3.

2 CUSTOMER ANALYSIS

Customer analysis is a systematic process of the elements, characteristics, needs, preferences,

behaviors and demographics describing the target customer group. Then, statistics will gain
insights into the target market as well which gather and analyze data to determine related
marketing decisions like product development and customer satisfaction (Smith 2001). The
potential customers of SliceMaster Sdn Bhd are professional chefs and home cooks including
restaurant chefs, home catering services cooks and decision makers in the F&B industry,
hotels, supermarkets and convenience stores. Customers using those manual potato cutting
products are integrated but for a while also not satisfied with other issues. Characteristics of
these customers comprise a strong desire for efficiency, accuracy and consistency in their
culinary efforts. The characteristics that have to be fulfilled without compromising on quality
given the large volumes they work with further emphasized by tight schedules. Their
requirements relate to labor-saving, ensuring the safety of food practices and maintaining
high levels of hygiene. Just not limited to features like multifunction, tools that are
configurable and have advance functionality of automation really play a crucial role.
Productivity and safety are paramount to professional chefs and home cooks as is decreased
downtime and possible threat of injuries. Whereas professional chefs and home cooks are
demanding both affordable and user-friendly solutions that make meal preparation easier and
more efficient. To meet these needs, SliceMaster Sdn Bhd is targeting customers who use
manual potato cutting products and offering their innovative solutions that solve the
problems. SliceMaster Sdn Bhd also offers a potato cutter tool with 3 interchangeable blades,
safety additions like built-in sensors as well as an anti-slipper base to keep the potato cutter
tool stable which also with self-cleaning mechanism and automation mechanisms. This not
only solves the problems customers already have also creates better customer satisfaction.

3.2.1 CUSTOMER PROBLEM

Cutting potatoes manually into the desired shapes is very difficult and takes up a lot of time,
which puts problems in front of professional chefs, home cooks and people at home who are
not experiencing cutting this root. Firstly, manual cutting of potatoes is highly laborious but
this would lead to the delay in processing that especially for restaurants, hotels, F&B industry
and home catering service with limited employees. Uneven cuts means that the potatoes
dishes will not cook properly as they should which would lead to customers unsatisfied with
how a food item looks. In addition, slicing potatoes by hand can be tricky and dangerous in
busy kitchens. Some of these can include being cut or hurt in an accident, especially if knives
are sharp and spend long periods. More importantly, these health and safety issues also pose
threats to the lives of kitchen staffs as well as create employment compensation risks for
businesses.

On the other hand, for professional chefs and home catering service cooks, restaurants, hotels
and F&B industry who struggle preparing potatoes there is no easy solution to cut potatoes
that meets their required level of preparation or perfect every time leading quality dishes.
Variations in the size of cuts ruin its visual appeal, taste and texture which is very
disappointing for a customer that may ultimately lead business to shut down. The manual
cutting could potentially result in a lot of food being thrown away, as less perfect cuts or off-
cuts are commonly wasted during the preparation process. This leads to food losses and
wastes, further worsening the bottom line of businesses dealing in food as well posing
environmental concerns like exploitation of resources and sustainability problems.

Finally, also in many sectors customers are suffering from the time process which causing
insufficient production of potatoes. Some potato cutter tools of the present market have
terrible cutting power, which requires extra time for dicing and wedges as well. Undoubtedly,
this can be a big challenging for businesses like restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and
convenient stores which need short time to prepare diced, wedging and fries’ potatoes. Today,
supermarkets like Lotus produce their own foods and convenience stores such as 7-Eleven
also produce their own products with potato chips. As a result of the inefficiency in potato
production, many businesses face operational delays and slashed revenues due to having
trouble fulfilling orders on time. This means that an effective, safe, innovative and user-
friendly potato cutter tool must be developed to improve productivity by resolving these
customer issues while reduce waste in restaurant, F&B industries, home catering services,
hotels, supermarket and convenient stores.

3.2.2 CUSTOMER SEGMENTATION

Customer segmentation is the process of dividing a customer base into groups with similar
attributes and behaviors that allow to make more effective or personalized marketing
approaches (Griva et al, 2021). SliceMaster Sdn. Bhd. is using this method by segmenting
customers based on geography, demography and behavioral. Geographic segmentation gives
the ability to segment customers based on their physical locations, region, city and country
which helps in addressing location-specific needs and preferences. This is important for
adjusting to different market situations and cultures. On the other hand, demographic
segmentation looks at characteristics such as age, gender, income, education and occupation,
guiding SliceMaster Sdn. Bhd. to identify who their customers are and what makes them buy.
For instance, professional chefs and home cooks might be in different income levels and have
very different requirements from cooking products which result require a unique marketing
message. Behavioral segmentation is studying the behavior of customers, both in terms of
buying and usage pattern and how loyal they are. It involves learning how frequently they
buy, their willingness to make a purchase and response for different types of marketing
execution. SliceMaster Sdn Bhd is able to offer potato cutter tools based on the behaviors of
their processing analysis which can recognize high value customers and create personalized
experiences that foster long-term loyalty. For instance, loyal customers or those who look for
safety and convenience in kitchenware may be offered exclusive deals or loyalty programs.
With these three segmentation strategies, SliceMaster Sdn. Bhd. by targeting the specific
needs of each customer segment can develop more appropriate marketing campaigns and
increase satisfaction with our potato cutter tool thereby ultimately drive business growth.

