Jobs to be Done (JTBD)
for Manufacture of paints, varnishes and similar coatings, printing ink and mastics (ISIC 2022)
The industry's products are highly functional, serving critical roles in various end-use applications. Customers 'hire' paints, inks, and mastics to perform specific, often complex, jobs (e.g., protection, adhesion, aesthetics, conductivity, barrier function). Understanding these specific jobs,...
What this industry needs to get done
When market demands shift towards sustainable or high-performance materials, and competitors introduce advanced formulations, I want to quickly develop and launch new paint/coating formulations that meet emerging performance and regulatory standards, so I can maintain market relevance and capture new segment opportunities, avoiding market obsolescence.
The R&D cycle for new complex chemical formulations is long and expensive, often failing to keep pace with rapid technological advancements and evolving environmental regulations (CS06: 4/5), leading to missed market windows and increasing market obsolescence risk (MD01: 3/5).
- New product launch lead time reduction
- Percentage of revenue from new products (less than 3 years old)
- Percentage compliance with new environmental regulations
When applying paints/coatings in diverse, specialized environments (e.g., automotive, construction, electronics), I want to ensure the coating adheres perfectly, performs its intended protective or aesthetic function under specific conditions, and is easy to apply, so I can achieve optimal end-product quality, reduce rework, and minimize application time/cost.
The 'functional specificity' and 'diverse application contexts' mean that off-the-shelf products often require extensive modification or fail to perform optimally, leading to application errors and costly re-dos for end-users, compounded by unit ambiguity (PM01: 4/5) in product selection and application instructions.
- First-pass application success rate
- Warranty claim rate reduction for coating failures
- Application labor hours per unit
When operating in an industry with high structural toxicity and public scrutiny, I want to demonstrate absolute commitment to environmental responsibility, product safety, and ethical sourcing throughout my supply chain, so I can maintain regulatory compliance, secure my social license to operate, and build trust with customers and the public.
The high 'structural toxicity & precautionary fragility' (CS06: 4/5) and 'labor integrity & modern slavery risk' (CS05: 4/5) make it challenging to maintain transparent, certifiable, and continuously compliant operations across complex, interdependent global supply chains (MD02: 4/5).
- Environmental violation fines reduction
- Supplier ethical audit compliance score
- Public perception of sustainability index
When making significant R&D, market entry, or M&A investments in a market with high obsolescence risk and increasing commoditization, I want to feel confident that my strategic decisions are based on accurate, forward-looking market insights and will yield sustainable competitive advantage, so I can avoid costly missteps, secure long-term growth, and protect shareholder value.
The speed of market obsolescence (MD01: 3/5) and the 'contextual variation in jobs driving product portfolio specialization' make it difficult to predict future demand and identify truly disruptive opportunities, leading to significant uncertainty in strategic planning and decision-making.
- ROI of strategic investments
- Percentage of strategic initiatives meeting goals
- Executive decision-making confidence index
When sourcing a wide array of specialized chemical raw materials from an interdependent trade network, I want to ensure a stable, cost-effective, and compliant supply of high-quality raw materials, so I can maintain consistent production, manage costs, and meet customer delivery schedules.
The 'trade network topology & interdependence' (MD02: 4/5) can lead to frequent supply chain disruptions, price volatility (MD03: 3/5), and difficulties in verifying the compliance and ethical sourcing (CS05: 4/5) of diverse raw material inputs.
- Raw material cost variance
- On-time raw material delivery percentage from suppliers
- Supply chain disruption frequency
When overseeing daily operations and financial performance, I want to feel a sense of stability and control over the company's core financial metrics and operational efficiency, so I can ensure the business remains viable, meets its immediate obligations, and maintains investor confidence.
While basic financial and operational reporting systems are generally adequate, the inherent 'margin volatility' and 'structural competitive regime' (MD07: 3/5) of the industry can still cause anxiety, even when fundamental tracking tools are in place.
- Gross profit margin stability
- Working capital days
- Quarterly EBITDA versus forecast
When seeking to differentiate products in a market facing increasing commoditization, I want to clearly articulate the unique value proposition of our specialized coatings/inks to specific customer segments, so I can win new business, command premium pricing, and avoid being seen as a commodity provider.
The 'high degree of functional specificity' and 'diverse application contexts' make it hard for sales teams to tailor messaging without deep technical knowledge, and for marketing to cut through the noise in a 'structural competitive regime' (MD07: 3/5) characterized by increasing commoditization.
