Consumer Behaviour and Insight

This document explores the process of consumer decision-making and the influence of marketers on the stages of the decision-making process. It discusses the importance of mapping the consumer journey and highlights the differences in decision-making between B2C and B2B contexts. The document also provides insights into the factors influencing customer decision-making and the role of marketers in shaping consumer choices.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
AND INSIGHT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
LO1..................................................................................................................................................3
Mapping of consumers decision-making journey........................................................................5
Importance of mapping................................................................................................................7
LO2..................................................................................................................................................9
Differences of decision-making process......................................................................................9
Approaches to market research and methods of research..........................................................10
LO3................................................................................................................................................11
Influence of markers on the stages of the decision-making process.........................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Consumer insights are used by all the businesses to gain a deeper understanding of the
behaviour and preferences of the consumers. All the businesses focus on satisfying the needs and
demands of the customers in order to increase the sales and the customer base thereby increasing
the profitability of the organization. Prufrock Coffee is a small coffee shop in Central London
deals in selling delicious coffee and tasty seasonal food offerings by its talented coffee
professionals (Muzellec and O'Raghallaigh, 2018). It started with 3 coffee enthusiasts and now
having 13 talented professionals to make blended coffee.
The report will begin by mapping a path for consumer decision-making process to buy the
product along with mentioning its stages. It will be followed by examining various forms of
research describing the impact on the decision-making process in B2B and B2C. At the end, the
report will evaluate the ways in which marketers influence the stages of the customer’s decision
making in B2B and B2C.
LO1
The process of the decision making of consumers deals in selecting the most suitable
product by searching out for various alternatives. The Prufrock coffee, being a small coffee shop
focuses on satisfying the changing demands of the customers in order to increase its sales and
customer base (Dasgupta and Grover, 2019). Before doing a purchase or trying a product of a
particular shop, consumers think many times about various aspects including the taste,
environment, packaging, alternatives etc. There are various steps to keep in mind to make the
consumer ready to do a purchase.
Models
There are basically 4 models of Consumer decision-making which shows the various
approaches or the views of the consumers before buying a particular product or service which are
as follows:
 Economic Model

This model is basically an unrealistic model which describes that a rational person buys a
product after analysing its benefits and disadvantages. The person gathers every information
regarding the product or service including the alternatives, ranking and many more. All the
people are not much skilled and talented that can differentiate the products in various aspects and
cannot become rational always before taking a purchasing decision. The Prufrock Coffee can use
this model by presenting itself better than the other organizations on online platforms as well as
on the stores. It must also add the content including the benefits which consumers will have after
making purchase from it. This can help the coffee shop to attract more number of customers
towards itself.
 Passive Model
This model states that the decisions taken by the consumers are according to the promotional
efforts of the marketers. The people judge the product according to its promotion and position in
the market instead of focusing on its benefits. This model is also not much realistic as customers
can easily find alternatives in terms of advertisements. The Prufrock coffee can make use of this
model by enhancing its promotional activities online and offline. It can give more offers and
vouchers on making a purchase which will help it to compete with its alternatives.
 Cognitive Model
This is considered to be the best model as it describes that the consumers make decisions
according to their interests and by analysing the market demand and trends. This can lead to
perfect decisions as it is the decision of the consumer itself rather than the business. The
Prufrock coffee must appoint some marketers which can help the consumers to take the decisions
without going through all the processes of decision-making and make the purchase in a short
while.
 Emotional Model

This models states that the consumers create positive or negative emotions for a particular
product. They do not think upon the necessity of the items instead relate themselves with the
product. Products which give them positive emotions are brought and the ones who create
negative emotions are avoided. The Prufrock Coffee can use this model as they can add some
additional features at the shop which connects the customers emotionally in the first visit which
forces them to try that place again.
Mapping of consumers decision-making journey
Everything has changed but the process of taking a decision before doing a purchase
remains the same. Every person before making a purchase goes through various steps. The
mapping of the decision-making of the consumers is divided into numerous stages as follows:
Figure 1: 5 stages of Consumer Decision-making Journey
Source: Kaplan.K, 2017
Stage 1 – Awareness:

This is the initial stage when the person realizes the need to buy the product. This forces
the businesses to create the need for its products and services among the people. The main thing
which individuals focus is about the problem which is solved by making a purchase. The
Prufrock coffee can influence the people to decide about trying its coffee and other products
(Alavi and et.al., 2016). The people in UK have many alternatives to buy coffee at stores as well
as online. So, the coffee shop must make its coffee unique in order to be the decision of the
public and to satisfy their needs. It must make its coffee more blended and give a different spark
for which people will not think much before trying it.
Stage 2 – Information Search
Once the individual realized the need to buy the product, it starts searching more about
the product through various sources like friends, TV, social networking sites etc. The Prufrock
coffee must presents itself better on all the sources so that the person gets positive feeling to try
its product. It must do its promotional activities through online platforms which will be cost-
effective and will reach maximum number of people. It must add its benefits including the
friendly experience, peaceful environment, average prices etc. in the content on various sites
which will force the individuals to be the customer of Prufrock Coffee.
Stage 3 – Evaluation
This is the stage where the consumer had collected all the information but finds
alternatives better than this if any. Before making a purchase, the customers always thinks that
can they get a better option than this or not. This forces the people to search for many other
alternatives who deals in similar products (Schamp, Heitmann and Katzenstein, 2019). So,
Prufrock Coffee must mention the additional benefits that the customers can get after trying its
coffee and will not get anywhere else. This can be the view from the shop, may be the extra
spark added while manufacturing the coffee, online delivery and booking, unique packaging, can
be the prices less than the alternatives.

