Exploring the Limitations of the Jobs to be Done Framework
The Jobs to be Done (JTBD) framework has gained popularity recently as a tool for understanding customer needs and motivations. The framework focuses on the idea that customers “hire” products or services to accomplish a specific job or task. By identifying these jobs, companies can design products and services that better meet customers’ needs and preferences.
While the JTBD framework has proven to be a valuable tool for businesses, it’s important to recognize its limitations. Understanding these limitations is critical for companies looking to make informed decisions about product development and marketing strategies.
In this blog post, we will explore the limitations of the Jobs to be Done framework and how they can impact businesses. By understanding these limitations, companies can develop a complete understanding of their customers and create products and services that better meet their needs and preferences.
Identity-based Needs
One of the limitations of the Jobs to be Done framework is that it may not capture customers' identity-based needs when they purchase a product. While JTBD is useful for understanding customers’ functional needs and motivations, it may not be as effective in capturing the emotional and aspirational needs that drive customer behaviour.
For example, a customer may choose to purchase a particular luxury car brand not just because it meets their functional needs for transportation but also because it aligns with their identity and values. The brand of the car may signal their status, success, and taste to others, which can be a critical part of their self-identity. Similarly, customers may purchase high-end fashion products not just for their functional features but because of their emotional and aspirational benefits, such as feeling confident, attractive, and sophisticated.
Identity-based needs are a critical part of building a brand that ensures long-term success for a business. Brands that can tap into customers’ identity-based needs can create strong emotional connections with their customers, leading to loyalty and repeat purchases. However, JTBD may not be the most effective tool for capturing these needs and understanding how they impact customer behaviour.
Predicting or Creating New Needs
While JTBD can be a useful tool for understanding customers’ current needs and motivations, it may not be effective in predicting or creating new needs and behaviours.
In the late 1960s, jogging was not a popular activity, and those few who attempted it faced hostility from onlookers who threw beer and soda cans at them. However, the team at Nike believed that jogging was an important activity for promoting a healthy lifestyle. Despite the lack of demand then, Nike actively promoted jogging and saw the potential for creating a new market. They designed shoes specifically tailored to jogging, recognizing that this activity could become more popular with the right marketing and support. By promoting the benefits of jogging and creating products that met the needs of early adopters, Nike played a critical role in popularizing jogging and creating a new market for running shoes.
This example demonstrates that the Jobs to be Done framework may not effectively identify or predict emerging needs and behaviours. JTBD tends to be based on existing customer needs and behaviours and may not be as effective in identifying new opportunities or creating new markets.
Psychological Factors
The Jobs to be Done (JTBD) framework may not fully capture the complex psychological factors that drive customer behaviour. While JTBD can be a valuable tool for understanding customers’ needs and motivations, it may not consider the role of subconscious cues and emotional associations that drive customer behaviour.
The fast food industry constantly strives to meet its customers' changing needs and preferences. In one such instance, a fast food chain conducted extensive research to understand what customers wanted to accomplish when they came to their restaurant. They used various research techniques, including observational research and open-ended interviews, to identify that customers were becoming more health-conscious and seeking healthier menu options. In response, the fast food chain developed a low-carb and low-fat sandwich and tested it with a focus group. The results were overwhelmingly positive, and the fast food chain invested heavily in promoting the product, expecting a massive boost in sales.
However, despite the initial positive response, sandwich sales started declining. The fast food chain was perplexed about why the product was not selling as expected. They discovered that the Jobs to be Done framework they used in their research had limitations. While customers expressed a desire to eat healthy food, they were ultimately influenced by subconscious cues and emotional associations when purchasing.
They discovered that the customers’ subconscious mind was influencing their decision-making process. When people visited the fast food chain for lunch, visual images of advertisements and banners inside the restaurant and the smell of the food acted as cues. Customers tended to order something they had already ordered before, even if their rational minds wanted to try a healthier option. Their subconscious mind often made the decision, and sensory cues were connected to emotional memories, bringing back pleasant experiences associated with their preferred orders.
