Increasing the competitiveness of wood in material substitution: A method for assessing and prioritizing customer needs

To increase the competitiveness of wood as a building material requires knowledge of which customer needs require attention in terms of quality improvement and/or product development to best satisfy customers. Hence, information as to the impact on customer satisfaction of the fulfillment of different customer needs, as well as the performance of wood and substitutes in providing for these needs, is needed. This article suggests the use of customer satisfaction modeling (CSM) for assessing customer needs. The methodology is evaluated in the context of floorcovering. The results suggest that CSM is well suited for extracting the information necessary for prioritizing customer needs: importance/impact and performance data for attributes as well as for customer benefits. The study indicates the necessity of considering substitute materials not only for performance comparisons; substitutes may also reveal otherwise latent customer needs. Practical, functional, benefits exert the greatest impact on customer satisfaction for wooden flooring as well as its closest substitutes, laminate and carpet. Hygiene and a low cost over the life cycle are apparently the customer benefits that require attention from wooden flooring manufacturers, because importance is high and performance relatively low.