Nintendo Hotline – What Can Product Managers Learn?

Nintendo had a hotline where gamers could, at the time, call and speak with 'Game Counsellors' who provided them with tips and walkthroughs. It operated for quite sometime before Nintendo sunset it.

There are a few (Product) lessons from this that I am sure will be of value to Product Leaders.

1- Necessity (Invention's mother): The necessity of a situation usually births the creation of something that stands out from the rest. While Nintendo was not the first to use a phone as a 'business' function, it proved it can be used in the context of a video gaming community. That was their ‘necessity’. "We need a way to accomplish ‘xyz’ " usually turns to creating something specific to that situation. The ‘xyz’ in Nintendo’s case was supporting gamers instantly. It could also be something to support a Product or make it easier for the customer. It could be a feature or it could even be the Product itself. All we need to do is pay attention to our necessities, needs and allow it to guide us. Most people are not paying attention to their needs that’s why innovation and improvements appear difficult. Others know what their necessities are but prioritise wrongly – well that’s story for another day. The point here is simply to build for a necessary problem that exists and not out of assumptions.

2- Know what is available immediately: If necessity is calling, we cannot keep it waiting. We need to look around to know what’s available immediately. In most cases we do not need to go far for solution, we just need to pick what is close by then structure it to align with current needs. Sometimes the necessity demands using/importing an idea from some other place into your own specific area. In retrospect, Nintendo had other options it could have considered at that era in time. During that period, it was common to use print media to relate with the computer (and also gaming) community. There was also postal mail, bulleting boards. I do not know for sure but I am guessing the team at Nintendo could see the drawbacks in choosing the alternatives at the time. The most simple, direct and available option was picking up a phone and having a conversation. To create something, it is usually best to start with what is obviously available in front of you. Consider your options and weigh them all against your situation. Continue from there.

3- Customer support and Customer success: This is integral to your operations! It should not be treated as an after thought but as a critical business function. NOW do you remember the necessity I talked about earlier? This was the ‘necessity’ for Nintendo. Their ‘xyz’, as I put it earlier. How do we help our gamers resolve difficult situations they encounter while playing our games? How can we encourage more people to play our games and in so doing get feedback from actual users. I do not know for sure but I reckon these are questions that came up at Nintendo. Here we can learn that putting in place a system that functions to assist existing customers is critical. Don’t leave your customer stranded. Don’t leave them hanging. While using your Product they might encounter situations where they need your assistance. Be ready to guide them through.

4- Operations is crucial: Someone always had to be at Nintendo’s end to answer the call – and there were many calls, I presume. I am sure it was not just one operator supporting the hundreds of gamers who were calling in. This is where daily operations comes in. In order to ensure that this solution to a necessity ran smoothly there had to be some sort of operations guidelines. This operations aspect is something I also feel can be a key takeaway for Product Managers. While everyone just sees the Hotline, I see and understand the operations detail needed to keep it running.

5- Marketing to boost sales: Nintendo brought in a TV Station to record what they were doing and how they did it. Sometimes it is a good idea to show the customers what you do behind the scenes to make them happy. Communicating, with evidence, that you put in the effort to support them goes a long way. Inviting a TV crew to come and witness first-hand how the Hotline works was a good marketing move that I am sure boosted the number of gamers that wanted to make use of the service – and also the confidence of the ones already using it. A gamer seeing a gamer helping other gamers get unstuck – how cool is that!

In summary, Product Managers should see from this late 80s Hotline solution from Nintendo that Product Management is not just about building products. It is about solving problems and ensuring that there is a suitable environment for the solution to thrive! It does not end with Problem Solving. The solution has to be surrounded by several other key areas like operations, marketing, support, proper prioritisation etc.

Nintendo paid attention, prioritised it necessities properly, then weighed obvious options and used what was available. This is something worth learning and applying in our Product building and overall Product Management endeavours.

H-J Johnson

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