client takes the role of a Product Owner.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">UX/UI Designers</h3>



<p>UX/UI designers are responsible for creating user-centric interfaces that are visually appealing and intuitive and enhance the overall user experience. They conduct user research, create wireframes, design prototypes, and collaborate with the development team to ensure the final product meets the target audience’s needs while aligning with the project’s goals.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Developers</em></h3>



<ul>
<li><strong>Front-end engineers</strong> specialize in developing the user-facing components of a software application. They are skilled in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript frameworks and work closely with UX/UI designers to bring designs to life. Front-end developers make the interface user-friendly, interactive, and optimized for performance across different devices and browsers.</li>



<li><strong>Back-end engineers</strong> focus on the server-side development of a software application. They are proficient in programming languages like Python, Java, PHP, or back-end frameworks and handle the logic and data processing behind the scenes. Back-end engineers design and build APIs, manage databases, and ensure secure and efficient software’s core functionality.</li>



<li><strong>Full-stack engineers</strong> possess both front-end and back-end development skills, allowing them to work on the software application’s client-side and server-side aspects. They take a holistic approach to development, handling both the user interface and the underlying systems. Full-stack engineers can contribute to various project parts, from UI implementation to database design and system architecture.</li>



<li><strong>Mobile developers</strong> specialize in creating software applications for mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. They have expertise in platforms like iOS (Swift) or Android (Java or Kotlin). Mobile developers focus on the unique challenges of mobile development — designing for different screen sizes, optimizing performance, and integrating with device-specific features.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Scrum Masters</h3>



<p>Scrum Masters are facilitators of the agile development process. They ensure the <a href="https://www.scrum.org/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.scrum.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scrum framework</a> is implemented effectively, guide the team in following agile principles, and organize and facilitate daily stand-up meetings, sprint planning, and retrospectives. Scrum Masters act as coaches, removing obstacles, and fostering a collaborative and productive work environment.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">DevOps Engineers</h3>



<p>DevOps engineers focus on the intersection of development and operations. They automate and streamline the deployment and infrastructure processes to ensure efficient collaboration between development and operations teams. DevOps specialists set up continuous integration and delivery pipelines, manage server configurations, monitor system performance, and address scalability and security concerns.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Quality Assurance Specialists</h3>



<p>Quality assurance specialists ensure the software meets the highest quality and functionality standards. They design and execute test plans, perform manual and automated testing, identify bugs and issues, and collaborate with the development team to resolve them. QA professionals are the masters of verifying the software’s performance, reliability, and user-friendliness.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Building for Success: The Strategic Advantage of Hiring a Dedicated Development Team for Startups</h2>



<p>The ultimate goal of dedicated development team services is to <strong>perform as an extension of the client’s business and take over not only the technical part of the project but also the operations and management inside the team itself</strong>. In other words, while it’s a separate and perfectly functioning organism, it’s fully dedicated to the client’s success.</p>



<p>We highlighted the main benefits of this collaboration model.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Access to Specialized Skills</h3>



<p>Remember the example with marketplace and cryptocurrency exchange development? Essentially, a dedicated software development team service will provide a specialist in a narrow expertise domain. It means tackling complex development challenges with precision without going the extra mile looking for them yourself.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Domain Expertise and Innovation</h3>



<p>Dedicated teams often have extensive experience in particular domains and industries. Let’s say an <a href="https://rocketech.it/case/gingersnail" data-type="URL" data-id="https://rocketech.it/case/gingersnail" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">educational app</a> and a <a href="https://rocketech.it/case/spartacus" data-type="URL" data-id="https://rocketech.it/case/spartacus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">matchmaking combat sports streaming platform</a> exist in parallel business realities and require different expertise and approaches. Tech vendors providing this collaboration model will either have the required expertise or know where to find and onboard the specialist who has it.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Faster Time to Market</h3>



<p>Well-established teams are experienced in efficient project execution and can help startups accelerate their <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://rocketech.it/blog/post/from-idea-to-launch-the-startups-guide-to-reducing-time-to-market" data-type="URL" data-id="https://rocketech.it/blog/post/from-idea-to-launch-the-startups-guide-to-reducing-time-to-market" target="_blank">time to market</a>. By utilizing their expertise, streamlined processes, and agile methodologies, the team can ensure rapid development, testing, and deployment of the product or solution. In other words, they don’t have to reinvent the wheel — they’ve done it before.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Scalability and Flexibility</h3>



<p>Startups often experience fluctuating development needs as their projects evolve or their user base grows. Dedicated teams can easily adjust resources and ramp up or down based on the startup’s requirements. Your project is rapidly growing, and you need to scale? Done. You haven’t got your investment and need to slow down? No problem; they will slow down with you and even help you pivot if needed.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Cost Efficiency</h3>



<p>Startups can avoid expenses on recruitment, onboarding, infrastructure setup, and ongoing employee benefits. Additionally, the dedicated team can provide a clear pricing model, allowing the new business to have better control over the budget and allocate resources more efficiently.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Focus on Core Business</h3>



