Customer Strategy Defined

“A customer strategy is a carefully conceived plan that results in

maximum customer responsiveness. One major dimension of this
strategy is to achieve a better understanding of the customer’s buying
needs and motives.”

8-2
 Complex Nature of Customer
Behavior

• Individual customers perceive the product in their

own terms
• The customer is a person,
not a Machine or Data.
• Companies that fully accept
this basic truth are likely to
adopt a one-to-one
marketing strategy

8-3
 Consumer versus
Organizational Buyers

• Consumer buyer behavior refers to the buying

behavior of individuals and households who buy
goods and services for personal consumption
• Business (organizational) buyer behavior refers to the
organizations that buy goods and services for use in
the production of other products and services that
are sold, rented, or supplied to others

8-4
 Differences Between Consumer and
Organizational Buyers

8-5
Steps in the Buying Process

8-6
Steps in the Buying Process
• Need awareness
• Salespeople can create value by determining problems and identifying
solutions
• Evaluation of solutions
• Salespeople can create value by providing useful information
• Resolution of problems

8-7
Steps in the Buying Process
• Purchase
• Salespeople create value by arranging financing or supervising delivery and
installation
• Implementation
• Value creation involves timely delivery, superior installation, accurate
invoicing, or follow-up contacts by the salesperson

8-8
 Types of Organizational Buying
Situations

• New-task buy:
• Straight rebuy
• Modified rebuy

8-9
Three Buying Situations
1. New Task (slide 2 of 4)

 New task—the problem or need is totally different

from previous experiences.
 Significant amount of information is required.
 Buyers operate in the extensive problem solving stage.
 Buyers lack well defined criteria.
 Lack strong predispositions toward a solution.
 Salespeople rely on consultative selling skills
Three Buying Situations
2. Modified Rebuy (slide 3 of 4)

 Modified rebuy—decision makers feel there are

benefits to be derived by reevaluating alternatives.
Or for some important reason the buyer is
considering different vendor or product changes.
 Most likely to occur when displeased with the
performance of current supplier.
 Buyers operate in the limited problem solving stage.
 Buyers have well defined criteria.
Salespeople can provide service/anticipate changes
Three Buying Situations
3. Straight rebuy (slide 4 of 4)

• Straight rebuy—the problem or need is a recurring

or continuing situation.
• Buyers have experience in the area in question.
• Require little or no new information.
• Buyers operate in the routine problem solving stage.
• Salespeople constantly monitor satisfaction