In the Customers Profile, you describe the customer types that the business serves. This represents part of the “what” of the Zachman Framework.
The aim with filling out this definition is to enter bullet-point observations about your customers that help you get a better understanding of your business.
Category
Enter the categories that the customer type belongs to. See also Categories.
Characteristics
Enter key characteristics of the customer type that distinguish it from another and identify unique needs. For example, customer types might vary based on quality standards that they demand, seasonal demand, preference for mail order or electronic transactions, and so on.
Value disciplines
Enter the value discipline that a customer type admires in your business: for example, product leadership, intimacy in service, operational efficiency, and so on.
Critical issues
Enter critical issues of the customer, such as price of product, stability of product, or functionality/performance of product.
Relative power
Specify whether the company has the power to impose processes on this customer type, and/or whether the customer can impose processes on the company. In the Customers box, specify the processes that can be imposed.
Relationship
Business and major customers
Characterization
Specify the relationship between the business and this customer type: whether it is Strategic Partnering, Arms-length market place transactions, or formal competitive procurement.
Relationship type
Specify the relationship type between the business and this customer type: whether it is Cooperative, Neutral, or Adversial.
Infrastructure sharing
Enter a description of any sharing of infrastructure or standards between the company and this customer type. For example, use of web for product delivery or services.