Understanding your customers is like putting together a complex puzzle piece. The good news is that researchers have identified four basic types of customers. These types are based on their motivations—why they buy from and work with you. 

In this video, I explore these four types of customers, what they want from you, and how you can work with them to help them achieve their goals. 

Knowing why your customers buy helps you figure out the best way to serve them. It guides you on which products, services, and advice to offer your customers. In doing so, you help them get what they need to succeed. It’s not just about making a sale. It’s about building and nurturing meaningful relationships and providing value that resonates with your customer’s goals. 

There are four basic customer types: the Procurer, the Improver, the Reactor, and the Transformer.  

What are these types? 

• The Procurer 

The Procurer is decisive. They know what they want and know how to get it. They value efficiency and expect prompt service. When they come to you with a problem, they tell you exactly how you can help them.  

Let’s assume that you run an IT consulting firm that helps businesses automate their operations. Your customer is a small e-commerce retailer who knows exactly what they need to support a sales campaign to help her manage inventory and drive sales for slow-moving products. They specifically want to run flash sales to move those products along occasionally. They need an inventory system that will support their sales and marketing promotions.  

This customer values simplicity and effectiveness. Time is money—the sooner they can move inventory, the sooner they can make money. 

How do you support them? It’s straightforward because they will come to you with a list of needs. All you need to do is fulfil those needs. And if you can’t, you need to find an alternative so that they get what they need—and in this case, a system that will allow them to run flash sales to help them manage their inventory and drive sales for slow-moving products. 

• The Improver 

Unlike the Procurer, the Improver may know what they want but not how to get it. Improvers need guidance and advice. When they come to you with a problem, they ask you to help them find a way out.  

Let’s assume you’re in the business of selling commercial kitchen equipment and supplies for restaurants. You have a client who wants to put up a small bistro in a location they have not serviced before. This means they need to contend with a different set of regulations. The new location also means they are servicing a new market with unique needs. They know the kind of bistro experience they want to provide but don’t know how to implement their plans. They are looking to you to help them fill the gaps and not just sell kitchen equipment and supplies. 

How do you support them? Help them navigate options and determine the best option to achieve their goals. You can assist Improvers by providing expert advice helping them identify the best solutions that align with their goals. They don’t just need the product but tailored guidance and support. And in the example we used, your client needs products and services that comply with regulation and provide the bistro experience they want for their own customers. 

• The Reactor 

Reactors buy as a reaction to something that has happened in their business or industry, unlike Procurers and Improvers who know what they want and act based on those goals.  

Imagine you are working with a client who runs a dog grooming business. After running the business for years, they are now feeling the pressure from new competition leveraging savvy digital marketing strategies to attract customers. They are coming to you because they need an equally savvy—if not a better marketing campaign than their competition. They need it quickly and implement it soon to attract customers.  

How do you support them? The key word is quick. They need quick solutions to address immediate concerns.  

• The Transformer  

The Transformer is perhaps the most complex customer type. They don’t know what they want or how to get there. They know that they need to transform their business and are looking to you to help them do that.  

Transformers need clarity. They know they need to change but don’t know where to begin. What they need from you are comprehensive solutions and strategic guidance. Unlike the Reactor who require quick, short-term solutions, Transformers look for a long-term roadmap.  

How to support them? Help them find a path towards transformation. Expect to have a lot of hand holding and finding ways to translate vision into actionable tasks and projects. 

Understanding what your customers want is crucial in building and nurturing a lasting relationship. Meeting their needs becomes more effective when you know what they want, how they want it, and most importantly, why they want it. It becomes easier to talk to them and to anticipate their needs and wants. No two customers are the same. And while you may be offering them the same product or services, there are many ways to tailor it to drive success—both theirs and yours.