Step 4 – Commitment
This is the stage when the individual after researching a lot makes decision to try the
particular product. The customers initially buy the product in small quantities as it is having a
trial. The Prufrock Coffee must serve the customers in the best possible way in terms of product
as well as service it can, as this will help the company in presenting the feedbacks and reviews
on the online platforms and through the mouth publicity. The customer creates an attitude
towards the business after trying its product and the service. It must accept its bookings online as
well as for home deliveries to meet the needs of many consumers who prefer enjoying food at
their place.
Step 5 – Support
This is the post purchase or evaluation stage. The performance of the business is
evaluated in this stage by the consumers. If the performance is equal to the customer’s
expectation then it can repeat the purchase and if not, it is rejected and a negative feedback is
given to others as well as on social networking sites. So, the Prufrock Coffee must perform well
in terms of taste, staff, hygiene and all the services in order to make its performance much better
than their expectations thereby making then satisfied. This leads to positive feedbacks and many
loyal customers.
Therefore, if the business lays emphasis on all these steps effectively and perform accordingly
then it can have a large customer base with loyal consumers and a great profit margin.
Importance of mapping
The mapping of consumers’ decision-making journey benefits the customers as well as the
businesses in the following ways:
 It can increase the ROI by targeting effectively by optimizing each channel in terms of data
of great quality (Kim and Lee, 2017).
 Having better interactions with the customers can help the business by being the advocates to
advertise its products and services by giving positive feedbacks to their friends.

 It improves the sales cycle as every step engages customer whose needs must be satisfied.
Large customer base results in greater sales and high profitability.
 Ability to benchmark the experience of the customers regarding what they need and what
they received.
Levels of Consumer Decision-Making
It has 3 major levels in terms of problem-solving which are as follows:
 Extensive: High involvement of consumers in the product in terms of all the criteria to fulfil
their needs. Limited: The consumers do a normal search to select a product among many alternatives. Routine: Low involvement of consumers to select any product which satisfies its basic need.
Factors influencing the decision-making of Customers
The factors can be the past experiences of the customer itself, the feedbacks from others,
the differences in terms of needs, age, gender, socioeconomic status, various cognitive biases, the
performance of the business in terms of product, service, price and place, promotional activities
etc. (Shi, 2018). For example, the people of age group between 15 to 35 prefer more varieties of
coffee so they will be attracted by the Prufrock coffee to have a try and taste its product and can
have its experience.
Response of Marketers
Marketers play a major role in consumer decision-making journey. The above mentioned
5 steps can be a guide to the marketers to improve the value of the company and its customer
base. Marketers must have a clear understanding to communicate effectively to the consumers.
The marketing must be efficient in order to satisfy the needs of the customers. The individuals
must be convinced by the marketers to make a purchase or try the coffee at Prufrock Coffee

because these are the first ones to introduce the company to the customers which helps in
attracting maximum number of customers.
Therefore, the Consumer decision-making is the most important process for the consumers as
well as the businesses whether large or small. So, it is important to map their journey to make it
easy for the businesses to improve in certain areas. Every part of the business respond to the
mapping in order to satisfy the changing needs and demands of the customers. Prufrock Coffee
in UK realized its need and appointed various marketers to have a deeper insight of the
customers.
LO2
Differences of decision-making process
The management within each business or companies thinks differently while taking any
decision in both contexts, B2C and B2B. Decision-making of top-level management at Prufrock
coffee has been compared below in the both contexts.
Decision-making process in the context of B2C (Business to Customer)
While taking any decision within this context, upper management of this small business
have to complete whole market research for analysis the actual wants and requirements of
customers (Nemeschansky, von der Heidt and Kim, 2019). This is very necessary to this business
for taking decisions towards deeply analysing the actual wants and requirements of customers,
because analysing these, Prufrock coffee will enable to produce its products and services
according to customers’ needs. There are various factors also affects to top-level management of
this small business while conducting its different business operations for customers, in which the
management should be taken decisions towards systematically dealing with the impact of these
all factors. While making decisions in the context of B2C, existing management within Prufrock
coffee have to consider market trends as well, because mostly customers like to buy things which
are trending in the market place.

