Sound Strategy: How Customer Clinics are Fine-Tuning Our Vehicle Audio Systems

The hum of anticipation was almost as palpable as the bass thrumming from the prototype sound systems nestled within the Ford vehicles. At Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, a unique experiment was underway — a customer clinic orchestrated by the Integrated Services Digital Product — Discovery & Research team.  

It wasn't your typical focus group; this was a deep dive into the heart of the customer experience, specifically targeting the auditory landscape within Ford's next generation of vehicles. The goal was to gather valuable feedback to help product managers decide which sound system to select.  

“We can’t just guess what people want,” said Jake Ball, product manager, Audio In-Vehicle Infotainment & Connectivity. “Talking to customers allows us to move beyond our own assumptions and biases and gain a deep understanding of their actual needs, pain points, and motivations.”  

Customer Diversity is Key to Getting Unbiased Feedback

Adam Schwartz, lead product researcher, Discovery & Research Team, assembled a diverse group of 31 participants—a carefully selected group of customers designed to represent a spectrum of musical tastes and technological comfort levels. Some were audiophiles, others were casual listeners; some were tech-savvy, others less so. The diversity was crucial for obtaining unbiased feedback.

“We brought in different kinds of customers, and we played music for them on different kinds of sound systems,” said Schwartz. “More crucially, we played music when the cars were driving, and that’s really important because a lot of vehicles have road noise, and that’s something you can’t test unless you’re actually going on public roads and driving at different speeds.”  

Four different sound system prototypes were tested, presented in a randomized order to each participant. Two-minute snippets of diverse musical genres were played, carefully selected to avoid bias based on personal preferences. The music changed every two minutes, also in random order, ensuring that no single song unfairly swayed a participant's opinion.

Two participants rode in each car — one in the front, one in the back — reflecting the differing auditory experiences within the vehicle. Schwartz and his team simply drove, maintaining silence to avoid influencing the participants’ feedback.

‘Digging Deep to Exceed Expectations’ 

“Once they heard all the different sound systems, we had a more general conversation about what their favorite sound system was and why,” explained Schwartz. “In addition to asking the questions our product managers wanted the answers to, we were trying to dig deep into who these customers are, what they want, and what their experiences are. There are so many variables that go into making it a delightful customer experience using a Ford vehicle. We want to make sure we’re not just meeting customer expectations but exceeding them.” 

The results were clear and consistent, pointing toward a clear winner. The clinic, lasting nearly a week and involving 10-hour days, provided the product managers with the directional data they needed to make informed decisions regarding resource allocation.  

Ball said the research played a key role in shaping Ford’s audio product strategy. 

“Before we invest significant time and resources into developing a new product, we need to validate that it’s something customers will actually use and value,” said Ball. “Talking to customers early and often helps us identify potential pitfalls and make course corrections before we’ve spent a lot of time and effort. It’s much less costly in the long run to iterate on a concept based on customer feedback than to build something nobody wants.” 

About the Discovery & Research Team 

The Discovery & Research team helps with product development design by conducting research, training others to do it, or connecting them with other research teams. They use methods like customer interviews, ride-alongs, and ethnographic studies to gather insights, sometimes through customer clinics. Participants come from Ford's customer base and from the public.

The team's work helps product managers understand where to best invest time and money in product development, ensuring that Ford products enhance the customer experience. They've worked on a range of topics, including navigation, safety, and EV experiences.

Ultimately, the team aims to empower the Integrated Services Digital Product Team to conduct high-quality customer research, improving not only the company's bottom line but also customers' daily lives by creating more user-friendly and safer vehicles.