CPO Rising Series: CONA Services CPO on Leveraging AI and Customer Centricity in Product Development

How is AI reshaping product management for one of the most iconic brands in the world? Join us for the latest episode of the CPO Rising Series hosted by Products That Count Resident CPO Renee Niemi, where CONA Services Petra Romano shares her experiences leading product development for Coca-Cola bottlers. She discusses the evolution of the CPO role, emphasizing the importance of innovation along with leveraging AI and customer centricity. Petra highlights her team’s approach to prioritization, stakeholder management, and delivering impactful products. She also offers valuable insights on time management, learning from challenges, and the future of AI in product management.

Join us for new conversations with leading product executives every week. Roll through the highlights of this week’s event below, then head on over to our Events page to see which product leaders will be joining us next week.

Show Notes:

1. Petra Romano is Chief Product Officer of enabling functions at CONA Services, managing back office functions for Coca-Cola bottlers.
2. CONA Services has four Chief Product Officers, each responsible for different pillars.
3. The company implemented innovation directors in each product pillar to stay ahead of trends like AI.
4. They’re developing a conversational AI assistant called Martha to help sales representatives access information quickly.
5. Petra emphasizes the importance of structuring teams to be ready for unpredictable technological advancements.
6. The company uses product roadmaps to strategize and prioritize initiatives up to three years ahead.
7. They work closely with bottlers to align priorities and leverage collective knowledge.
8. Petra stresses the importance of balancing day-to-day operations with long-term strategic planning.
9. She encourages her team to attend conferences and conduct research to stay current with industry trends.
10. Petra’s most memorable product launch involved implementing a new HR platform during the pandemic.
11. She learned the importance of pivoting quickly when faced with challenges and making informed decisions.
12. Petra considers her team and stakeholder management as her key strengths or “superpowers.”
13. They’ve implemented business advisory committees to stay closely connected with business partners.
14. Petra is motivated by successful product launches and positive customer feedback.
15. They developed a custom onboarding app to improve the candidate experience for bottlers.
16. Petra believes AI will become an integral part of products and a customer expectation.
17. She sees AI as a tool to enhance productivity in product management rather than replace roles.
18. Petra emphasizes that great products are ultimately about the people who create and implement them.
19. She believes in the importance of maintaining platform stability while addressing individual customer needs.
20. Petra highlights the value of learning from both successes and failures in product management.