Nova Reply: Identify the most promising markets
and define Stakeholder vs. Customer needs

A. Business Strategy & Product Vision

Nova Reply is an AI-powered web app that automates the collection, response, and analysis of customer reviews. The core mission is to save time for business owners while boosting their online reputation. Before entering the design phase, we aligned the vision using a Lean Canvas to ensure the product solves a critical market pain point: the "Digital Management Gap".

B. User Research & Psychological Modelling

1. Data-Driven Market Reality

Based on data analysis and additional research, we defined 5 key business segments where the product offers the highest ROI:

• Horeca: Owners are "on the floor" 60h+/week; they have zero time for digital management.
• Hospitality: Margins are pressured by platforms like Booking.com; they lack the budget for external agencies.
• Food Retail: Staff are production-focused; digital presence is often a secondary thought.
• Leisure: Seasonal or weekend spikes overwhelm small teams, leading to ignored reviews.
• Auto Services: Technical focus; owners often ignore Google My Business until their rating drops significantly.

2. Dual-Sided Empathy Mapping

We conducted brainstorming sessions to map the Say, Think, Feel, and Do quadrants. By considering both the business manager and their customers simultaneously, we identified that a manager's operational frustration directly correlates with a customer's feeling of being undervalued.

C. From Empathy to Actionable Strategy

The frustrations of managers reveal the unmet needs of their customers. Mapping these perspectives allowed us to:

• Identify High-Stakes Needs: Move beyond "AI automation" to focus on "Trust Restoration".
• Prioritise the Roadmap: Focus on features that bridge the gap between business efficiency and customer satisfaction.