Business trip and Product Management - Nimal's Customer Centric Vision

Nimal Kailasanathan is Robot Guidance Product Manager at SICK Linköping. This February, he went on a business trip to India to gather feedback from customers. During his trip, he shared reflections about Product management on LinkedIn posts, and agreed for us to reproduce them here. Here he shares about some key aspects of his role as a Product manager: the golden rule of knowing your product, understanding your customers' challenges in practice, knowing where and how to seek assistance, and having aligned interests with customers. 

Part 1

It is important for a Product Manager to understand both the customer's needs and the challenges they face when using the product. As a result, travel is often required for Product Managers in order to understand how the product is being used. It is crucial to gather feedback from customers in different countries, as usage patterns and software requirements may vary. I will be traveling to India for customer visits over the next few days. Please stay tuned as I share my experiences from this business trip.

It is crucial to gather feedback from customers in different countries, as usage patterns and software requirements may vary.

Part 2

Today, I had my first customer meeting together with my SICK colleagues from India.

After an interesting discussion of several projects, the customer requested a full integrated SICK PLB solution. They provided a robot and some parts to be located. Then they asked me what additional components were needed to integrate our PLB solution.

Rule Number one as a Product Manager: Know your product and how to use it!

I told the customer: 'Well, I'm not in the right outfit for an entire installation, but why not? It’s hot, so I would like to change my dress and start the integration.'

We managed to fix a new calibration and get the robot communicating with PLB. Tomorrow, the robot might even be able to pick up a part or two.

Doing an unprepared full integration gives a full insight into the challenges that both the customer and I have using the product, as well as the benefits.

As with any other customer meetings, it is important to be prepared for anything.

To be continued….

Rule Number one as a Product Manager: Know your product and how to use it!

Part 3

When a customer meeting deviates from the planned agenda, it is crucial to know when and where to seek assistance. At SICK, we have a concept called SICK Beyond Borders, which provides access to a global network of support from over 10,000 employees.

With the help of my colleagues in Sweden and SICK US, we were able to assist the customer in resolving issues related to the robot.

After a successful customer visit in Coimbatore, the next stop is Bangalore for strategic meetings with partners and local SICK colleagues.

When a customer meeting deviates from the planned agenda, it is crucial to know when and where to seek assistance.

Part 4

I am now back home after a successful trip to India.

You know if a trip is successful, when you have convinced your partners and customers why your product is the product they should prefer instead of your competitors.

As a Product Manager, you might have a good and easy-to-use product and the price might be good. But is that enough to convince new potential customers and partners to select your products? It is of course important that the product can solve the customers' challenges, but it is even more important that you see the customers' challenges as your own.

We at SICK have more than 40,000 products in our portfolio, and it might be that your customers are not aware of your products. But, SICK is a company known for its customer-minded service. Being your customers' friend is actually the best thing to be known as rather than they knowing your product.

With this in mind, it is much easier to convince why the customer should use your product. It is important that the customers feel that you have the same agenda, namely solving a challenge.

Traveling and customer visits are only one part of the Product Manager's job description.

How would a regular day at the office be like?

It is important that the customers feel that you have the same agenda, namely solving a challenge.

Text and pictures by Nimal Kailasanathan