Why is it important to collect customer feedback early in the product development process?

I think this is only important for UX. If you are early in the process, you shouldn't have the customer dictate via feedback. It will create chaos. LISTEN to them but dont let them drive.

When gathering information during the process you can smoothly integrated changes and the existing users don't need to used to a fully renewed website with different layouts, features etc.

It's important because you simply create this product for these customers ;)

By gathering feedback during the product's design stage, companies can swiftly modify and adjust their approach, rather than waiting until after it has been developed to discover potential blind spots or misunderstandings. Plus, companies gain valuable insight into what customers are actually looking for from a product before putting a significant investment into its creation. It's a more proactive and pragmatic way of working I believe.

Imagine you are cooking a meal for guests. Wouldn't you check if there are adequate spices in the mix? Collecting customer feedback early on helps you ensure that your product has all the bells and whistles that your target audience wants. It will help you identify problems and issues early on and deal with them before its too late.

Feedback could help product to be developed in right direction.

It will definitely help you to solve problems with holes in your project (if the review is negative) and give you motivation (if the review is positive)

Feedback is important because the product must be built for a specific audience, they will pay for it so if they don't like it, features must be changed. Also as a founder, it's hard to see everything from a different perspective, and also unexpected technical errors can occur on different devices. I think this tool is a great solution in the early stage of a startup: https://feedbug.dev I'm currently waiting for the beta to be released, but the features are great I guess!

More people, more ideas. Sometimes your brains get foggy too and need someone to clear them all up with their new viewpoints

Hi Akshat, before you decide on what stage to collect feedback, I'd recommend considering what data you already have access to. For example, search your customer support/ help doc system for frequently mentioned feature or issues. This can give you great insight on where to focus your attention. If you don't have access to that kind of data, then you could conduct a more general survey to find out at what stage there seems to be friction. The beauty of this second option is that it opens a line of communication with users/ customers and allows you to build those relationships as you offer updates on the changes you make.

Collecting customer feedback early in the product development process is essential for success. Embracing user feedback from the beginning will allow you to make an informed decision on what features should be included, potential limitations of your product, and how you can give users exactly what they want. Involving customers in the development of products early can also help create a buzz around something that hasn't even been released yet, providing a boost in marketing and access to valuable insights. Integrating user feedback into existing or proposed products is one of the best ways to ensure satisfaction and turn customers into loyal ambassadors. It’s a win-win situation, so don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity!