Many gamers are interested in the question: what is customization? It refers to any process in which any element of the game is created, improved or decorated. Most often, this concept refers to the main character and changes to existing projects. Customization is entirely dependent on the tools that the manufacturer creates directly for the players. The projects differ from each other in that some have a huge editor with great functionality, while others have a small choice between models.
The popularity of customization in games
Customization is an opportunity for a player to express himself in any gameplay. He can create a hero that will stand out and be as unique as possible. RPG players are often happy about this. The editor can give gamers the opportunity to create any character they like. Customization also applies to those games in the shooter genre. She usually grabs interesting weapons in them. Common in racing self-creation cars And these are just the most popular options.
Explanation of the term
The term “customization” is a concept that refers to a change in any element in a product that makes it more convenient for the buyer to use. This word is often used by marketers in the professional field. IN in this case it will mean a change in the design of manufactured products. This term is also often used in the digital industry.
The Windows operating system is software, which can be improved and changed. Everyone who loves beautiful desktops has been coming up with beautiful screensavers since the first version.
Today, customization concerns not only the design of the system, but also the inside of the computer. Users are allowed to install gadgets, download various themes and wallpapers. But you need to understand that there is no possibility to rewrite the code. Most often, this term is used in games in which manufacturers allow gamers to create levels, new characters, and so on. Special editors are used for this.
Characters in RPGs
Customization is a never-ending process in RPG games. Immediately upon first login, the user opens an editor in which you can select the hero’s appearance and size. In many large games, you can change even small elements of the face, creating an almost perfect character.
Far in this issue The game Fallout 4 has advanced. After it was released, gamers spent at least 3-4 hours in it, without really starting the process. Customization continues throughout the game: a choice of armor and clothing is constantly provided. A person can choose any option according to his preference.
In the game "Skyrim" you are even allowed to choose hairstyles, and in Fable you can get tattoos. Thanks to this approach, users do not lose interest and do not abandon the project halfway through.
Editor in MMORPG
The customization overview should be described separately. In this genre, this process is practically the main one. The fact is that in such games each user tries to stand out from the rest. The gameplay continues constantly, it is possible to participate in the adventure as a group. If there is no way to immediately stand out from the rest, then players, as a rule, will not like this project at first glance.
It is necessary to note Korean MMORPGs that belong to upper class. We are talking about Blade and Soul and others. The built-in editor allows you to even change the color of your eyes. It would seem like a frivolous and small detail, but many players like it. In games of these genres, customization does not end with the design of one character. In a project that is known throughout the world, World of Warcraft, the hunt for beautiful clothes began quite a long time ago, but is still relevant. In many games, customization is very different. General feature each process - to make the player interested.
New customization
Examples of customization have already been described above. Now we need to talk about how this process is changing. In 2010, the question arose about how to introduce paid content into the project, which would be secondary and would not affect the main one. storyline. Before this period, strong competition was created between players, since, as a rule, material sphere greatly influenced the gamer's position. Nobody liked this.
The concept of “skin” became known after the release of League of Legend, in which customization became paid - basic elements were available for free, but you had to pay extra for special items. This scheme has spread very widely and is now used in all major games. These are the possibilities of customization.
IN lately among marketers " new wave“There is a growing belief that customization of products and services is a dead-end path that does not pay off and is dying out.
Marketers cite the following arguments to support their opinion:
- Creating your own product turns out to be too much for the buyer challenging task.
- Personalized products are highly niche and therefore inefficient to produce.
- Customization turns out to be justified, being located only between the premium and luxury segments of the market.
- Consumers themselves do not know what they want.
Let me disagree with all these points. And here are my reasons:
1. Is creating your own product too difficult for the buyer?
If customization turns out to be too difficult for the buyer, then this only means one thing - creating a system for customizing products turned out to be too difficult for the seller.
With today's level of development of web technologies, there is nothing impossible in turning the service of customizing products “for yourself” into a cool game.
Along with the opportunity to create your own bicycle model, the developers offer eight of the most popular customizations - each of them can be opened and brought into ready-made example desired changes.
As a result, even a user who has no idea how big he wants will not leave the site without a two-wheeled friend - people are greedy for other people's opinions and like to trust the tastes of other people.
Thus, if buyers themselves do not know what they want, we must tell them about it.
