Being a CEO in any size venture can come with the fact that you’ll most likely get lost in the high-level strategy. You know, what everyone would call “the grand scheme of things.” This also includes sales numbers and new business developments. But when was the last time you as the CEO have experienced your product the way a new customer does? Here’s the challenge: create a brand new email account, fire up Google Incognito, and sign up for your app right from scratch. Today we’ll explain why this exercise can be a game changer for your business.
When you go into incognito mode… Actually, forget it, you don’t need a whole lot on what incognito is. We all know that incognito mode removes all saved logins, cookies, and autofill features. Just like a new user, you can start fresh here. Is the sign-up seamless or are there unexpected hurdles? Did that one “optional” field become an obstacle? When you find this out, it’s your chance to see how intuitive or frustrating the process really is. Speed through nothing; take your time and notice the friction points.
Can you remember the last time you clicked “Support”? Your team may have spent hours working on and perfecting this system, but until you use it like a confused customer, you’ll have no idea what it delivers – if it even delivers.
Try submitting a ticket with a common question or issue. Are the responses prompt and helpful? Do users have to go through a million hoops and hurdles to finally get to their solution? The reality of how your support team handles inquiries could be a revelation.
This is probably the most important thing to check out. Onboarding is probably one of the biggest secrets to higher conversion rates. Do you know how many people or what percentage of prospects leave because the onboarding process was so bad? A lot. Does your onboarding guide users smoothly? Are there missing pieces? You might find that instructions are confusing, there are broken links, or overlooked gaps that frustrate new users. If you get stuck – imagine how a user feels.
Reading your own product’s documentation can be enlightening. We say that because it's true. You’ll find out if it’s clear, concise, and helpful – is it? Or is it full of jargon, incomplete explanations, and outdated demo screenshots? You might find sections you put less effort into compared to others which overall would neglect or fail to meet user expectations.
Pretend you know absolutely jack crap about your product. Try every feature of it as if it’s the first time. Is the user interface intuitive? Are the key functions easy to understand and use without a need for extensive guidance?
This isn’t exactly just on Android – it can be on any other user platform. If you use it on Mac, try it on windows. The mobile experience and desktop experience can be a huge goldmine of major pain points. How does the app or product perform on a different platform? Are there bugs? Does it crash? Is it slow? You’ll likely uncover issues or inconsistencies you didn’t expect to find.
Yes, it’s a simple exercise, but it’s eye-opening. You’ll encounter glitches, frustrations, and workflow dead-ends that you didn’t know existed before. And while it may be shocking, it’s essential for improving overall product experience. After all, if you’re left thinking “I can’t believe this,” imagine what a user goes through daily – especially those that PAID for it!