Cooperating with customers (in our case golfers, golf courses etc.) in the past only ment, that they participated in the development and customization (custom golf club fitting) of the product, service. It seems to me that the crowdsourcing idea have not arrived to the golf club industry, not to mention the golf courses. This is why I thought to raise the issue in this post.
What do I mean by that?
Here is an example of "old school" thinking from Callaway Golf. In this April Jeff Colton, SVP of Global Brand and Product at Callaway Golf said the following: "“The opportunity to design your very own driver in the colors of your favorite team, alma mater or whatever you happen to feel looks best has never been offered on a mass scale.”
So the golf club manufacturer only allows the golfer to make minimal contribution to the product development. Do you feel engaged to the brand/product? Do you feel involved? I do not think so. Or again they try to fool us and tell us what to use and buy. In addition to this it seems to me they do not care enough about our opinion beyond what we complain to them in customer service centers. It is like the one-way communication (aka broadcasting communication, command-and-controll communication). If I were Callaway Golf I would allow golfers in their so called udesign online system to share their ideas how to improve any of Callaway products or any new product idea.
Smart companies like Lego try to involve existing customers and give them leading positions in product development.This is how Lego Mindstorms was created. The best ideas will be built in their future products. I am sure that there are avid golfers who try to create their own golf club and golf balls based on existing models or come out with their own, hand made golf clubs. Why to waste their ideas, innovations? Let's get them on board and involve them!
Those who accept the co-creation concept they will have to adjust their business model and internal processes to it.