Users, buyers and payers

"As distinct from treating ‘value’ as an embedded attribute of the product being exchanged, this conceptual framework views it as a being created by the interactions with customers taking place throughout the relational process. It is thus rooted in subjective performance criteria and measured by value-in-use, rather than in objective quality standards, capable of measurement in terms of value-in-exchange. In this view, firms do not deliver value, but instead offer propositions that have the potential to co-create value in partnership with customers, as “reciprocal promises of value, operating to and from suppliers and customers seeking an equitable exchange”.
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"Even if value-in-use does take up a super-ordinate position in relation to value-in-exchange, a strategic issue remains to be addressed: whether firms should always strive to communicate propositions emphasising the former kind of value, or might in certain situations place relatively more emphasis on the latter.(Moi ici: Mais uma razão para definir e caracterizar quem são os clientes-alvo. E, como já me aconteceu em vários projectos, não é fácil a um comercial habituado a lidar com a proposta de valor preço (value-in-exchange), ter de abordar novos clientes de uma forma diferente, reforçando a perspectiva do (value-in-use))
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For example, if a customer’s short-term orientation is towards the achievement of annual price concessions on capital goods and service agreements, propositions focusing on value-in-use may be contraindicated, even if they would be a good business rationale for buyers in general. This conclusion supports the view of Lusch et al. (2007) that it is not viable for a firm to pursue an unvarying approach to the formulation of its value propositions. In that case, those responsible for the related strategy decisions need to be able to recognise the determinants of value emphasis, in order to be able to change, adapt and influence the value proposition effectively. (Moi ici: Um dos melhores exemplos que conheço é o da XIAMETER. A DOW teve a clareza de espírito para perceber que para certos clientes é só mesmo o preço e a marca DOW não representava nada) This in turn demands a clear understanding of the nature of the interactions between providers and customers, and those among the members of buying centres where those exist."
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"Michel et al. (2008) discuss three distinct customer roles in the value-creation process, from an S-D logic perspective: users, ‘payers’ and buyers, whether individual or organisational. Whereas the user’s role primarily relates to value-in-use and the payer’s primarily value-in-exchange, the buyer’s role bridges the two. In some contexts, all three roles are performed by the same person; in others, they are played by different individuals." (Moi ici: Ontem à noite trabalhei o esquema que se segue para um projecto em curso

E cá estão eles os 3: os buyers (os distribuidores); os payers (os compradores) e os users (os utilizadores).
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Creio que há uma componente de value-in-use que pode ser desenvolvida com os distribuidores. Em vez da concentração no produto, concentração na experiência que o distribuidor quer sentir na relação que tem com os seus (dele) clientes. A que me parece mais complicada é a proposta de valor a oferecer ao comprador. O comprador não é um utilizador, por isso, a tentação pode ser o preço como factor decisivo. Assim, há que trabalhar a experiência, a mensagem, quer para os influenciadores, quer para os utilizadores. O que é o endorsment de um utilizador senão uma tentativa de captar experiência de uso e transferi-la para o momento da troca, da decisão de compra)
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"In general, if the key role of the payer is to be gatekeeper, decider, major influencer or some combination of the three, it is more likely that he or she will be inclined to adopt the value-in-exchange criteria when making buying decisions. (Moi ici: Cá está) A focus on value-in-exchange may also suit low-cost providers aiming for increased sales and market share but having limited interest in close collaboration with customers in the creation of mutually beneficial value propositions. This is one reason why firms that increasingly compete by emphasising value-in-use, find it important not only to interact with the customer at the operational level, as a user, but also to carry out other joint task tasks aimed at increasing awareness of lifecycle costs and identifying new value-creation opportunities. (Moi ici: Cá está) Furthermore, the types of need identified are likely to depend on whether the initiator in the purchasing process is the user, buyer or payer.
Initially, the focus of a value proposition must therefore meet the initiator’s criteria, but the focus is likely to shift as the needs and demands of the other evaluators in the buying centre are taken into account, and the final decision criteria evolve. The initial focus may also change during the sales process, as a result of the communicative interactions and dialogue within the buying centre and with the supplier."
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Interessante como estes temas têm sido desenvolvidos nos últimos anos pela escola nórdica de marketing e gestão. Estamos a falar de uma literatura que aborda os negócios em Mongo.
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Trechos retirados de "Dynamics of value propositions: insights from service-dominant logic" de Christian Kowalkowski"