| name | customer-segmentation |
| description | Use when treating all customers the same is obscuring priorities, offer design, or service strategy. Use when applying the Customer Segmentation consulting method and when a user asks for Customer Segmentation, method execution, structured diagnosis, or action planning. |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
Customer Segmentation
Use this skill to run Customer Segmentation as a practical consulting method, not as a generic framework explanation.
Method Notes
- Segment for a decision, not for taxonomy beauty.
- Use needs, behavior, value, buying context, and service cost.
Required Inputs
Collect or infer these inputs before execution:
- customer universe
- needs or behaviors
- value data
- usage or buying evidence
If an input is missing, do not block automatically. Mark it as missing, state the assumption used, and add a validation action.
When Not To Use
Do not use without a defined customer population and evidence of differences that change needs, economics, behavior, or treatment. Avoid segments based on convenient demographics that do not change a decision.
Adjacent Methods
jobs-to-be-done: understand progress and switching forces within a segment.empathy-map: build an evidence-based snapshot of one segment or actor.
Step-by-Step Execution
| Step | Required input | How to execute | Output |
|---|
| Define segmentation decision | Business question, offer, service, or GTM decision. | State what the segmentation must help decide. | Segmentation purpose. |
| Choose variables | Needs, behaviors, value, buying context, service cost. | Select dimensions tied to the decision. | Segmentation dimensions. |
| Create segments | Customer data, interviews, usage, purchase patterns. | Group customers with clear inclusion/exclusion rules. | Segment definitions. |
| Profile segments | Segment definitions plus value and needs data. | Describe size, value, pain, channel, willingness to pay, and support needs. | Segment profiles. |
| Prioritize actions | Profiles and strategy constraints. | Choose target, adapt, test, serve differently, or deprioritize. | Segment strategy. |
Output Template
### 1. Segmentation Purpose
Decision to support:
Population:
Available evidence:
Excluded scope:
### 2. Segment Definitions
| Segment | Defining need / behavior | Size / value evidence | Service need | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | |
### 3. Segment Profiles
| Segment | Trigger | Desired outcome | Barrier | Best offer / channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | |
### 4. Action And Validation
| Segment | Action | Owner | Signal | Re-segmentation trigger |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | |
### Evidence And Next Decision
- Confirmed facts:
- Assumptions:
- Missing evidence:
- Next action, owner, and timing:
- Expected signal and decision threshold:
Quality Gate
- Produce the method-specific outputs for Segmentation Purpose, Segment Definitions, Segment Profiles; do not substitute a generic framework summary.
- Tie every material score, causal claim, or stakeholder judgment to evidence or label it as an assumption.
- Include at least one disconfirming check, sensitivity, alternative explanation, or failure condition appropriate to the method.
- Convert the result into a named action or decision with an owner or stakeholder, timing, and observable signal.
- State missing inputs and the smallest validation action instead of inventing precision.
- Keep wording professional and plain enough that a smart non-specialist can use the output directly.
