🚀 Quick Tip #5: The Power of Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) Theory: Understanding Customer Motivations 🏆💼
During my stint at McDonald's, the humble milkshake 🥤 opened my eyes to an epiphany I'd never anticipated. Enter the "Jobs to be Done" theory, masterfully crafted by the late Clayton M. Christensen and his stellar team.
"Jobs to be Done" (JTBD) pivots on a straightforward but transformative premise: customers buy products or services to fulfil specific needs or "jobs" in their lives.
Let's come back to the milkshake. Initial attempts to surge its sales met with frustration. The error? The focus was on product enhancement based on broad feedback rather than the jobs people were hiring the milkshake for.
Enter Clayton and his squad. Their observant eyes and probing questions revealed a fascinating dichotomy:
🌅 Morning travellers desired a companion for their long, mundane commutes—a filling treat that lasted a while and kept hunger at bay until the next meal. The milkshake ticked all the boxes.
🌇 Come afternoon, it played a different role. For parents, it became an emblem of indulgence—a simple 'yes' in a world of constant 'no's to their kids. It was less about the drink and the joy of granting a cherished treat.
This newfound wisdom spotlighted a pivotal insight: Boosting milkshake sales wasn't about a universal fix. It was about catering to the distinct 'jobs' the milkshake was being hired for.
💡 Embracing the "Jobs-to-be-Done" approach can be a game-changer for businesses eyeing innovation and expansion. By transitioning from mere product traits to customer motivations and contexts, it offers a blueprint for sculpting offerings that consumers will consistently and profitably opt for.
Ever put the JTBD lens to work in your enterprise? Please share with us how it amplified your value proposition to clients! 🚀
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