Currently most customers within the United Kingdom very much like to buy quality goods and
services, in which existing management of this firm have to take decision towards implementing
different approaches of operations management, like; total quality management, just in time etc.,
because these approaches effectively contribute in managing of products. So that after using
these approaches of quality control, Prufrock coffee able to provide quality coffee to its various
customers in place of market. While taking any decision in the context of business to customer,
this small business have to avoid take such decisions which can negatively affect to its different
customers (Zhang, Liang and Wang, 2016). That’s why upper management of Prufrock coffee
have to take decision towards maintaining an effectiveness within its daily operations for very
positively effecting its various customers in the market.
Decision-making process in the context of B2B (Business to Business)
Top-level management of this small business has always required to take decisions in the
context of business to business as well. Basically, many businesses also depend on this small
coffee café house for fulfilling their needs of coffee. This business offers services to customers
as well as different businesses, corporate companies, IT venture and retail, firms as well. In this
situation, while dealing with different businesses, upper management of this company have to
think differently in its decision-making processes. In the UK, top-level management at most
businesses wants to provides an excellent flavour of coffee to their employees in the workplace
to refresh them perfectly in the coffee bread, in which many of businesses orders coffee from
Prufrock coffee as well for their employees’ refreshment. So that, upper management of this
coffee café house have to take decisions towards providing very excellent flavours of coffee to
various businesses. On the other side, Prufrock coffee many times need to deal with those
businesses also which supplies it lots of raw-material and many other usable things. So that,
existing management have taken appropriate decisions for its suppliers’ businesses as well.
Evaluation
There are various factors exists within the market which highly affects decision-making
process and buying behaviour of customers (Adey and Eastman-Mullins, 2017). For example;
income status, interest, attitude and culture etc. are key factors which can highly customers’

decision-making and behaviour of buying, so that upper management have to consider these all
factors also in its daily business operations.
Approaches to market research and methods of research
There are different approaches available to market research and methods of research, in
which some key approaches and methods has been discussed below;
Focus groups: This is one of the key approaches or methods to market research. This method of
research helps to different companies and individuals for focusing on different groups of people.
By focusing, anyone can simply know about the actual needs and wants of people within the
market.
Observation: observation is the next key approach to market research, in which existing
management of this company can deeply observe movements of markets, because each
movement of market directly affects to this small business while dealing with B2C and B2B.
Internet data: In this dynamic and modern world, there are internet data also a key method or
approach of market research that can support to this business for systematically gain data which
add value in its daily business operations (Dubina and et.al., 2020).
LO3
Influence of markers on the stages of the decision-making process
Marketers highly affects stages of decision-making process in both contexts called; B2C
and B2B. There are generally seven stages has involved in the process of decision-making, in
which these all stages of decision-making have been discussed below with the influence of
marketers.
Identify the decision: This is the first stage in the decision-making process, in which everyone
has to identify its decision to implement in its daily actions. There are marketers can fully affect
this stage by running their different effective campaigns of marketing.

Gather information: In this second stage, the management at Prufrock coffee has required to
gather proper information to successfully implement its decisions. In this situation, its marketers
can support it to provide appropriate information.
Identify alternatives: This is the next key stage in the process where existing management have
to find alternative option in each context B2C and B2B to gain excellent outcomes through its
decision. So that, marketers can support it to get or identify alternatives.
Weigh the evidence: In his stage, the management at this small business have to weigh the
evidence for taking excellent decisions to both contexts B2C and B2B (Dharwadkar and Patil,
2018). In this stage, marketers can support to weighing various evidences.
Choose among alternatives: The management at Prufrock coffee have to choose among
alternative, in which marketing team of this company can support management to get a
productive alternative.
Take action: In this stage, the management at Prufrock coffee have to take action towards taking
appropriate decisions.
Review decision and its results: This is the final stage, where existing management at this small
business have to systematically review its decisions with its results. It needs to consider; what
role has played by own marketing team in this process of decision-making in both contexts B2B
and B2C.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded that top-level management at Prufrock coffee have to deeply analyse
the consumer behaviour. Deep analysis of consumer behaviour will support to this small coffee
café business to get appropriate outcomes in its daily operations (Hirsch and et.al., 2016).
Currently there are very higher competition within the UK’s coffee café market, in which after
analysing behaviour of buying and decision-making process of customers, this small business
will enable to fulfil different needs and wants of customers in very effective manner. Currently
each business tries to systematically understanding the actual needs and wants of customers for
getting very excellent results in their business environment. Currently this small coffee café runs

its business operations in the both contexts called; B2C (Business to Customer) and B2B
(Business to Business), in which existing management have to take some productive decisions
for gaining effective profit margins in both the contexts.

REFERENCES
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satisfaction and purchase intention. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and
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Dharwadkar, N. V. and Patil, P. S., 2018. Customer retention and credit risk analysis using ANN,
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Dubina, O., and et.al., 2020. Customer Loyalty to Bank Services: The Bibliometric
Analysis. Virtual Economics. 3(3). pp.53-66.
Hirsch, J., and et.al., 2016. The analysis of customer density, tenant placement and coupling
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Schamp, C., Heitmann, M. and Katzenstein, R., 2019. Consideration of ethical attributes along
the consumer decision-making journey. Journal of the Academy of Marketing
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Shi, J., 2018. A descriptive analysis of personal values on Zambian women'consumer decision-
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Online

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