Many assure that customization and personalization of goods is becoming a thing of the past. I am sure of the opposite, the future lies in things that customers can have a hand in creating. We are entering an era in which people are aware of their insatiable desire to stand out from their peers, and we are still in for a boom in highly customizable services and personalized products. And we can see the birth of this boom right now.
03.10.2009
What is customization of goods and services?
Customization (from the English customer - client, consumer) implies the release of a mass finished product personalized for a specific consumer. The client today has become capricious; he has a lot to choose from. The era of customization is coming, the consumer is looking for his own, unique product.The main task of customization is to create a product for a specific consumer that would satisfy his personal needs.
The manufacturer is faced with a modern question: how to produce such a product while still making a significant profit? Quite often, the manufacturer follows his own preferences, with little interest in the wishes of the client. As a result, unclaimed goods and services in the consumption market.
Both marketers and technologists, each in their place, know their job perfectly. A marketer is well versed in the purchasing preferences of the target audience. A technologist is a professional in producing products. But there is no coherence in their work. There is no system. There is no mutual understanding. In any large corporation, marketers and sales managers always play the role of an internal customer, completely dependent on the capabilities of production. This is why it can be so difficult to sell a product that is fresh, just off the assembly line, but already deeply obsolete.
The profitability of customization directly depends on the coordinated and efficient work of all departments of the corporation. Marketers propose expanding the range in order to attract as many consumers as possible, as they say - for all tastes and wallets. Sales managers insist on customization and versatility of offers. That is, they try to tailor their product or service to a specific client in order to conclude a deal and receive their rightful premium for volume.
Neither the marketer nor the manager has any idea how much each position they insist on costs.
Customization has another side to the coin. An overly complex product or a large number of proposed options can scare off a potential client and paralyze his will. When a client has a very large choice, it is difficult for him to give preference to a particular brand or model.
Customization has affected almost all areas of production. However, it is easier and cheaper to release a product or service for the target market segment than to customize the product for each specific client.
For example, the production of trucks with separate components for different customer requests is welcome. Why should southerners overpay for frost-resistant tires or some kind of feature for northerners?
I also create and prescribe my trainings for each of my clients. For me, the initial preparation of the group, basic knowledge, experience in the field and even the age of the participants are important. What and how should be presented to experienced people will be completely inappropriate for beginners, “ clean sheets" This is customization, that is, the release of goods for a specific consumer. The more we know about each of our clients, the more likely we are to satisfy their needs.
On the other hand, customization is fraught with an increase in the price of goods and services, which instantly makes this product uncompetitive. Customization is entering our lives confidently; every company and company must finally turn its face to its client. The interaction of all systems of a large production organism can lead to serious customer focus and make the company a sales leader.
Zhanna Pyatirikova
Full or partial copying of the article is possible upon posting
active backlink to the article page of our website, indicating the authorship.
In price competition, product characteristics began to be simplified, and customer needs were reduced to an average value. The return to uniqueness of goods is due to market presence large quantity almost identical products. Fed up with monotony, consumers now want to buy customized products that highlight their status and importance.
Goals and objectives
The main task of individualization is to create in the consumer a feeling of an ideal interaction, in which the client’s personal needs are met and all work is done “only for him.” Customization increases competitive advantage product and creates higher value for the consumer.
The main motives for ordering goods “for yourself”: obtaining public recognition and personal satisfaction of the consumer. An understanding of these reasons is given by considering A. Maslow’s pyramid of needs. At the lower levels of the pyramid (satisfying physiological needs and a sense of security), a person does not think about the exclusivity of the product, and, as a rule, price factor is decisive. But rising to a higher level, and needing public recognition and respect, the consumer begins to pay attention to other qualities of the product. A product individually made for a specific person or a narrow group becomes more desirable in the eyes of the consumer and society and acquires great value. With this motivation, the consumer chooses the wrong product that has best characteristics, but the one that the manufacturer made “for him”. It is this factor that gives the product the greatest value in the eyes of the buyer.
You can make your product unique using:
- replacing some product components with higher quality ones;
- bringing to more high level individual systems, providing them with increased quality characteristics;
- custom manufacturing of all components;
- manual fitting of elements, which provides improved performance by matching elements or system settings.
The result is products high quality with exclusive characteristics that meet the individual needs of the client. The price of such a product will be determined by production costs and the buyer’s willingness to pay for their ambitions, rather than the functional requirements for the product.
