This document discusses Amazon's focus on customer obsession and innovation. It emphasizes working backwards from the customer by writing press releases and FAQs from the customer's perspective to deeply understand their needs. It promotes autonomy through small teams and diversity to drive new ideas. The overall message is that innovation comes from truly understanding customers and taking action without overanalyzing.

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Differentiation through Innovation and
Customer Obsession
Sandy Carter
VP, Amazon Web Services
PS Partners and Programs

2. © 2020, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates.

3. © 2020, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates.3
• Product
• Operational Excellence
• Client Experience
• Business Model
Innovation in:
Source: Crowd Companies

4. © 2020, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates.
Innovation = Empathy
Customer Obsession

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Customer FOCUSED
Customer DRIVEN
Customer OBSESSED
Doesn’t everyone do this?

6. © 2020, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates.
WORK BACKWARDS
FROM THE CUSTOMER
#1
© 2020, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates.

7. © 2020, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates.
WRITE THE
PRESS RELEASE
#2
© 2020, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates.

8. © 2020, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates.
WRITE THE
FAQ
#3
© 2020, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates.

9. © 2020, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates.
Who is the customer?
What is the customer problem or opportunity?
What is the most important customer benefit?
How do you know what customers need?
What does the customer experience look like?
…To Answer These Questions
© 2020, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates.

10. © 2020, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates.
Own/run
what you
build
Fosters ownership & autonomy
Two Pizza Teams

11. Diversity Drives Innovation
and Business Outcomes

12. DON’T OVERANALYZE IT
JUST GET GOING.
@Sandy_Carter
© 2020, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates.