Organizational Improvement & Customer Needs Case Solution And Analysis, HBR Case Study Solution & Analysis of Harvard Case Studies

Introduction

The organization's main purpose remains the same for decades, i.e. to create and retain those customers. This ask for every organization to develop a customer driven strategy which is a challenge for every organization. No matter how good product or service an organization is offering, if a customer does not want that product or service, it's of no use.So to persuade a customer to buy the product, an organization needs to clearly understand customer needs and wants first and then develop the products accordingly.

In order to remain competitive, an organization or a company must keep pace with the growing wants and needs of the customer. Shifting consumer’s interest can easily affect a company or on large, an industry. Consumer and their preferences change rapidly and it is a continuing practice all over the world that if the customer is not getting the product he want or is not satisfied with the performance or face any other issuerelated to the product, he might shift and find a substitute. So it is vital to understand the target customer, their wants and preferences in the product and then after going through proper channels of R&D (Research and Development), establish a plan to achieve the objective.

Understanding customer needs helps a company to design and develop products that are desirable and feasible for the customers and also saleablein the mass market most products are made feasible and salable, but to develop a desirable product it needs deep customer involvement (Shane, 2003).

Someof the customer’s needs are on the surface of the customer’s consciousness so they are easily identifiable like price, quality, taste, availability, etc., but there are certainneeds that are not easy to identify which mostly involve emotions and even customers are not able to articulate such needs before actually trying the finished product. Such needs if identified by any company will lead in building a strong brand and gain loyalties(Brown, n.d.). Customers seek the maximum benefits they can get from a product and they consider the risks involved in purchasing a particular product as well, so if a company is offering something to its customers, the best practice would be that it should try to give the maximum benefit and minimize the risks involved as much as reasonably possible. Differentiating the product from competitors, by adding certain reasonable features that are not available in the competitor’s product, is very important and that calls for the USP (unique selling proposition.). This will help the company to stand out in the customer’s eye, but it all depends on the benefits a company is offering and the fact thatusually customers seek benefits that involve pricing and services etc.

The needs of people are well defined in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs which gives a deep understanding of what motivates the people. The model is divided into the basic physiological, safety, self-esteem, loveand self-actualizationneeds depending on the product. When customers are satisfied at one level, thenthey move upward in the pyramid. This point is key for the companies, especially marketers, to understand at which level of the pyramid the customers are at and what are their needs and which products will help them accomplish satisfaction of their needs.

Customersbuy products to solve problems they are facing which are either transactional or emotional. For a business to be successful, it is important to understand customers’ needs and before understanding the needs it is important to understand the customers.

Market Segmentation

Market segmentation helps to divide a homogenous market into subdivisions to get a clearer understanding of who the customers are and what are their needs and preferences. Segmentation helps a company focus on the market segments which will eventually result in an increase in its profitability. It also gives the companycompetitiveness in that particular market.Since the company is focusing on its segments and gaining loyalties, the chances for competitors to enterinto that market becomes low and the company’s market share increases. When a company has a deep understanding of the segments it’s targeting, this will help in expanding either within that territory or across otherterritories. Many companies use segmentation effectively that eventually it leads them towards better customer retentions. Segmentation helps in better communication because without communications knowing the target market is not likely. If a company is able to achieve the segmentation goals clearly and effectively, then it does not only achieve competitiveness, customer retention, market growth and share but also results in increase profitability. The best part of using segmentation is that it can also be used as company’s USP (unique selling proposition). Market segmentation is essential as especially in industrialized countries and selling a product without knowing the customer and his need is an old concept. In the past companies applied manufacturing oriented strategies to save cost, but now the market has changed and a product is developed after................

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