Maintain (Old Brainstorming Pages)

Maintain steps include all activities required to keep the product in working order. These steps include the costs the customer incurs to diagnose and correct product problems.

Examples: We offer brief write-ups for each method describing a situation where the idea is used or implied. Use these supporting examples in order to expand your range of ideas. These examples are neither mutually exclusive nor collectively exhaustive.

A Final customer buying from an Intermediary of the product. The Final customer is the one who makes the final decision on what product to buy and from which supplier to buy it. Most consumer products, and many industrial products, reach Final customers through Intermediaries.

Maintain Steps: Maintain steps include all activities required to keep the product in working order. These steps include the costs the customer incurs to diagnose and correct product problems.

1. Physical: Segment customers by physical needs. These segmentations identify the physical needs of individual customers and address the physical situation of the location where the product is purchased or used. Examples >>

2. Emotional: Segment customers according to the personal emotional needs of the segment.

  1. Needs for comfort and status

    1. Status in the community

      1. Need for affiliation: Find segments of customers who wish to identify with a particular group in the society. Examples >>

      2. Need for personal achievement

        1. Improvement in leisure pursuits and hobbies Examples >>

        2. Advancement in career and profession Examples >>

    2. Status through the recognition of customer's individual requirements for product:

      1. Function Examples >>

      2. Reliability Examples >>

      3. Convenience of:

        1. Purchase Examples >>

        2. Maintenance and service Examples >>

        3. Disposal Examples >>

  2. Needs to avoid sources of anxiety

    1. Risks in relationship: The customer segment needs reassurance it can trust:

      1. A piece of equipment or product – a specific product apart from the company or process Examples >>

      2. A process or procedure: A specific process apart from the company or product Examples >>

      3. Company Capability: Company capability that crosses all products

        1. Function Leader: The company can be counted on to lead the industry in Function innovation

          1. Style Examples >>

          2. Information and knowledge Examples >>

        2. Reliability Leader: The company can be counted on to lead the industry in major aspects of Reliability – Segment interested in being assured that:

          1. Product will work Examples >>

          2. Product will be fixed promptly Examples >>

          3. Product will be available and delivered as promised Examples >>

          4. Company will maintain consistent presence in market Examples >>

          5. Company will respond promptly Examples >>

        3. Convenience Leader: The company can be counted on to be the industry leader in convenience innovations Examples >>

    2. Limitations set by time: Segment customers according to the causes of the limitations set by time.

      1. Delay related to purchase and installation: Segment customers according to delays before the customer receives or can use the product

        1. Segments where delays cause customers to be inactive. Delays caused by time required for:

          1. Product preparation Examples >>

          2. Product delivery Examples >>

        2. Segments where delays are due to steps a customer must take. Segment must:

          1. Find, choose and pay for product Examples >>

          2. Install, prepare or maintain product Examples >>

        3. Segments where delays create risk for customers Examples >>

        4. Segments where delays are the result of too many benefits Examples >>

        5. Customer segments who have idle time while shopping or using the product Examples >>

      2. Delays related to location: Identify characteristics related to the location of purchase or use that separate one group of customers from others

        1. Distance from the company, from the product, from competition or from some other preferred location.

          1. Distance from company or product Examples >>

          2. Distance from competition

            1. Because they are in areas with low population density Examples >>

            2. Because they need unusual Functions Examples >>

          3. Time limitations due to the pattern of use: Segment customers by the frequency or timing of purchase or use of the product

            1. Frequency of purchase of the product Examples >>

            2. Calendar or clock time of usage Examples >>

          4. Time limitations due to the use with other products: Segment customers by their use or purchase of other products with the product. The ancillary product is sometimes used:

            1. To complete a broader transaction Examples >>

            2. To store a finished product Examples >>

            3. To communicate with other products Examples >>

    3. Economic limitations: Segment customers according to the limitations set by their economic interests and concerns

      1. Segment's approaches to limit on spending

        1. Specific limits on spending Examples >>

        2. Sensitivity to the price of a component of the product Examples >>

      2. Savings of potential product vs. current solution

        1. Purchases costs Examples >>

        2. Multiple costs Examples >>

      3. Savings from the creation of economies of scale for customer segments who incur costs at levels above those of currently available through economies of scale. Examples >>

    4. Health limitations: Find customer segments with health problems or concerns Examples >>

3. Intellectual: Segment customers on the basis of their current knowledge and understanding of the company and its products

  1. Knowledge of company and company product

    1. Familiarity with company and brand, crossing all products

      1. Customer knows both company and brand Examples >>

      2. Customer knows the channel brand but not the producer brand Examples >>

    2. Familiarity with specific product. Customer segment uses the product:

      1. For work Examples >>

      2. For shopping Examples >>

    3. Knowledge of product technology

      1. Little – very limited exposure, may be new to the market Examples >>

      2. Average – some acquaintance, but may not be current customer in the industry Examples >>

      3. Above average – current customer. Members of the segment are:

        1. Regular non-expert users Examples >>

        2. Expert users Examples >>

Basic Strategy Guide Users Go To: Step 12

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