Jobs to be Done (JTBD)
for Support activities for other mining and quarrying (ISIC 0990)
The JTBD framework is exceptionally well-suited for ISIC 0990. Mining companies don't just buy services; they buy solutions to complex, high-stakes operational and strategic problems. This industry faces significant pressure from procurement (MD03) and struggles with differentiating offerings (MD07)...
What this industry needs to get done
When evaluating a new concession or expanding an existing mine, I want to accurately and efficiently delineate ore bodies, so I can optimize resource recovery and minimize exploration costs.
Traditional exploration methods can be time-consuming and costly, leading to delays and inefficient capital allocation in a moderately competitive market (MD07: 3/5).
- ore reserve estimation accuracy %
- exploration drilling cost per tonne
- time to resource definition
When operating in regions with stringent environmental and social regulations, I want to proactively identify and mitigate compliance risks related to environmental impact and community engagement, so I can avoid fines, project delays, and reputational damage.
Navigating complex and evolving regulatory landscapes, especially concerning structural toxicity (CS06: 3/5) and community friction (CS07: 3/5), creates significant operational and financial risk.
- regulatory non-compliance incidents
- community complaint volume
- environmental impact assessment approval time
When managing critical operational systems like dewatering or ventilation, I want to ensure continuous and reliable performance, so I can maintain uninterrupted production and avoid costly downtime.
While solutions exist, ensuring 24/7 reliability in harsh mining environments with moderate temporal synchronization constraints (MD04: 3/5) remains a persistent challenge.
- unplanned downtime hours
- maintenance call-out frequency
- operational efficiency %
When engaging with local communities, Indigenous groups, and environmental advocates, I want to demonstrate responsible and ethical mining practices, so I can maintain my social license to operate and prevent activism-related disruptions.
Successfully navigating cultural friction (CS01: 3/5) and managing social displacement (CS07: 3/5) often requires more than just compliance, demanding genuine engagement and proactive relationship building that many struggle with.
- community grievance resolution rate
- social activism incidence rate
- local employment and procurement %
When entrusting critical support activities to third-party providers, I want to feel confident that they possess the expertise and reliability to deliver results, so I can minimize personal stress and organizational risk.
The highly specialized and interdependent nature of mining support, coupled with the need for strong labor integrity (CS05: 4/5) from partners, makes it difficult to fully trust new providers without proven track records.
- project delivery success rate (partner)
- client satisfaction scores with partner reliability
- on-time project completion %
When managing a complex supply chain involving multiple contractors and regions, I want to ensure ethical labor practices are upheld across all operations, so I can mitigate modern slavery risks and protect my company's reputation.
Monitoring and enforcing labor integrity (CS05: 4/5) across a globally diverse and often transient workforce in remote locations presents significant logistical and oversight challenges.
- labor integrity audit compliance score
- incident rate of labor-related grievances
- supply chain labor audit completion %
When investing significant capital into new mining projects or expansions, I want to have clear visibility and control over project progress and potential roadblocks, so I can make informed strategic decisions and avoid budget overruns or delays.
The structural intermediation and value-chain depth (MD05: 3/5) in large mining projects often obscure direct visibility, making it hard to predict and manage risks effectively and leading to ambiguity (PM01: 4/5) in performance measurement.
- project budget variance
- project schedule variance
- early warning indicator trigger rate
When pitching integrated solutions for complex client needs, I want to clearly articulate our value proposition in terms of measurable outcomes, so I can differentiate ourselves, justify premium pricing, and win high-value tenders.
The inherent unit ambiguity (PM01: 4/5) in services makes it challenging to quantitatively demonstrate value and differentiate offerings, particularly in a tender-based procurement environment (MD06).
- tender win rate
- average contract value
- client reported ROI from services
When engaging with industry peers and stakeholders, I want to be perceived as an innovative leader in adopting sustainable and efficient mining practices, so I can attract top talent, secure favorable partnerships, and enhance our industry standing.
The industry can be slow to adopt new technologies, and establishing a reputation for innovation often requires overcoming internal inertia and external skepticism, especially given a moderate market obsolescence risk (MD01: 2/5) suggesting less pressure for change.
- industry award recognition
- media mentions for innovation
- key talent recruitment rate
When planning for the long-term future of our operations, I want to feel secure that we are ahead of evolving regulatory requirements and market expectations for sustainability, so I can minimize future liabilities and ensure business continuity.
Predicting and adapting to future changes in environmental and social governance standards, particularly regarding structural toxicity (CS06: 3/5) and social displacement (CS07: 3/5), creates constant anxiety about long-term compliance and societal acceptance.
- future regulatory compliance forecast accuracy
- ESG rating improvement
- investor confidence index
When procuring essential resources and managing complex logistics for remote mine sites, I want to streamline the supply chain to ensure timely and cost-effective delivery, so I can maintain operational schedules and control expenses.
While solutions exist, managing complex logistics for remote mining operations with moderate temporal synchronization constraints (MD04: 3/5) and a distributed trade network (MD02: 2/5) can still lead to inefficiencies and bottlenecks.
- supply chain lead time variance
- logistics cost per unit
- on-time delivery % for critical supplies
When a mine site reaches its end-of-life, I want to successfully rehabilitate the land to its original or an agreed-upon state, so I can meet regulatory obligations and leave a positive environmental legacy.
Mine rehabilitation projects are complex, long-term endeavors requiring specialized knowledge, often with high initial costs and significant regulatory scrutiny (CS06: 3/5, CS07: 3/5), making it difficult to execute cost-effectively and to a high standard.
