74 Examples of Customer Needs

John Spacey, October 06, 2021

Customer needs are factors that make a product or service valuable to a customer. This includes functions that allow the customer to accomplish a goal such as a restaurant that satisfies the need to eat and drink. Customer needs also include preferences such as a customer who prefers food that tastes good to them in an environment that feels safe, clean or stimulating. The following are common examples of customer needs.

Accessibility	Accuracy & Precision
Ambience	Availability
Capacity	Certainty
Cleanliness	Color
Comfort	Compatibility
Competence	Configurability
Consistency	Convenience
Country of Origin	Cultural Needs
Diligent Service	Durability
Ease of Assembly	Ease of Purchase
Efficiency	Entertainment
Epic Meaning	Ethical Concerns
Fast Service	Features
Fit for Purpose	Flexibility
Formulations	Friendly Service
Functions	Health & Wellness
Information	Ingredients
Language	Legal Terms
Location	Look & Feel
Maintainability	Materials
Package Sizes	Package Usability
Peak Experiences	Performance
Price	Privacy
Product Information	Product Refinement
Product Usability	Quality
Quantity	Relaxation
Reliability	Request Turnaround Time
Respect	Reusability
Risk Reduction	Safety
Security	Sense & Sensation
Shape & Form	Sizes
Smell & Lack of Smell	Social Interaction
Social Status	Stability
Standards Compliance	Style
Sustainability	Taste
Texture	Trust
Uniqueness	Variety

Accessibility - the ability to access things such as a hotel room that is accessible for people with disabilities.

Ambience - the general feel of a physical or virtual environment such as a video game that feels peaceful, cute and safe.

Availability - how often the product or service is available as expected. For example, a supermarket that is always well stocked versus one that is always out of stock.

Capacity - how much a product or service can handle. For example, a restaurant with big tables as opposed to one where a maximum of 4 people can sit together.

Certainty - customers often avoid ambiguity such as a product that doesn't explain itself so as to leave customer questions unanswered.

Epic Meaning - an experience that is deeply meaningful to an individual. For example, a first time home buyer who views the purchase as deeply meaningful to their life.

Fit for Purpose - a product or service that accomplishes something for the customer. For example, a screwdriver that will turn a particular screw.

Formulations - the collective ingredients in a product. For example, a customer who requires a beverage that is 100% apple juice.

Information - information needs such as a customer in a bookstore who wants to learn the basics of sailing from a book.

Peak experiences - memorable experiences such as a concert that someone will remember for the rest of their life.

Performance - product performance such as a fast printer that just works without any errors.

Sense & Sensation - the sensory experience of a product or service such as a cafe that always smells of fresh brewing coffee.

Shape & Form - the dimensions of the product such as a bookshelf that fits in a particular spot.

Trust - a need to trust a product or service. For example, a homeowner who needs to trust that their insurance company wont unreasonably delay or deny claims.

Variety - a need for selection such as a customer who strongly prefers ice cream shops with many exotic flavors.