From idea to production
When customizing, a revaluation of the real qualities of the product occurs. Generally accepted evaluation parameters for individualized products do not work, since the concept of quality is a purely personal perception of a person, and he himself determines its decisive criteria. At different stages of life (reaching a certain age, status or position in society), assessment parameters may change. Achieving significance and recognition social group is one of the main motivating factors for ordering customized products.
Customization differs from simple product line extensions, in which products are targeted to narrow consumer segments and standardized.
Types of customization:
- Individual (expert). Creating a product for the individual needs of a specific client. Suitable for high-end products and associated with high costs.
- Modular. Used if the product can be divided into its parts or components. In this case, the consumer can choose his own option for completing the system elements.
- At the level appearance . The buyer can choose the type of packaging or packaging.
Customization at the component level of the final product may be the best way out of the situation. A striking example serves as pizza making. When preparing it, the buyer can order exactly his favorite set of components. Some models of equipment are produced using the same principle, which are equipped with the set of devices required by the consumer.
Customization can also be divided into:
- horizontal(when the product is modified from standard elements offered to choose from);
- vertical(the product is created from unique components, which are also created based on the individual wishes of the client).
Creating a custom product is creative process, in which two parties are directly involved: both the manufacturer and the customer.
Main stages of the customization process:
- The first and most important stage is to understand the client’s needs, his desires and interests, and the motivation for purchasing this product.
- Determining the set of properties and characteristics that a product must have to satisfy the buyer’s needs.
- Clear recording of all the client’s wishes to transfer the order to production.
- Cost calculation and price agreement with the client.
- Production and delivery of goods to the buyer.
Food products that can be customized
Customizable products must consist of components that can be easily changed or adapted to the customer's needs. Not every food product can be customized - consumer goods with low elasticity (for example, bread, milk) are purchased to satisfy a physiological need (to satisfy hunger). These products are low-margin and although they are in daily demand, there is no point in uniqueizing them. In this case, costs will exceed profitability. But chocolate is a completely different matter, confectionery or delicacies. A person purchases such products for pleasure and is willing to pay more for it.
You can customize products using variations in the set of components, a unique recipe, or individual packaging. You can personalize your product with unique packaging or labels.
Food products that can be made to order (individual or modular customization):
- chocolate and confectionery products;
- elite drinks, cocktails;
- herbal preparations, teas;
- sets for breakfast cereals;
- ice cream with different fillings;
- meat and fish delicacies to order;
- raw milk products;
- selection and home delivery of individual food packages.
Feasibility, benefit or just cost?
Product uniqueness is associated with additional costs for production (system for receiving orders, sending it to production, manufacturing and delivery to the client) and promotion. The cost of such goods must be recouped either through high prices or through expansion of market share. As a rule, small companies practice an individual approach to the manufacture of goods for a specific consumer, but for large manufacturing or trading companies, customizing a certain group of goods can also be cost-effective.
The feasibility of the process must be assessed based on the following product parameters:
- Planned market capacity. To assess the size of the market capacity, it is necessary to clearly understand who the target buyer is, what price he is willing to pay for a unique product, and how often he will order it?
- Product unit profitability. Manufacturing and delivery costs. Promotion costs.
- Prospects for market share growth.
- Planned project risks. Such risks include: low demand for the proposed product, competitive products, low profitability, etc.
Adjustment to the individual tastes of each consumer can be beneficial if the process is properly organized. One of the most effective ways increasing profitability and reducing costs for the production of customized goods is clear coordination and communication between production and customer service personnel.
The feasibility of customization depending on the type and market share of companies:
For small companies- this is an opportunity to find and occupy your niche, “detuning” from competitors.
For large trading enterprises customization of a certain area of the product range allows you to increase consumer loyalty and sales of products from the main range. Even by making one product to order, the company ensures its reputation as a manufacturer “that takes into account the needs and wishes of the buyer.”
Changing a traditional product/service to suit the needs of individual consumers
The Dell company practices the “Build the computer of your dreams” service: you can set the necessary characteristics for the hard drive, select the required amount of memory and many, many other characteristics. This new trend predominantly Western companies - customization - changing a traditional product/service to suit the needs of individual consumers.
