Customer study

Customers are those whom every company looks for in any market; knowing current and potential clients is important part of any market research project – and this is what we also do.

We begin our Customer study with understanding of customer base in the market:

  • Customer segments
  • Approximate number of the customers in target market
  • Approximate customer concentration (e.g. top 20 customers account for XX% of demand, etc.)

 The next stage is identification of top (major) customers – current and likely future.

 Understanding of decision-making processes and strategies is another important part of the research:

  • Decision-making models used with customers
  • Customer segmentation by decision-making model
  • Product/service selection criteria with each customer group
  • Supplier selection criteria with each customer group
  • Drivers for purchasing from suppliers
  • Key decision-makers
  • Decision influencers
  • Informal factors in decision-making (like corruption, etc.)
  • Tendering
  • Decision-making in governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, etc.

 Understanding of product/service requirements and needs is the next stage in customer study:

  • Qualitative requirements to product/service asked with each customer group and the largest customers
  • Perceptions of the features and willingness to pay for them
  • Perceptions of suppliers relative quality and service
  • Impact of the main requirements over demand structure in each customer group
  • Probable shifts in requirements in next 5-10 years
  • Unfulfilled needs – product/service related and supplier related

Usually our clients ask us to make profiling for the largest customers in target market; we are able to provide the following information for each of the target customers:

  • Shareholding
  • Management
  • Key financials per last 3-5 years
  • Organizational structure
  • Territorial structure, branches/offices
  • Production facilities (capacities, equipment, energy/utilities supply)
  • Products/services
  • Domestic & export markets
  • Plans for the next 5-7 years
  • Modernization programs
  • Procurement of the target products/services
  • Current suppliers with the target products/services
  • Perceptions of suppliers relative quality and service
  • Unfulfilled needs
  • Openness to a new supplier
  • Key decision maker(s)
  • SWOT analysis
  • Company’s reputation