When Problems are better than Solutions

Do your customers come to you with problems they have in undertaking their work? Have you identified an opportunity for growth, an “if only we could…” idea?

Perhaps you have done some research with other customers or stakeholders in the business to confirm that there is a strong demand for the identified problem to be solved.

Having confirmed desirability, one of four things is likely to happen:

1. Due to your busy schedule or limited budget, the idea is set aside for a later date, and eventually forgotten, losing your business a potentially golden opportunity.
2. One or more of your team (sales staff, engineers, managers) puts time aside and starts working on the idea. They put a lot of time into the problem, however problem-solving a physical product is not their specialty, a solution is not found, and the opportunity lost.
3. One or more of your team (sales staff, engineers, managers) puts time aside and starts working on the idea. This time they come up with an option which they believe will solve the defined problem. They develop the single idea in-house or take the single idea to a product design firm to complete.
4. You take the problem to a product design firm.

In our experience the last option is the least likely to occur, yet it achieves some of the best results.

The first solution is often not the best

Finding a solution to a problem can be an exciting moment. However, it can be far too easy to mistake A solution for THE solution and focus all your energy on maximising the potential of this option without looking further for potentially better alternatives. At Bayly our experience in problem solving allows us to excel at solution creation. More importantly, our experience in Systems Engineering, functional allocation and product architecture allows us to expertly and systematically analyse these possible solutions to ensure that you are investing in the best possible outcome for your business and your clients.

We understand the needs and wants of your customers

Henry Ford is often quoted as saying “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses“. This is generally used as an example of how customers don’t know what they want, however we believe that it is an example of not understanding a root need. In asking for a “faster horse”, the people are offering a solution to their true need – that they want faster transport. While he uses this quote to deride the idea of asking customers what they want, in actual fact by creating the Model T Ford, Henry provided a great solution to the customer's underlying need. Unlike Henry Ford in his quote, you can trust Bayly’s team to understand the underlying root needs for your products.

We love a challenge

We love it when clients come to us with a problem to solve. Understanding the need for a product is essential to guaranteeing its success. By starting with a problem, we are in the best position to understand the range of needs that your business or your clients have, and define these in a measurable manner. From this starting point we have an excellent basis for evaluating possible solutions. By always working to the key defined needs we can ensure that your end product has the best possible opportunity to succeed in the market.

Next time you have a problem that needs solving, why not give us a call, let us help you to achieve the best possible solution right from the start, and in doing so maximise your return on investment and marketplace success. Contact the Melbourne team today on +61 3 9413 9000 or send us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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