Jobs-to-be-Done: Why Customers Don’t Buy Products, but Solutions
Many companies define their market based on what they offer. “We sell software. We sell consulting. We sell machines.” This is understandable, but it often falls short. From the customer’s perspective, the product is rarely the focus. What matters is which problem needs to be solved in a specific situation, and which goal needs to be achieved.
This is exactly where the Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) Framework comes in. It focuses not on the product, but on the job the customer wants to get done. Products and services are not simply purchased, but “hired” for a specific purpose.
A job is more than just a task
A job isn’t just a functional task, as people don’t just want to get something done. They also want to feel secure while doing it, reduce complexity, or appear competent to others.
That’s why a job typically encompasses three levels:
- the functional level: What specifically needs to be achieved?
- the emotional level: How should the person feel while doing it?
- the social level: How do they want to be perceived by others?
This distinction is particularly crucial in market research. Simply surveying what people want to achieve does not automatically explain why they choose a particular solution. Only when functional, emotional, and social aspects are considered together does a picture emerge that is truly relevant for positioning, product development, and communication.
Example: Choosing a project management tool as a team
- Functional: Plan tasks clearly, meet deadlines, and ensure nothing is overlooked.
- Emotional: Feel less stressed and have a sense of control.
- Social: Be perceived by the team as organized and structured, rather than as the person who lets things slip through the cracks.
Anyone who focuses solely on the functional level (“I need a tool for task planning”) doesn’t understand why someone would choose Asana over an Excel spreadsheet. The answer often lies in the emotional and social dimensions.
Why traditional data doesn't fully explain decisions
Many companies know which target groups they’re addressing, which features are in demand, and how satisfied their customers currently are. Yet one key question often remains unanswered: Why is a particular offer actually chosen at a specific moment?
A CRM provider may know that medium-sized companies are its primary target audience and that “ease of use” is cited as the most important feature. But that still doesn’t explain why a team switches providers right after a failed quarterly review and not months earlier, when dissatisfaction had long been present.
Demographic characteristics, personas, or product preferences can be helpful. But they only partially explain why people act. To understand decisions, one must examine the situation behind the decision. What are the circumstances? What triggers the impulse to act? What expectations are associated with a new solution? And why does the current solution remain attractive despite this?
This is exactly where the JTBD Framework comes in. Purchase and switching decisions rarely follow a linear path. Existing routines, internal processes, uncertainty, or perceived risks often have a stronger influence than a clear product advantage. Companies therefore compete not only with direct competitors, but also with habits, internal workarounds,and existing solutions that are simply good enough for customers.
Example: Choosing an accounting tool
A company is evaluating a new accounting tool. Objectively speaking, the new product is better. But the employees have grown accustomed to the old system, the data would need to be migrated, and no one wants to take responsibility if something goes wrong during the transition. The biggest competitor here isn’t another tool, it’s the status quo.
The added value of the JTBD framework lies not only in making goals and expectations visible, but also in revealing the obstacles standing in the way of a decision. These frictions are often more revealing than traditional satisfaction metrics because they demonstrate the basis of decisions.
How to apply the JTBD Framework
The framework is not just a conceptual model, but a practical tool. When applying it, the goal is to systematically understand the context of a decision.
- Analyze the initial situation
The starting point is not the product, but the moment when a need arises. What situation leads a person to seek a new solution? (Example: Someone has been sleeping poorly for weeks and regularly wakes up in the morning with backpain.)
- Define the job
The second step is to identify the desired outcome from the customer’s perspective. What underlying goal is paramount in the given situation? (Example: The person isn’t just looking for a new mattress, but for restful sleep and a better start to the day.)
- Understand obstacles and alternatives
In the third step, we examine what makes a change difficult. What obstacles are relevant, and which alternatives are perceived as sufficient in the given situation? (Example: Many hesitate due to high costs, unclear differences in quality, or because the old solution still seems “good enough.”)
- Derive Communication and Offering
Finally, we specify the implications of the previous analyses for positioning, messaging, and offering design. What content and arguments are crucial for providing guidance and building trust at the relevant moment? (Example: Therefore, arguments regarding sleep comfort, guidance in making a selection, and low purchase risk are crucial.)
What this means for businesses
Those who work with the JTBD Framework focus less on product categories and more on the situations in which decisions are made. This reveals what customers are actually trying to achieve, what alternatives they are weighing, and what makes switching difficult.
This is precisely what matters most for strategic market research. Instead of merely tracking preferences or satisfaction scores, the goal is to systematically understand the triggers, expectations, and barriers involved in a decision.This creates a more robust foundation for positioning, product development, and strategic decisions.
If you’re wondering what job lies behind your customers’ decisions, let’s talk about it.
Sources
- Christensen, Clayton M.; Hall, Taddy; Dillon, Karen; Duncan, David S. (2016): Competing Against Luck: The Story of Innovation and Customer Choice.
- Moesta, Bob: Was ist das „Jobs to Be Done“-Modell? The Re-Wired Group.
