Analysis of customer needs for automation equipment projects

　　Automated production equipment is usually customized equipment, and the customer's needs are the basis and goal of the design, as well as the acceptance criteria after the equipment is delivered. No matter how good the equipment manufacturer thinks, the experience-based and head-scratching design that is out of the customer's demand may not be suitable for the customer. Only by comprehensively, meticulously and in-depth understanding of customer needs, and proposing solutions before competitors, can one step ahead to win business opportunities and produce customer-satisfied equipment. It can be seen that understanding customer needs is the first step in project development. It is very important Sex speaks for itself.

　　1. Features of automation equipment

　　Customization. Automation equipment is an existing demand, followed by equipment, which provides personalized equipment and services according to the needs of users. For the same type of equipment, different customers have different considerations, and the design of the equipment will have great deviations. What satisfies customer A may not necessarily satisfy customer B. For example, some customers pay attention to the performance of equipment, and they need to consider multiple security protections, lean, etc.; Standard parts brands and so on.

　　Innovation and risk. Since automation equipment is usually customized according to customer needs, equipment manufacturers need to realize functions by combining different structures based on the principle of mature structures. The process is an innovative process from scratch, and equipment is basically equivalent to new development. Therefore, it is usually followed by risks. The level of risks depends on the technical strength of equipment manufacturers on the one hand, and on the grasp of customer needs on the other hand.

　　2. Customer type

　　Dependent. The customer's own equipment and technical strength is insufficient, and there is no special automation department, and the process/engineering/production department is often responsible for such projects. The requirements put forward by such companies are usually relatively rough, usually only the functions to be realized, other requirements are not specific, and they are highly dependent on equipment providers, only focusing on the final result. It is messy and disorderly, and the engineers of the equipment manufacturers need to sort it out by themselves. But it often cooperates more positively.

　　Changeable. The customer has a certain understanding of the demand, but how to realize it is relatively vague. With the continuous contact with the equipment manufacturer, he gradually forms his own point of view. Such customers are more repetitive, and their needs are not raised at one time, but new requirements are continuously added with the deepening of understanding. Such customers often change the solutions or structures of different equipment manufacturers into their own needs to request other equipment manufacturers.

　　dominant type. The person in charge of the client's project has experience in automation equipment design, and has a good understanding of on-site process and equipment. Before the demand is put forward, there is a preliminary plan or experience in the transformation of the equipment. Such customers have specific and comprehensive requirements for equipment, have clear requirements for specific details of equipment, and will add their own ideas to equipment providers.

　　3. Customer needs

　　Explicit requirements: Explicit requirements are usually clearly stated by customers. For explicit requirements, what equipment manufacturers need to communicate with customers is the rationality of these requirements. These requirements mainly include the main functional parameters and personalized requirements of customized equipment, as shown in the figure below. These parameters are undoubtedly the most important and must be met. These requirements should be digitized as much as possible, and those that cannot be digitized should also be clearly described to avoid ambiguity.

　　Hidden needs:

　　Customer demand focus positioning. The different emphasis of customer needs will form the personalized differences between customers. Different customers have their own emphasis on demand, some focus on equipment function, some focus on operational performance, some focus on delivery time, and some focus on price. These requirements are usually not clearly written in technical agreements/business contracts, and equipment manufacturers can only understand them through communication.

　　The probability of project success. The customer is real, and the demand is also real, but in order to confirm whether the customer will place an order in the short term, some judgments need to be made from a technical point of view. According to the customer's total capacity demand and the capacity/beat of the required equipment, the approximate quantity of the required equipment can be estimated. According to the customer's budget, product sales volume, and market value, the investment payback period of the required equipment can be estimated. If the investment payback period is too long, the customer's investment may be relatively small. If the investment payback period is short, the customer's investment may be relatively small. more sexual.

　　Misleading requirements:

　　Equipment prices. Some customers pay more attention to the performance requirements of the equipment itself at the beginning of the demand, which requires high production capacity, good reliability, and strong applicability. It also specifically stated that money is not an issue. But when you finished the plan, the client thought your price was too high and asked you to revise the plan.

　　Equipment Quantity. Based on the uncertainty of the market/order, or to increase the attractiveness to equipment manufacturers, or to lower the price of equipment, some customers tend to exaggerate the demand for equipment.

　　Exclusive manufacturer. In order to seek better solutions, lower prices, and better services, some customers usually find more than three companies for evaluation. However, they are worried that the cooperation enthusiasm of manufacturers is not high enough, and they usually tell white lies, "I only found your family".

　　The equipment can be used. Some customers often make such requests when their needs are urgent and they want a lower price. But when it was time for delivery, various questions were raised and payment was refused. At this time, they began to ask for revisions.

　　Demand deviation:

　　The requirements are not clear. The customer itself does not know much about automation equipment, but it is only because of the pressure of the superior supervisor or the demand based on the reduction of manpower, so the demand is passive and tentative.

　　There are various demands. Relevant personnel on the client side (engineering personnel/equipment commissioning personnel/purchasing personnel/IE/supervisors at all levels/operators, etc.) have different cognitions, resulting in different perspectives on the problem, so the same plan will have completely different views.

　　There are deviations in the communication between the supply and demand sides. This kind of problem mainly lies in the way of communication and expression. The expression is not precise enough, which leads to the deviation of understanding.