This example highlights a limitation of the Jobs to be Done framework, which focuses on customers’ functional needs and motivations but may not fully capture the role of subconscious cues and emotional associations that influence customer behaviour. Though the customers, in this case, the study wanted to eat healthy food, their subconscious mind ultimately led them to choose their preferred orders based on past experiences and emotional associations.
Sell Experiences
Selling experience is a concept that goes beyond meeting just the functional needs of the customers. Instead, it is focused on creating an emotional bond between the customer and the brand. In today’s highly competitive market, it’s not enough to meet the customer's functional needs; brands need to create an emotional connection with their customers to stand out.
This is where selling experiences come in. Brands can build stronger customer relationships by creating a unique and memorable experience. This emotional bond can increase loyalty, repeat business, and positive word of mouth.
Airbnb is a great example of a company that sells experiences rather than just meeting functional needs. While the functional need of the customer is to find a place to stay, Airbnb goes beyond that by offering a unique and personalized experience. From the welcome kit and the personalized recommendations to the spare coins for homeless people, Airbnb focuses on creating a memorable experience for its customers.
By focusing on the experience, Airbnb has built a strong emotional bond with its customers. This has led to increased loyalty and positive word of mouth, which has helped the company grow and become one of the most successful businesses in the hospitality industry.
Difficulty in Identifying the Right Job
Identifying the job customers are trying to accomplish is key challenge businesses face when developing products that meet customer needs. One of the reasons why this is difficult is that customers themselves may not fully understand the job they are trying to accomplish.
For example, a customer may buy a high-end luxury watch because they want to impress others or because they believe it will enhance their social status. However, the underlying job they are trying to accomplish may be to feel more confident and secure in their social interactions. This job may be driven by aspirational or emotional needs rooted in childhood experiences, cultural backgrounds, or personal values.
When conducting research through observational research and other methods, it can be challenging to identify the right job that customers are trying to accomplish. Researchers may need to interpret the meaning behind the customer’s actions and behaviours, and this interpretation may be influenced by the researcher’s own biases and experiences.
For instance, a researcher may observe a customer spending a lot of time scrolling through their social media feed on their phone. The researcher may interpret this behaviour as the customer trying to accomplish the job of staying connected with friends and family. However, the customer may actually be trying to accomplish the job of reducing stress and anxiety by distracting themselves with social media.
Therefore, identifying the right job customers are trying to accomplish can be difficult and may require a more nuanced understanding of customer behaviour and motivations.
Limited Scope
JTBD may not always provide a broader view of the customer’s overall lifestyle, preferences, and attitudes. This can limit the insights gained from JTBD and result in incomplete or inaccurate conclusions about customer needs and motivations.
For example, a business may use JTBD to understand why customers hire their product to make morning coffee. They may learn that customers are hiring the product to accomplish the job of getting a quick caffeine fix before starting their day. However, this limited view of customers' behaviour may not reveal their broader lifestyle, preferences, and attitudes towards coffee. They may prefer organic or fair-trade coffee or be interested in exploring new brewing techniques or flavours. Without understanding these broader perspectives, the business may miss opportunities to develop new products or improve its offerings.
Another example could be a company creating a mobile app tracking fitness goals. By using JTBD, they may identify that customers are hiring their product to stay motivated and track their progress towards fitness goals. However, they may not fully understand their customers' lifestyles and preferences. For instance, some customers may prefer outdoor workouts or group fitness classes, while others may prefer yoga or weight training. Without this broader understanding, the company may not be able to meet the needs and preferences of all its customers fully.
Lack of Predictive Power
The Jobs to be Done (JTBD) framework is useful for understanding what customers try to accomplish when using a product. However, it is not a predictive tool and may not be able to predict future customer needs and behaviours accurately. This can limit its usefulness in creating long-term product strategies.
