Augmented products refer to products that go beyond their core physical or tangible form to provide additional value or features through the integration of technology, services, or supplementary components.
These added elements are designed to enhance the overall user experience and differentiate the product from competitors, in turn providing more value to customers.
An example might be the Ring home security system from Amazon.
The core products would be the Ring doorbell and security cameras, while the augmented products might be Ring Connect (where multiple devices can synchronize recordings) or Ring Protect Plus (where recordings are saved to your account and you receive extended warranties).
In this article, you’ll learn what augmented products are, why they’re important, and the challenges that accompany their implementation.
Augmented products come in many forms as they need to complement the core products. Overall, augmented products leverage technology and additional services to provide enhanced functionality, convenience, and value to users:
This can include software, apps, or digital platforms that complement the physical product and offer additional functionality or services.
For example, a smart thermostat that connects to a mobile app for remote control and energy monitoring.
Augmented products may come with added services such as installation, maintenance, or customer support to enhance the user experience and provide ongoing value.
For instance, a fitness tracker may include access to personalized coaching or health monitoring services.
Some augmented products offer customization features that allow users to tailor the product to their specific preferences or needs.
In this case, a B2B retail shop floor tool might allow the retailer to adjust the interface so that it is fully branded.
Augmented products may leverage Internet of things (IoT) technology to connect with other devices or systems, enabling seamless integration, data sharing, and automation.
For example, smart home devices can communicate with each other to create a connected ecosystem.
Augmented products often feature intuitive and user-friendly interfaces that allow the customer to use it in different ways.
These might include touchscreens, voice control, or gesture recognition, to improve usability and accessibility.
Some augmented products collect and analyze user data to provide valuable insights or recommendations.
For example, a smart thermostat might personalize your heating schedule based upon your prior adjustments.
Tesla’s electric vehicles are augmented products that go beyond traditional cars by integrating advanced technology features such as over-the-air software updates, autopilot (semi-autonomous driving), and a large touchscreen interface that controls various aspects of the vehicle.
The iPhone is an augmented product that combines hardware with a range of digital features and services, including the App Store ecosystem, Siri voice assistant, iCloud storage, and various built-in apps for communication, productivity, and entertainment.
Fitbit’s fitness trackers are augmented products that include wearable devices for tracking activity, sleep, and heart rate, along with a mobile app and online platform that provide insights, goal setting, social features, and personalized coaching to help users improve their health and fitness.
The Amazon Echo is an augmented product that integrates a smart speaker with a voice-controlled virtual assistant, Alexa. In addition to playing music and answering questions, Echo devices can control smart home devices, provide news updates, set reminders, and perform various other tasks via voice commands.
These examples demonstrate how companies are augmenting traditional products with technology, digital services, and additional features to provide enhanced functionality, convenience, and value to users.
Within competitive environments, product augmentation can be the key differentiator that sets your product apart from another company’s offering. Augmentation provides the following benefits:
Creating augmented products comes with its own set of challenges, as you move away from core offerings into new areas. Some of these include:
With the right approach, introducing augmented products into your product mix can provide great value.
Ultimately, launching augmented products follows the same approach as you do when you launch core products. Research, build, test, and learn.
Ultimately, a static product is a product that will quickly become obsolete. Customers have grown accustomed to the rollout of new features and complementary components and will soon look elsewhere for additional value. Because of this, it’s vital that you work to augment your products to give them the best opportunity to retain their competitive advantage and continue to win their markets.
Use this article as a guide, or even as a conversation starter among your team to determine whether you’re getting the most value out of your product as possible. Always strive to innovate and try to work towards fearing complacency instead of the unknown. By doing so, you can push your team to deliver products that your customers will love and continue to come back to!
Featured image source: IconScout
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