4A Forming an opportunity belief

1.     Beginning point

-       I believe there is an opportunity in the night club market.

2.     Describing the belief:

-       The unmet need is people not having a safe place to put essentials such as phones, keys and wallets while they are out partying in a night club. People who have this need are people who go to night clubs; such as college-students and people in their 20s-early 30s. Where did the need come from? Personally, and I know many others who have been in this same situation, the need comes from losing important things in a crowded, loud area. Once you lost something or realized you lost something, chances of finding what you lost are almost slim to none. Ex: I lost my phone and credit card at a night club. It was so crowded in there that once I realized I lost it, there was no chance of me going back inside to look for my things because they were gone for good. It is hard to say whether this is considered a new or existing need. I did not realize this was a need until I lost some of my things at a night club. But others could argue differently and say this was in fact an existing need. What are people doing to meet this need now? Not much really. Taking only the things that are needed the most when going out: phone, ID, Keys and some sort of payment type. But instead of having a safe place to put it (such as a small and compact locker) partygoers usually keep these things in either their pockets or just hold it in their hands.

3.     Identifying the prototypical customer

4.     Iteration No. 1

-       20 year old college student (female)

-       What is the exact nature of the “need?”

o   The exact nature of the need would be when they enter into a nightclub and realize they have to go the whole night with either holding things in their hand (which can get quite annoying especially when dancing) or keeping things in their pocket with a risk of either getting pick-pocketed or simply just losing them.

-       How often do you experience this “need?”  

o   Every time I go out to a night club. Maybe once a week or three times a month. Really depends on how often I go out.

-       Have long would you say you had this “need?”

o   Ever since I started college; so about over a year.

-       When did you first become aware of this “need?”

o   When my phone fell and someone stepped on it, thus damaging the screen. I would rather have just left it at home. But instead I got stuck with a $150 bill for replacing the screen

-       How are you currently addressing this “need?”

o   Putting on a screen protector was the first thing I did after I got my phone fixed. But now every time I go out, I make sure to only bring vital items such as my phone, some cash, my ID and house key. And I try to fit it all into the little phone wallet stickers that you put on the back of the phone. But it’s still annoying to carry my phone in my hand the whole night.

-       Do you think this is a solution that would work for you?

o   Yes and no. Yes because I think it is in fact very convenient to put my stuff into a small locker and know that it is kept safe throughout the night. But what has me on the edge are two things: 1) forgetting the code for the locker and then having to go through all that hassle for someone to open it up 2) forgetting my stuff once I leave the club, and not realizing till the next morning.

       Iteration No. 2

Identifying the prototypical customer

-       21 year old college student (male)

-       What is the exact nature of this “need?”

o   Having a “safe” place to put my wallet and keys.

-       How long have you had this “need?”

o   I did not really think it was a need until I was subjected to the concept.

-       When did you become aware of this “need?”

o   I truthfully did not know this need existed until it was mentioned to me. Fortunately, I have never had the experience of losing something at a club. But I know others who have had stuff either lost or stolen, so this would be a perfect concept for them. I just know how “safe” things would be kept in a nightclub.

-       How would you say you are currently addressing this need?

o   I don’t think I am addressing it at all. When I go to a club I usually just bring my phone, my wallet and my house key. And I manage to fit everything into my pockets. My pockets are pretty deep and spacious so I never really worry about things not fitting. But as far as getting pick-pocketed, that is something I do think about. Especially because night clubs are so loud and crowded, that you might not even notice when something is stolen.

-       How satisfied are you with this solution ?

o   Its hard to say. I do see some potential need for it; more so for females because their clothing does not really have deep, spacious pockets. As well as females have a tendency to bring more things with them. But at the same token, there are risks to this idea as well. Such as the consumer forgetting the code, someone breaking into a locker, the lock having problems, and the consumer forgetting their items. But I do see some potential for it because I do think this is a problem many people are faced with.

         Iteration No. 3

Identifying the prototypical customer

-       30 year old female (not a college student)

-       What is the exact nature of this “need?”

o   Having a place to store items when going out to a nightclub.

-       When did you become aware of this “need?”

o   Back when I was a college student, tiny purses and clutches were very trendy, and considered staple items when going out. But they would still get pretty annoying when trying to dance and something just dangling from your wrist. I would not say I experience this need now at all, considering the fact that I do not really go to night clubs anymore. I am 30 and my ideal night is staying in with my husband watching Dave Chapelle with a bottle of wine.

-       How long would you say you have had this “need?”

o   I don’t have this need at all. But flashback 10 years ago when I was in undergrad, then yes maybe this would have been a problem for me and my girlfriends when we would go out.

-       How would you say your are addressing this need?

o   I am not. I do not go out to night clubs, I don’t necessarily party anymore. I do understand that some people even in their 30s like to go to night clubs, but I think this particular idea is more useful for college town nightclubs.

5.     Reflection

The most surprising thing I learned from my opportunity is that some people don’t think that this is THAT big of a problem/need. Every time I go out, my main worry is making sure I come back home with everything that I took with me. That nothing was lost or stolen. I think something that was  rather weird to me was people thinking there would be major complications with the system. If the lockers were like the lockers at Southwest Rec for example, I see this being a very safe, convenient and reliable process for the consumer. They quickly put their stuff in the locker, secure it with a code that they know they will remember and that’s it! I do see the point about maybe forgetting about items and leaving them. But in the case of that happening, the locker stays locked until it is open with the code that it was originally locked with. Meaning the consumer can just come back the next morning and get their stuff back. I would say people were a little intrigued by the idea because when you think of lockers the first two places that pop into your head would either be school or a gym and not so much a nightclub.

6.     Summary

I think there is indeed quite a bit of potential left in my opportunity. That being said, I would still want to interview nightclub bouncers and owners to see how effective they think this idea is. But based on feedback, the idea doefintiely does need some tweaking to ensure the upmost safety on items, as well as convenience for the consumer in the case that they do forget a code or leave their items there. I think it is very important for entrepreneurs to adapt their opportunities based on customer feedback because acquiring a customer and keeping the customer happy should be the main goal of an entrepreneur. I don’t think it is necessarily a trade-off between adapting and staying firm; it also depends on the idea and concept of an opportunity. I think the entrepreneur should stay firm when it conflicts with certain principles and beliefs that the opportunity is centered around. But reaching a to a fair compromise and ground with the consumer should also be a priority for the entrepreneur.