Focusing on customers

Reviews a range of concepts associated with the customer and consumer buying behaviour, with the objective of exploring their applicability in the management and marketing of library and information services. Stresses that an understanding of the customers and the benefits which they seek from an organization is central to the marketing concept and a marketing orientation. An analysis of customers in terms of benefits can inform effective segmentation, which in turn can lead to more efficient targeting of resources. However, customer benefits are only part of the picture. The consumer decision‐making process is important in determining purchase behaviour. Introduces some models of the consumer buying process and an analysis of the factors which determine consumer buying behaviour.