customer-segmentation

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.