Victoria Sakal, Head of Growth at Wonder, shares her fascinating transition from consulting to entrepreneurship. She discusses how Wonder supports small businesses with curated desk research, leveraging AI to enhance insights. Emphasizing curiosity, she highlights the need for constant customer engagement and agile research methods. Victoria also addresses the challenges of navigating AI's evolving landscape and the importance of understanding market needs, all while striving to simplify information for better decision-making.
Understanding customer needs through ongoing conversations is essential for creating relevant solutions and informed decision-making.
The rise of AI in desk research necessitates companies to adapt their strategies, refining core services while retaining human research value.
Fostering a culture of curiosity empowers organizations to innovate and make better decisions by encouraging proactive question-asking beyond immediate needs.
Deep dives
The Importance of Understanding Customer Needs
Understanding customer needs is crucial for successful research and innovation. Engaging in constant conversations with customers allows businesses to identify their pain points and desired outcomes, which is essential for developing relevant solutions. The emphasis on proactive communication helps businesses navigate uncertainty by ensuring that the information provided addresses real user problems. This customer-centric approach fosters a culture of curiosity and exploration, ultimately leading to better decision-making and outcomes.
Navigating the Shift to AI in Research
The emergence of AI has drastically changed the landscape of desk research, presenting both opportunities and challenges. Companies must rethink their strategies and offerings in this AI-driven environment while maintaining the value that human researchers provide. The constant evolution of AI tools has led to an abundance of options, making it essential for businesses to refine their core services and identify their unique value proposition. This adaptation allows companies to remain competitive and address the evolving needs of their clients effectively.
The Risks of Outdated Research
Leveraging outdated market research poses significant risks for businesses, particularly in fast-changing environments. It's vital to ensure that insights are recent to reflect current consumer behaviors and market dynamics. Decisions based on stale information can lead to misaligned strategies, missed opportunities, and ultimately poor performance. Companies should prioritize obtaining timely and relevant insights to support their decision-making processes, especially when launching new products or entering new markets.
Building a Culture of Curiosity
Fostering a culture of curiosity within organizations can lead to more innovative thinking and better decision-making. Teams are encouraged to ask questions beyond immediate needs, rather than relying solely on answering the surface-level inquiries. By adopting a proactive mindset, employees can connect disparate pieces of information, leading to more informed insights and strategic decisions. This shift from reactive to proactive thinking not only enhances individual performance but also benefits the organization as a whole.
Customizing Solutions for Diverse Client Needs
Different clients require tailored approaches to their research inquiries based on their specific contexts and industries. Companies must identify commonalities in client needs to create scalable solutions while still being flexible enough to address unique requests. The balance between providing standardized offerings and customizing services presents an ongoing challenge, especially for businesses seeking to grow. By focusing on the most prevalent client needs and refining their solutions accordingly, companies can enhance client satisfaction and achieve better results.
Victoria shares her journey from working at big consulting firms to joining a company as it was being completely overhauled and reborn to survive and thrive post-AI.
Wonder helps entrepreneurs and small businesses with desk research by providing them with curated information and insights. They navigate the risks of the rapidly evolving AI landscape and focus on the desirability, viability, and feasibility of their solution. They aim to be the go-to choice for their audience by offering expertise, credibility, and a comprehensive solution.
Victoria emphasizes the importance of curiosity and asking the right questions in the research process. Victoria discusses the process of conducting desk research and how her company uses AI to provide valuable insights to clients. She emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs and desires through constant contact and conversations.
She also talks about the challenges of testing and refining solutions, as well as the risks and uncertainties of working in the AI space.
Overall, Wonder aims to simplify and aggregate information for clients, helping them make informed decisions.
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