Explain How Different Customers’ Needs and Expectations Can Differ

The supermarket industry provides a good example of the way in which different groups of customers will have different expectations and needs. Some customers just want to buy standard products at the lowest possible prices. They will therefore shop from supermarkets that offer the lowest prices and provide a reasonable range of products. In contrast, some customers are looking for variety and quality.

They will therefore choose to buy from a different supermarket. Additionally some customers will have special tastes such as wanting to buy Fair-trade products or organic fruit and vegetables. Therefore, for the business to be a successful one, they must have a clear understanding of their target customers and the expectations of this group. Most markets are made up of groups of customers with different sets of expectations about the products and services that they want to buy.

If a customer goes into a mobile phone shop like, T-Mobile or o2. The stores customers are anyone who needs a new mobile phone or is just getting one in general. Their customers can differ because if a teenager comes into the store, they will want a new, up to date phone. When they walk into the store, their needs will be to buy a new, good quality phone. Their expectations will be that the phone will have all its features like, free texts, internet and/or free limited calls if they buy a contract.

On the other hand, if a business man or woman comes into the store; their need will also be to buy a mobile phone. So they will need a phone that can send emails so they can email a colleague or their boss if they can’t make it into work. They will need the internet so they can research stuff without being in the office. So their expectation will differ from the teenagers because they will expect the phone to have features like, email, internet and Microsoft work so they can do work without being in the office.

If an older customer comes into the store, like an elderly customer who is retired, their need will be the same but their expectations will be different from the teenagers and the business people. They don’t need a phone that has all the latest features because they don’t need to go on the internet as much or text anyone apart from maybe their wife/husband/daughter/son or any other family member. So their expectations will be that the phones features will just be texts and calls that they could make.