<p>Startups can offload the development workload and focus on strategic aspects like product vision, customer acquisition, and business growth. This allows the founders and core team members to channel their energy and time toward critical areas, maximizing their productivity and impact. The point of hiring a dedicated team is finding a trustworthy tech partner who covers your gaps, takes over what you objectively cannot do, and lets you focus solely on your business.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Continuous Support and Maintenance</h3>



<p>Launching a software product is only the beginning. Startups need ongoing support, maintenance, and updates to keep their product up to date and address user feedback. A dedicated software development team can provide ongoing support, timely bug fixes, and feature enhancements, keeping the product stable, secure, and aligned with the needs of evolving users.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bonus: Follow the Famous Examples</h2>



<p>Outsourcing software development is a common practice used by companies for multiple reasons, from cost reduction, niche expertise, and fresh perspectives to access to a flexible labor pool. Recognizable companies have successfully outsourced some of their development work.</p>



<ol>
<li><strong>Google</strong>, known for its employee perks, has been <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://jetrockets.com/blog/successful-companies-that-outsourced-their-software-development" data-type="URL" data-id="https://jetrockets.com/blog/successful-companies-that-outsourced-their-software-development" target="_blank">outsourcing tasks</a> like AdWords support and software development since 2011. On top of that, the tech giant has been <a href="https://www.globant.com/news/globant-partner-google-atap-project-ara-dedicated-marketplace-development" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.globant.com/news/globant-partner-google-atap-project-ara-dedicated-marketplace-development" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">delegating</a> some of its software development since 2014. Now the corporation has <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/johanmoreno/2019/05/31/google-follows-a-growing-workplace-trend-hiring-more-contractors-than-employees/?sh=4bf77cfe447f" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.forbes.com/sites/johanmoreno/2019/05/31/google-follows-a-growing-workplace-trend-hiring-more-contractors-than-employees/?sh=4bf77cfe447f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more temporary contractors and vendors</a> than employees. It allows them to fill temporary gaps when their full-time employees take vacations or leaves, utilizing the flexibility offered by outsourcing.</li>



<li><strong>Alibaba</strong>, the largest online retailer in China, is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/alibaba-Inside-Creation-Biggest-Marketplace-ebook/dp/B001TJ1O7O/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.amazon.com/alibaba-Inside-Creation-Biggest-Marketplace-ebook/dp/B001TJ1O7O/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">believed</a> to owe its success to the support of US-based developers in the early days. It’s widely accepted that Jack Ma, the founder of the Chinese e-commerce giant, faced challenges finding app developers in China due to the scarcity of software developers and internet restrictions prevalent at that time. Jack Ma’s visionary mindset led him to hire developers from outside China to build the mobile app — a decision that ultimately propelled Alibaba to become a global success story.</li>



<li><strong>Slack</strong>, a prominent communication channel for businesses, was initially developed as an in-house tool by a video game studio. They sought expertise and a fresh perspective by <a href="https://www.metalab.com/projects/slack" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.metalab.com/projects/slack" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">outsourcing the user interface design to MetaLab</a>, which helped shape Slack into its successful form.</li>



<li><strong>AppSumo</strong>, a startup founded on a <a href="https://blog.appsumo.com/how-i-built-appsumo/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://blog.appsumo.com/how-i-built-appsumo/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$50 budget</a>, outsourced the development of a basic MVP to connect PayPal to its website. This enabled them to quickly validate their business idea and launch with minimal resources.</li>



<li><strong>Groove</strong>, a market-leading sales engagement platform, emerged despite its founder, Alex Turnbull, <a href="https://www.groovehq.com/blog/technical-co-founder" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.groovehq.com/blog/technical-co-founder" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">couldn’t find a tech co-founder</a>. His expertise alone wasn’t enough for managing the development aspects of establishing a SaaS company. Having failed to find a CTO for his project, he delegated the technical responsibilities to an external firm through outsourcing. This strategic decision helped him maintain full ownership of his company while simultaneously saving costs that would have otherwise been allocated to hiring full-time employees.</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Rocketech Dedicated Development Team Services</h2>



<p>Our <a href="https://rocketech.it/dedicated-team" data-type="URL" data-id="https://rocketech.it/dedicated-team" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dedicated team model</a> offers a <strong>flexible and adaptable approach</strong> to large, long-term projects, ensuring total commitment to your success. With a <strong>well-coordinated team</strong>, <strong>absolute control</strong> over development processes, and <strong>total transparency</strong> of project changes, you can focus on your business as we take care of recruitment, HR, and development.</p>



<p>Our cross-functional team of highly efficient professionals creates a balanced and <strong>goal-driven process</strong>, while our strict adherence to our six core values guarantees quality and profitability. As a Middle+ and Senior level team, we share our business expertise and advise on optimal resource planning, compliance counseling, and legal security.</p>



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