Swedish expert: the customer needs to be involved in innovation early on

Already in the early stages of innovation, feedback must be obtained from a real customer who is going to pay for the new service or product, said the Swedish expert Andréas Breiler at the seminar Innovation Lab 2015, organised by SEB. “If possible, make a prototype of the planned new product or test the service on pilot customers to find out whether you are moving in the right direction,” he emphasised.

According to Breiler, it is important to define innovation exactly for your own company. “Each one of us defines innovation in our own heads. Whether it is a long or short definition, the main thing is for it to summarise innovation for your company,” Breiler said. “There are a million ways to generate ideas. You need to find what suits you and think about the logical steps to make an idea a reality,” said Breiler, who is one of the founders of the Swedish consulting company Idélaboratoriet.

Breiler pointed out that in planning innovation, a key question is how to measure it. Based on his experience, companies often try too hard or leave the effect of innovation unassessed altogether. “Innovation must certainly be measured. Without doing so, it might turn out that you are spending money without knowing if it will bring any financial benefits for the company,” Breiler explained.

Innovation is just like any other operation at a company, needing both someone responsible as well as time. “It is easy to say you have no time or human resources for innovation. But without someone responsible, innovations cannot be made. Innovation needs time and someone responsible,” Breiler encouraged.

Andréas Breiler is one of the founders of Idélaboratoriet, a company that provides entrepreneurship consultancy.  Idélaboratoriet provides entrepreneurship consultancy and training to many international organisations and brands, with the company’s reach encompassing more than 30 countries.

The Innovation Lab 2015 event, organised by SEB on 3 March in Tallinn, featured several of Europe’s most sought-after and experienced business leaders, innovators and entrepreneurship consultants. The event was attended by 350 people in Tallinn, and a total of approximately 900 in the three Baltic States.


For more information:

Evelin Allas
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Marketing and Communications Division
SEB
Phone +372 665 5649
Mobile +372 511 1718
Address Tornimäe 2, 15010 Tallinn
E-mail evelin.allas@seb.ee
www.seb.ee

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