I jumped straight into talking about revenue impact and kind of forgot to question whether either feature actually fit the roadmap.
Start by acknowledging the strategic importance of high-value customers, then emphasize a data-driven, objective evaluation process that aligns with overall product strategy. Show that you balance customer needs with business goals and long-term vision, and that you communicate transparently with stakeholders.
Pro tip: Frame the decision as a portfolio prioritization exercise: consider not just the features but also the customers' overall value, strategic fit, and potential for future revenue. This shows you think holistically and avoid reactive decision-making.
Gather detailed requirements from both customers, including the problem they're solving, expected impact, and urgency. Clarify if the feature is a must-have or nice-to-have.
Evaluate how each feature aligns with the product vision, roadmap, and company goals. Consider if it benefits a broader customer segment or is a one-off customization.
Estimate the business value (revenue, retention, expansion) and development effort (resources, time, opportunity cost) for each feature. Use a scoring model like RICE or weighted matrix.
Explore if there are ways to satisfy both customers partially, such as a phased approach, workaround, or configurable solution. Assess the risk of saying no to each customer.
Make a recommendation based on data and strategy, and communicate the decision transparently to both customers and internal stakeholders, explaining the rationale and any next steps.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.