For example, a business may use JTBD to understand why customers hire their product to cook dinner. They may learn that customers hire their product to save time and effort in meal preparation. However, this understanding may not predict future changes in customer behaviour, such as a shift towards healthier eating or a growing interest in home-cooked meals. Without this predictive power, the business may miss opportunities to develop new products or improve its existing offerings to meet evolving customer needs.
Another example could be a company that develops a new smartphone based on customer feedback using JTBD. They may identify that customers are hiring their smartphones to accomplish the job of staying connected with friends and family. However, they may be unable to predict future changes in customer preferences or emerging technologies that could disrupt the smartphone market. This lack of predictive power can limit the company’s ability to create a long-term product strategy that meets changing customer needs and preferences.
Kodak was once a dominant player in the photography industry but failed to anticipate the shift to digital photography. The company used JTBD to understand why customers were hiring their products — to capture and preserve memories. However, this understanding did not allow them to predict the rapid shift to digital photography, which fundamentally changed how people captured and stored images. Kodak’s inability to predict this shift led to its decline and eventual bankruptcy.
Limited Use in Disruptive Innovation
JBTD framework may not be effective in identifying disruptive innovations that have the potential to transform an industry. This is because disruptive innovations often involve creating new markets or fundamentally changing how customers hire products, and JTBD may not fully capture these new needs and behaviours.
For example, consider the emergence of the smartphone. Before the smartphone, customers hired phones primarily for making calls and sending messages. The JTBD framework would have effectively identified these core needs and designed products that met them. However, the smartphone disrupted the market by creating new needs and behaviours, such as internet browsing, social media use, and mobile app usage. The JTBD framework did not capture these needs and behaviours, and businesses that relied solely on JTBD may have missed out on the potential for groundbreaking products in this new market.
Another example could be the emergence of ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft. Before their introduction, customers hired taxis primarily for transportation from point A to point B. The JTBD framework would have effectively identified this core need and designed products that met it. However, ride-sharing services disrupted the market by creating new needs and behaviours, such as real-time ride tracking, in-app payments, and driver ratings. The JTBD framework did not fully capture these needs and behaviours, and businesses that relied solely on JTBD may have missed out on the potential for groundbreaking products in this new market.
Lack of Differentiation
JBTD framework may not be effective in helping companies differentiate their products from their competitors. This is because JTBD focuses on understanding the customer’s core needs and does not necessarily provide insight into differentiating a product from others that may meet those same needs.
For example, consider a company that develops a new coffee maker using JTBD. They may learn that customers are hiring their coffee maker to make a quick, easy cup of coffee in the morning. However, this understanding may not provide insight into how to differentiate their coffee maker from others on the market that may also meet this need. Without differentiation, the company may struggle to stand out in the marketplace and attract customers.
Another example could be a company that develops a new fitness app using JTBD. They may learn that customers are hiring their app to track their workouts and progress. However, this understanding may not provide insight into how to differentiate their app from others on the market that may also meet this need. Without differentiation, the company may struggle to stand out in the marketplace and attract users.
Marketing and Promotion
While designing a great product is important, effective marketing is critical for driving customer awareness and adoption. Even the best products may struggle to gain traction in the market if customers are unaware of their existence or do not understand their value. By developing a strong marketing strategy that effectively communicates their products' unique features and benefits, companies can increase customer awareness and drive adoption, helping to ensure the long-term success of their products and business.
While the JTBD framework can be useful for understanding customer needs, it may not provide clear guidance on how to market and promote products effectively. This is because marketing and promotion strategies depend on factors beyond customer needs and preferences, such as cultural context, competitive landscape, and distribution channels.
For example, cultural differences can significantly impact how customers perceive and interact with products and influence their purchasing decisions. As a result, companies need to consider cultural factors when developing their marketing strategies.
For example, in individualist cultures like the US, customers may emphasise personal achievement and self-expression more. Companies promoting products in these cultures may want to highlight their products' individual benefits and unique features. They may want to use marketing messages that emphasize personal choice and freedom.
