List the customer needs you consider important and classify them into “essential”, “Desirable” and “useful”. For each need justify your reasoning. Prepare a draft product specification based on your list.
Toothpaste is an essential daily life product, which is used every single day to clean teeth. It is a gel or a paste type substance which is applied on a toothbrush and brushed on teeth. It removes plaque and prevents bad breath. It is recommended to be used after every meal but if it is impossible after every meal then twice a day is recommended by dentists.
There are different toothpastes with different ingredients but most of them have several basic ingredients that are used in making of toothpaste. Main ingredients include baking soda, binder, sodium lauryl sulphate, fluoride, water, mint, anti-bacterial agent and some extra ingredients are added for that particular flavour.
Essential needs: -
It is important that the product that is been made should have a flavour which will attract more customers. The flavour of the toothpaste should attract more people and new flavour should be introduced to keep the company running long term.
The product must be produced at the lowest cost as possible, this means the quality, and effectiveness and the taste should not be compromised by the cost. The selling price of the product should not be increased than that of the rival products.
The product been made should comply with the health and safety laws that exist in UK for the production of drugs and cosmetic.
The consistency of the ingredients throughout the production process should be same for every batch produced.
Desirable needs: -
It is important that the product made should have a strong brand and its own unique logo, which will make it different from other similar products. The logo of the company should be kept simple and attractive keeping the cost in limits.
The price of the product should not exceed that of rival company’s product.
The shelf life of the product is also a big factor in producing toothpaste. It will encourage people to buy it more than one and keeping it for future use.
Useful needs: -
The product been made should be sourced from the UK. This will satisfy people with their needs and the product will be more reliable.
The ingredients used in the product should be natural as it will appeal people to buy it more.
Draft specification: - * The flavour of the product should appeal more customers and attract new customers. * The product should be safe enough to be consumed. * The toothpaste should have a long shelf life. * The toothpaste should be marketed in a way that it increases sales. * The production should be done in UK. * The product should be produced in processing plant where large quantities can be produced.
List and discuss the criteria you would use to choose the flavours for your products. Use your criteria to prepare a decision matrix and make a recommendation for the flavours selected.
Cost to the customer: -
It is important that the product’s cost should be similar to that of rival companies. The cost can be an important factor for the customers choosing to buy toothpaste. There is a direct relationship between the taste and the cost. If the cost is higher than the taste should be great as well and moreover it is important to keep the balance in between these two factors.
Taste of the products: -
The taste of the particular product is very important factor. It is important that customers like the toothpaste and its flavour. It is important that different flavours should be introduced and making sure that the toothpaste if effective in its job and give positive results to the customers.
Sources of the ingredients: -
It will be a positive point for the product if all ingredients are from the UK. The customers will like to buy the product that has been made with the ingredients from the UK. If the ingredients are from other countries than it will