Customization, appealing to history market relations, not something innovative, on the contrary, the market began with it: suits were made by tailors to individual orders, jewelry, and interior items were made exclusively for the client. Having switched to a different type of marketing, the market began to focus on reducing costs and optimizing production, and goods began to be “stamped” in mass quantities and lost their main value- individuality. As a result, the consumer lost himself, his style and became one “big client” for the company.
Tired of the monotony, the client began to demand an individual approach, and organizations began to offer this kind of service for a very impressive price: “They say, if you want an individual approach, pay double.” As a result, we are witnessing a process of filling the market with “identical” goods, from which one wants to move on to something new and unique.
Customization in Russia
The West clearly demonstrates the promise of customization, however, Russia still lacks positive experience, if only for the reason that Russians are not always ready to pay impressive sums to be different. At the same time, a group of consumers has already formed in megacities, which can be considered the target audience for customized goods. The need for products that are tailored to personal tastes is critical where market capacity is large. For example, in the auto business, customization was not only put on stream, but also made an additional source of profit. It is more profitable for a salon to sell a car with additional luxury options than with a standard set. So, about 10% of total number orders in domestic car dealerships are made up of individual assembly. In addition, there are premium models, the equipment and interior design of which are exclusive. In this case, clients, as a rule, try to “stuff” the car with absolutely everything, sometimes even those options that they will never use.
In the customization process, in addition to the client’s taste nuances, the image characteristics of the product are also taken into account, i.e. when the same product is packaged differently for different customers. Not as a reproach to domestic producers, but it is no secret that a number of branded juices are bottled at the same plant and positioned in different price segments. Design is one of the main tools for customization: design of packaging, interior, clothing, jewelry, equipment, etc.
A successful example of customization can be considered the activities of the chocolate manufacturer Konfael, which is developing a network of stores of the same name. The salon's assortment includes sweet souvenirs and sets for various holidays. Along with them, you can also purchase a completely personalized product - for example, order a chocolate figure of your favorite mother-in-law in full height. Artists undertake not only to reproduce external resemblance, but if desired, they can adjust her shape to Hollywood standards or “dress up” as Catherine II. And in 2011, one famous designer presented a collection of chocolate dresses at a fashion show. Of course, such clothes are not intended to be worn, but they are ideal as creative idea for photography or display on the podium.
Unusual overlays, stickers, sequins, rhinestones - everything that individualizes an item, arouses interest in it and a desire to purchase it. Given the fierce competition in each market segment, manufacturers are forced to expand the scope of use of the product and its functionality in order to subsequently adjust the design to technical features and vice versa. For example, jackets are in high demand mobile phones. The good idea is that the client sticks the image on himself, failure is excluded - the jockets can be re-glued several times. This custom design method is very exciting.
Marketers say that, unlike the West, Russian business I am not yet ripe for such customer focus. In our country, the trend of “boxed” solutions is more pronounced. Ready-made rates, ready-made tours, ready-made packages. On an industrial scale, that is, in the mass market, where it is necessary to ensure fast traffic, or flow, any personalization increases operating costs. Who needs it? And why bother with customization if they already buy everything. Any mass production is obviously cheaper than an individual approach. But there is different ways personalization. You can use expert customization, then you will have to create for each client new product. For example, the company Paris Miki sells glasses, each model of which is designed based on a photograph of the buyer and taking into account his personal preferences. This option is extremely expensive and significantly increases the cost of the final product. The alternative is modular customization. If the product involves some division into elements (a set of functional parts), then the client may be given the opportunity to choose his own package. This is what the already mentioned Dell company does. Another option is customization at the design level, that is, the person himself chooses the packaging style and shape of the product. For example, the Porsche Cayenne model offers wide combinatorial possibilities for interior design, from elegant to sporty, thanks to a diverse palette of colors and panel structures. For example, stylish wood trim, aluminum trim or - directly borrowed from motorsport - carbon fiber. Everything according to the client's taste.
Any product can be customized, especially if the development of an idea is aimed not so much at increasing profits, but at increasing the credibility and prestige of the trademark. The so-called luxury goods and services should be in small quantities and expensive. Otherwise, what is their value?
Exclusive copyright belongs to the creative agency "Logodesigner". Reprinting and copying of site materials is permitted if a direct link to the www.site is installed. Any other borrowing is illegal.