- Sales win rate
- Average selling price (ASP) versus market
- Customer conversion rate
When managing production lines for various paint and coating formulations, I want to efficiently schedule production batches to minimize changeover times and maximize throughput, so I can meet production targets, optimize resource utilization, and reduce operational costs.
Basic production scheduling software is widely available and implemented; while optimizing for the specific nuances of chemical batch processes can be challenging, the foundational 'job' of scheduling is well-addressed by existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) and manufacturing execution systems (MES).
- Production throughput per hour
- Changeover time reduction
- On-time production completion rate
When seeking to attract investment or form strategic alliances in a rapidly evolving, capital-intensive industry, I want to clearly communicate our long-term vision, innovation pipeline, and unique market position to potential investors and partners, so I can secure necessary funding, expand market reach, and accelerate growth.
In an industry characterized by 'market obsolescence & substitution risk' (MD01: 3/5) and a need for significant R&D, convincing external parties of sustained competitive advantage, beyond just current product sales, is challenging due to the complexity and long-term nature of chemical innovation.
- Investor funding secured rate
- Strategic partnership agreements signed
- Valuation multiples
Strategic Overview
The 'Manufacture of paints, varnishes and similar coatings, printing ink and mastics' industry (ISIC 2022) is characterized by a high degree of functional specificity, diverse application contexts, and increasing commoditization in many segments (MD07). The Jobs to be Done (JTBD) framework offers a powerful lens to move beyond product features and understand the true underlying 'job' that customers are hiring these products to accomplish. This approach can unlock significant innovation opportunities, particularly in addressing challenges like market obsolescence (MD01) and margin volatility (MD03) by focusing on value creation for specific, unmet customer needs.
JTBD is particularly relevant in an industry where products are often inputs to a larger customer process, such as constructing a building, manufacturing an automobile, or producing packaging. By deeply understanding the functional, emotional, and social 'jobs' of architects, engineers, brand managers, or applicators, companies can develop highly differentiated solutions. This moves the focus from 'selling paint' to 'solving the job of protecting assets in extreme environments' or 'enabling rapid, vibrant packaging production,' thereby creating higher-value offerings and enhancing competitive advantage.
This strategy enables firms to innovate specialized coatings (e.g., antimicrobial, self-healing, conductive) by focusing on the 'job' of specific end-users in medical, automotive, or electronics industries. Similarly, it can drive the development of printing inks that fulfill jobs like 'reducing drying time' or 'enhancing color vibrancy' for specific printing applications, or mastics that address the 'job' of extreme temperature resistance or superior adhesion in construction or manufacturing. This customer-centric approach helps mitigate risks associated with market saturation (MD08) and enables a more precise pricing strategy (MD03).
4 strategic insights for this industry
Uncovering Latent Functional 'Jobs' Across Value Chains
Beyond basic protection or color, end-users in construction, automotive, or electronics industries 'hire' coatings, inks, or mastics for highly specific, often overlooked functional jobs (e.g., 'reducing HVAC energy consumption with reflective coatings,' 'enabling rapid curing on complex substrates,' 'ensuring food safety through migration-resistant inks'). This deep dive reveals opportunities for high-value, niche products that address critical pain points, moving beyond basic product specifications (MD01: Maintaining Competitiveness Amidst Technological Shifts).
Emotional & Social 'Jobs' Driving Specification Choices
Customers also 'hire' products for emotional jobs (e.g., 'ensuring brand consistency across diverse packaging types,' 'providing peace of mind regarding structural integrity') and social jobs (e.g., 'meeting stringent environmental regulations,' 'demonstrating corporate sustainability commitments' via low-VOC or bio-based solutions). These non-functional aspects are increasingly critical differentiators and influence purchasing decisions, particularly in B2B contexts where reputation and compliance are key (CS06: Structural Toxicity & Precautionary Fragility, CS03: Social Activism & De-platforming Risk).
Identifying 'Job Steps' for Service and Digital Innovation
The JTBD framework extends beyond the product to the entire 'job process.' For example, the 'job of applying paint' includes surface preparation, application, curing, and maintenance. Identifying pain points at each 'job step' can lead to innovations in application tools, pre-treatment solutions, post-application services, or even digital tools for process optimization and predictive maintenance, creating new revenue streams and deepening customer relationships (MD06: Distribution Channel Architecture, MD03: Pricing Strategy Complexity).
Contextual Variation in 'Jobs' Driving Product Portfolio Specialization
The 'job' a product performs is highly contextual. A 'protective coating' for offshore wind turbines has different requirements (weathering, corrosion, marine fouling) than one for medical devices (biocompatibility, sterilization resistance). Understanding these contextual nuances allows for highly specialized product development and market segmentation, mitigating structural market saturation (MD08) and reducing the risk of a one-size-fits-all approach that fails to capture premium value (MD01: Market Erosion from Niche Innovations).
