Assignment 12A - Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No.1

The Segment:

My problem is unique, as my customers will only have two things in common. They will drive motorized vehicles, and they will own a smart device. Owners of a smart device have chosen to own one, instead of say no device at all or maybe just a flip phone, because they use the smart device features (apps, email, texting, etc.) And these two commonalities (drivers and smart device ownership) span across ages (assuming they are of age to drive), gender, ethnicity, religions, education levels, etc. Therefore, my segment, my only segment, is anyone who drives and owns a smart device.


Summary:

Need awareness seems to be falling in one of two buckets. The first is a need based on someone’s own actions, or personal awareness. And, secondly, a need based on the observation of someone else’s actions. The first is when the need is realized when someone’s own personal interactions with a smart device while operating a vehicle adversely impacts the ability to effectively or safety do so. This is when the driver realizes they are swerving, they stop short because they did not see brake lights ahead, or worse they cause an incident. The same indicators were shared for the second bucket, but this is when a driver NOT utilizing a device but rather observes the adverse effects of someone else who IS utilizing a device.

I found that, people who realize the negative impacts of their interactions with a device while driving, the only solution they implement is to cease utilizing the device. No information search needed. (The unfortunate part is the only solution offered in this scenario is not implemented by all drivers once the need is made blatantly apparent.) Additionally, some proactively impose self-restrictions so they never find themselves with the need based on personal actions.

Another unfortunate situation is that there is really no information search to a solution for a driver who observes someone else engaged in the unsafe behavior. At best, they pull up alongside the other driver and try and give them verbal or nonverbal “correction”, which is rarely effective.

Of course, there is the search for current social pressures and traffic laws in effect. But, we as citizens aren’t necessarily in the position to impose these on others (nor do we always impose them on ourselves) as an effective, immediate solution to this problem when it occurs.


Conclusions:

This segment has a very high level of need awareness. However, information searches for solutions prove to be fairly ineffective as these seekers of knowledge are not in the position to impose any solution on anyone other than themselves. And, even if they self-impose a solution, they are still at the mercy of everyone else on the road that has decided not to do so.