In contrast, customers may emphasise social harmony and group identity more in collectivist cultures such as Japan or China. Companies promoting products in these cultures may want to highlight the social benefits of their products, such as how they can help bring people together or strengthen social bonds. They may also want to use marketing messages emphasising the importance of collective decision-making and social responsibility.
Another example could be the use of humour in marketing. While humour can be an effective marketing tool in many cultures, different cultures may have different preferences for what types of humour are considered appropriate or effective. Companies promoting products in different cultures may need to carefully tailor their humour to match local cultural norms and preferences.
Difficulty in Prioritizing Customer Needs
Another limitation of the JTBD framework is the difficulty in prioritizing customer needs. While the framework can help identify a range of customer needs and jobs to be done, it may not provide clear guidance on which needs are the most important or urgent to address. This is because different customers may have different needs and priorities, and it can be challenging for companies to determine which needs are the most important or urgent to address.
For example, a company that develops healthcare products may use the JTBD framework to identify a range of customer needs for managing chronic conditions. However, they may struggle to prioritize which needs to address first, given that some needs may be more urgent or have a greater impact on customer quality of life or have a greater impact on customer satisfaction or loyalty.
In addition, different customers may have different needs and priorities, making it challenging to develop a one-size-fits-all solution. This can make it difficult for companies to allocate resources effectively and develop products that meet the most pressing customer needs.
Overemphasis on Individual Needs
Another limitation of the JTBD framework is the potential overemphasis on individual needs, which may not always align with broader societal or environmental concerns. While the JTBD framework can be useful for understanding customer needs and preferences, it may not guide how to balance these needs with broader social or environmental considerations.
For example, a company may use the JTBD framework to identify a customer need for a convenient and easy-to-use single-use product. However, the production and disposal of this product may have negative environmental impacts, which may not be immediately apparent to the customer.
In addition, focusing too narrowly on individual needs may not address broader societal concerns such as equity, access, or sustainability. For example, a healthcare company that focuses solely on meeting the needs of wealthy patients may not address the healthcare needs of underserved communities.
Limited Use in Early-stage Product Development
Another limitation of the JTBD framework is its limited use in early-stage product development. It may be less effective in generating new product ideas or exploring emerging trends and technologies.
For example, a company that develops mobile phone applications may use the JTBD framework to identify a range of customer needs related to communication and productivity. However, this may not provide insights into emerging trends or technologies that may not yet be on customers' radars.
In addition, the JTBD framework may not be as effective in generating new product ideas or exploring blue-sky opportunities. This can limit the potential for breakthrough innovation and may result in incremental improvements to existing products rather than true innovation.
Limited Applicability to B2B Markets
JTBD framework may not be as effective in capturing the complex and often multifaceted needs of B2B customers.
For example, a company that provides software solutions to other businesses may use the JTBD framework to identify a range of customer needs related to productivity and efficiency. However, this may not fully capture the complex purchasing decisions and decision-making processes in B2B markets.
In addition, B2B customers may have a range of stakeholders involved in the decision-making process, including purchasing managers, IT professionals, and other decision-makers. These stakeholders may have different needs and priorities, and it can be challenging to identify the overarching job that the company is trying to accomplish.
Lack of Consideration for External Factors
The JBTD framework may not consider external factors such as economic conditions, social trends, and cultural values that can impact the customer’s decision-making process.
For example, a company may identify that customers want to accomplish the job of staying connected with friends and family through social media. However, the company may not consider external factors such as privacy concerns, cultural norms, and social trends that can impact how customers use social media. As a result, the company may develop a product or service that does not fully meet the needs of its customers.
In conclusion, while the Jobs to be Done (JTBD) framework can be a powerful tool for identifying customer needs and preferences, it also has several limitations.
Companies need to be aware of these limitations and supplement the JTBD framework with other research methods and techniques to understand their customers and their needs better. By doing so, companies can create products and services that better meet the needs of their customers and stay ahead of the competition in an ever-changing market.