Prioritized actions for this industry
Conduct deep ethnographic research with end-users and adjacent stakeholders (e.g., architects, equipment manufacturers, applicators) to map the complete 'job' processes for key customer segments.
This will uncover unspoken pain points, workarounds, and unfulfilled emotional/social jobs that traditional market research often misses, leading to breakthrough product and service innovations. It directly addresses 'Maintaining Competitiveness Amidst Technological Shifts' by revealing new areas for innovation beyond current product attributes.
Re-segment the market based on the specific 'jobs to be done' rather than traditional industry verticals or product types, and tailor value propositions accordingly.
Traditional segmentation often groups customers by industry, but their 'jobs' can vary significantly. Re-segmenting by 'job' allows for more precise targeting, highly relevant product development, and differentiated messaging, leading to stronger market positions and reduced commoditization pressure (MD07).
Shift R&D focus from incremental product feature additions to developing solutions that help customers 'get their job done' more effectively, efficiently, or emotionally satisfyingly.
This strategic shift in R&D ensures innovation efforts are directly tied to customer value, increasing the likelihood of market adoption and premium pricing. For example, developing a 'faster drying time' ink solves a specific production efficiency job, rather than just 'better color saturation' (MD01: Adapting Production Infrastructure, MD03: Margin Volatility & Erosion).
Explore 'un-consuming' or 'under-consuming' segments, i.e., customers who currently avoid or minimally use coatings/inks/mastics because existing solutions don't adequately address their 'job'.
This helps identify entirely new market opportunities or significant expansion in existing ones by designing solutions that overcome existing barriers to adoption. For example, developing easy-to-apply, low-prep coatings for DIY markets that traditionally avoid complex application processes (MD08: Limited Organic Growth Opportunities).
From quick wins to long-term transformation
- Conduct internal workshops with sales, technical support, and R&D teams to map known customer pain points and 'workarounds' related to product application and performance.
- Interview 5-10 key customers or end-users asking open-ended questions about the 'problems' they solve with your products, rather than just their satisfaction with features.
- Create a 'Job Story' for a specific product, focusing on the context, motivation, and desired outcome (e.g., 'When I am [situation], I want to [motivation], so I can [expected outcome]').
- Establish a dedicated cross-functional 'Job Discovery Team' focused on ethnographic research and customer observation.
- Integrate JTBD insights into the product development and innovation pipeline, with specific 'job-centric' requirements for new product briefs.
- Develop and test prototypes that specifically address identified 'job steps' or unmet 'jobs' rather than just improving existing product features.
- Embed JTBD as a core strategic framework across the organization, influencing R&D, marketing, sales, and service delivery.
- Restructure market segmentation and go-to-market strategies around 'jobs to be done' to build deeper, more lasting customer relationships.
- Foster a culture of continuous customer-centric innovation, where 'job satisfaction' becomes a primary measure of product success.
- Confusing 'jobs' with 'features' or 'solutions' (e.g., 'I need a durable paint' vs. 'I need to protect my assets from corrosion for 10 years without re-application').
- Failing to conduct deep ethnographic research, relying instead on superficial surveys or internal assumptions about customer needs.
- Internal resistance to changing established market segmentation or product development processes.
- Over-focusing on functional jobs at the expense of understanding emotional and social jobs.
- Not understanding the 'bigger picture' job the customer is trying to achieve, leading to sub-optimal solutions.
Measuring strategic progress
| Metric | Description | Target Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| New Product Success Rate (Job-Centric) | Percentage of new products explicitly designed to fulfill a specific, identified 'job' that achieve target revenue or market share. | Achieve >70% success rate for job-centric new products within 2 years of launch. |
| Customer 'Job Fulfillment' Score | Survey-based score measuring how effectively customers perceive the product/service in helping them complete their intended 'job.' | Increase average job fulfillment score by 15% annually across target segments. |
| Share of Wallet (by Job Category) | Measure of the company's revenue from customers addressing a specific 'job' relative to their total spend on solutions for that job. | Increase share of wallet in key job categories by 10-20% within 3 years. |
| Innovation Pipeline Contribution (Job-Driven) | Percentage of R&D projects and capital expenditure allocated to solving identified customer 'jobs' vs. incremental product improvements. | Allocate >60% of R&D budget to job-driven innovation projects. |
Other strategy analyses for Manufacture of paints, varnishes and similar coatings, printing ink and mastics
Also see: Jobs to be Done (JTBD) Framework