- rehabilitation completion certificate attainment rate
- post-rehabilitation environmental monitoring compliance
- rehabilitation cost per hectare against budget
Strategic Overview
The 'Jobs to be Done' (JTBD) framework offers a powerful lens for firms in 'Support activities for other mining and quarrying' to understand the true underlying needs and motivations of their mining clients. Instead of simply providing a service like 'dewatering' or 'drilling,' JTBD encourages companies to identify the 'job' the client is trying to get done, such as 'ensure uninterrupted production by preventing water ingress' or 'efficiently delineate ore bodies to minimize exploration costs.' This shift in perspective is crucial for moving beyond transactional relationships and addressing challenges like difficulty in quantifying value-add (MD03) and chronic margin erosion (MD07).
By deeply understanding the functional, emotional, and social 'jobs' of mining operations and personnel, firms can innovate and package their services into integrated solutions that deliver tangible outcomes. This approach enables providers to differentiate themselves, articulate a clear value proposition based on client success, and foster stronger, more strategic partnerships. It allows for a more proactive and problem-solving engagement, mitigating the impact of commodity price volatility (MD01) by becoming a value-creator rather than a cost-center.
4 strategic insights for this industry
Redefining Value Proposition for Better Pricing
By focusing on the 'job' (e.g., 'achieve target ore recovery safely' instead of 'provide blasting services'), firms can articulate their value in terms of client outcomes. This direct link to business results helps overcome the difficulty in quantifying value-add (MD03) and pressure from procurement, allowing for premium pricing and mitigating chronic margin erosion (MD07).
Innovation Driven by Unmet 'Jobs'
Understanding the functional and emotional 'jobs' enables identification of unmet needs or better ways to perform existing 'jobs'. This insight can lead to the development of new, integrated solutions or technologies (e.g., predictive maintenance for equipment to 'ensure continuous operation' rather than just 'repair equipment'), addressing adapting to evolving mining practices (MD01) proactively.
Building Deeper Client Relationships as a Problem Solver
When a firm helps clients 'get their job done' more effectively, safely, or cost-efficiently, it builds stronger partnerships. This fosters trust and reduces the impact of high client acquisition costs (MD06) and extends sales cycles, as clients view the provider as a strategic partner rather than just a vendor.
Addressing Workforce and Regulatory Challenges Through Integrated Solutions
Many client 'jobs' are related to mitigating risks from labor integrity (CS05), structural toxicity (CS06), or social displacement (CS07). Providers can offer integrated solutions (e.g., 'ensure ethical supply chain compliance' or 'minimize environmental impact and community friction') that go beyond basic services, making them essential partners in addressing critical social and environmental concerns.
Prioritized actions for this industry
Conduct extensive ethnographic research and in-depth interviews with diverse mining client stakeholders (operators, engineers, procurement, executives) to uncover the full spectrum of their 'jobs to be done'.
This foundational step is crucial for identifying genuine needs beyond stated requirements, enabling the development of truly valuable solutions that address the difficulty in quantifying value-add (MD03) and chronic margin erosion (MD07).
Map existing services to identified 'jobs' and proactively develop integrated, outcome-based service packages (solutions) that help clients achieve their desired 'jobs' more completely and efficiently.
This shifts the focus from selling individual services to selling solutions, which can command higher value, better address specific client problems, and improve contractual clarity (PM01).
Retrain sales and marketing teams to articulate value propositions in terms of client 'jobs done' and measurable business outcomes (e.g., 'reduce operational downtime by X%', 'improve resource recovery by Y%').
Effective communication of value helps clients understand the ROI of services, mitigating the challenge of quantifying value-add (MD03) and justifying higher prices.
Implement a continuous feedback loop and performance monitoring system to track how effectively provided solutions help clients 'get their jobs done', using data to drive iterative improvements.
Ensures accountability, strengthens client relationships, and provides empirical evidence of value creation, which is vital in managing high capital expenditure (PM03) and justifying ongoing service contracts.
From quick wins to long-term transformation
- Conduct internal workshops to introduce the JTBD concept and reframe current services based on hypothetical client 'jobs'.
- Begin with a pilot project: select one key client or service line and conduct initial 'job' interviews to test the framework.
- Identify 'jobs' that existing services already fulfill exceptionally well and start communicating value based on those outcomes.
- Develop 2-3 new integrated service bundles based on validated 'jobs' identified from client research.
- Train sales, marketing, and product development teams on the JTBD methodology and value communication.
- Revise marketing collateral and proposals to focus on 'jobs done' and specific client outcomes.
- Embed JTBD as a core principle across the organization, influencing R&D, innovation, and strategic planning.
- Become recognized as a 'solutions partner' rather than a 'service provider' in the mining industry.
- Continuously evolve and innovate service offerings based on emerging client 'jobs' and industry shifts.
- Superficial understanding of 'jobs' without deep client insight.
- Failing to translate JTBD insights into actionable service innovation or improved value propositions.
- Internal resistance to changing sales and marketing approaches from service-centric to outcome-centric.
- Underestimating the time and resources required for thorough client research and solution development.
- Not being able to measure and communicate the 'job success' effectively, undermining the value proposition.
Measuring strategic progress
| Metric | Description | Target Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Client-Reported 'Job Success' Score | A metric (e.g., NPS-like score) indicating how well clients perceive their 'job' was completed by the firm's solutions. | >8 on a 10-point scale |
| Revenue from JTBD-Driven Solutions | Percentage of total revenue generated from integrated solutions designed around specific client 'jobs'. | >30% within 3 years |
| New Solution Adoption Rate | Rate at which clients adopt newly developed, JTBD-driven integrated service solutions. | >20% of target clients annually |
| Value Quantification % in Proposals | Percentage of proposals that clearly articulate quantifiable business outcomes for the client's 'job'. | >75% |
Other strategy analyses for Support activities for other mining and quarrying
Also see: Jobs to be Done (JTBD) Framework