Describing the Customer’s Costs
TYPICAL COSTS FOR FINAL CUSTOMERS: MAINTAIN STEPS
The Final customer is either an end-user or an installer. Consumers make up the bulk of the end-users, though organizations such as companies, government entities, and other organizations, can also be end-users. The installer type of Final customer includes both contractors, who serve the ultimate end-user, as well as original equipment manufacturers, who buy products to install in their own Final product.
The Final customers take four steps in connection with the product:
Acquire,
Use,
Maintain and
Dispose. Each of these four steps cause the Final customer to incur additional steps and costs in connection with the product. Some of these additional Maintain costs include:
C. Maintain Steps: Maintain steps include all activities required to keep the product in working order. These steps include the costs the customer incurs to diagnose and correct product problems.
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Set maintenance policies: The customer must establish policies for maintaining the product in its appropriate state.
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Remove product from service/storage: The customer must remove the product from its place of use or from storage in order to repair it.
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Diagnose problem: The customer must determine the nature of the repairs necessary.
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Establish repair procedures: The customer must establish procedures to be used in the repair process.
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Determine value of repair: The customer determine the value of the product once it is repaired.
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Determine cost of repair: The customer must determine the cost of repairing the product appropriately.
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Gather supplies and equipment necessary for repair: The customer must assemble the supplies, equipment and work force necessary for the repair.
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Repair problem: The customer must repair the product.
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Pay for repair: The customer must pay for the repair procedures.
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Return to storage/service: The customer must return the product to its physical place of use or storage.