To provide tailored lifestyles to customers across various countries, a global company like LG must listen intently to the diverse needs of each one. An effective way of doing so is by directly asking local users how the company can improve their daily lives, as the team can develop exceptional experiences together using this valuable feedback. To facilitate this, LG has developed a customer advisory group in South Korea and the United States, fostering a new channel of communication.
L.UP is the company’s own customer advisory group in Korea with its members representing a diverse cross section of society. The members of L.UP consult directly with LG designers, who incorporate their feedback into the final products. They play an indispensable role in the development of LG appliances, having already helped the company develop several innovations, including the LG Styler ShoeCare and ShoeCase.
The North American Advisory Group, which was established this year, takes these efforts to the next level in such an important market. Composed of customers passionate about providing feedback on their appliances and sharing their personal experiences and opinions, this group provides a platform to share their novel ideas via online meetings, surveys and home visits.
The North American Advisory Group
Having been an online-only affair since its inception, the advisory group gathered in person for the first time at the LG North American Headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. LG organized this event to meet its valued contributors in person as a way of expressing gratitude for all their hard work and dedication, while also increasing engagement with this important audience. Over three days, each member enjoyed a hands-on experience to learn more about the brand and its products and discuss their pain points with insightful LG employees.
Sam Kim, LG Electronics USA’s Home Appliance President, and Lee Hyang-eun, managing director of the Customer Experience Innovation Division at LG Electronics from Korea welcomed the North American Advisory Group at LG’s New Jersey facility, which overlooks the Hudson River and New York City’s famous skyline.
Following the welcome speeches, members of the advisory group visited the home appliance showroom to experience various kitchen and laundry set-ups that let them envision their dream interior, including LG STUDIO and LG SIGNATURE zones. Here, LG’s Product Management (PM) team introduced the unique features and characteristics of its advanced home appliance lineup, which included previews of upcoming products to the delight of those in attendance. The dialogue continued as they toured the elegantly designed Signature Kitchen Suite “Skyline Showroom” demonstration kitchen as well.
Throughout the afternoon, the PM team listened to the groups’ personal stories and feedback about their experiences with the company’s products, both positive and negative. At the end, members of the advisory group were yearning for more, and the company already is considering more of these kinds of meetings in the future to better understand the minds of consumers.
LG aims to reflect local opinions into its product development process. The company acknowledges that the North American market has significantly different tastes and preferences compared to the Korean market, which in part comes down to them having contrasting housing structures and installation environments. This means that no matter how popular a product is in Korea, this success doesn’t always translate across borders, making the discovery of new applications and effortless management and installation essential.
LG will continue to bring its customers into the loop when developing new products and improving upon existing ones, as a way of inspiring greater innovation that bolsters its home appliance leadership and reminding customers that it cares about their concerns.
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