i. GEOGRAPHIC

Geographic segmentation involves classifying customers on basis of their physical location

such as area, state and country. SliceMaster Sdn. Bhd. aim at a larger market throughout the
Malaysia but our main focus in Kuala Lumpur and other places we concentrated on are
Penang, Johor and Ipoh. There will be more demand in this sector with the use advanced
system potato cutter tool. Therefore, the reason for choosing these places is mainly these
locations is that it is considered the central hub of Malaysia’s culinary, commerce and
industry (New Straight Times, 2004). Furthermore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor and Ipoh
have a large number of workers in food service sector when compared to other states in
Malaysia. These four states have very innovative and customer attracting restaurants
environment. Within those states are cities that have large population of commuters with a
need for dining and restaurants. However, customers from other states can also purchase our
potato cutter tool through e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Lazada and Amazon. After
achieving a mature stage in our company with stable sales and acknowledgment of the potato
cutter tool being visible to general public, we are planning for its distribution across ASEAN
region as well in the future.
 ii. DEMOGRAPHIC

Demographic segmentation involves organizing customers into categories based on

identifiable characteristics like age, gender, income and occupation. According to the
Demographics Statistics Malaysia report for 1st quarter of 2024, published by Department of
Statistic Malaysia (DOSM), Malaysia’s population was estimated around 34.0 million. The
size of the prime working-age group is 18 to 64 years olds peaks in the first quarter 2024,
with around 12.7 million males and about 11.1 million females. Our potato cutter tool is most
likely suitable for individuals of both man or woman. Therefore, SliceMaster Sdn Bhd is
focusing on customers aged 18 to 64 who are professional chefs and home cooks, including
restaurant chefs, home catering service cooks and decision makers in the F&B industry,
supermarkets and convenient stores require a reliable potato cutter tool supply for their
operations. SliceMaster Sdn. Bhd. also focuses on individuals in the kitchen professionals,
especially in food and beverage industry, hospitality sector and other sectors which require
heavy daily usage of potato cutter tool.

iii. BEHAVIORAL

Behavioral segmentation involves based on customers past behavior, purchasing patterns and
spending habits and how they interact with the brand. SliceMaster Sdn Bhd. targets on
businesses that focus the quality and consistency of potatoes production like F&B restaurants,
retail convenience stores to buy the potato cutter tool. Some businesses or restaurants may
even have a potato cutter tool, while the output quality and productivity of their slicing work
are not satisfied. Hence, SliceMaster Sdn Bhd provides innovative potato cutter tool with 3
interchangeable blades, safety sensor, anti-slipper base, self-cleaning mechanism and
automation mechanism ensuring guaranteed consistent outputs allowing for flawless potato
cuts which have no variations or any existing defects allowed.

3.2.3 TARGET MARKET SIZE

The market size for SliceMaster Sdn Bhd potato cutter tool is estimated by figuring out
potential customer segments across several industries, considering features such as 3
interchangeable blades, safety sensor, self-cleaning mechanism, anti-slipper base and
automation mechanisms. SliceMaster Sdn Bhd. focuses on individuals aged 18 to 64 who are
chefs, home cooks and the decision-makers of supermarkets, convenient stores, the F&B
industry, hospitality sector and other businesses using a potato cutter tool in daily operations.
Targeting individuals aged 18 to 64 years old for the SliceMaster Sdn Bhd would be smart
strategy, as people’s purchasing power varies throughout their life cycle and different needs.
Young adults who are just learning to cook for themselves, middle aged individuals seeking
more kitchen automation and efficiency as well as older adult populations looking into some
easier to use products due decreased manual dexterity are all reasons why these
demographics are relevant. In this age-group, both professional and also non-commercial
cooks make the most out of state-of-the-art kitchen resources that offer specific tips on safe
food preparation and opportunities to enhance meal quality. Majority of the decision-makers
in supermarkets, convenience stores, F&B industry and hospitality sector fall under this age
bracket as they are responsible for procurement decisions and may value its advanced
features such as 3 interchangeable blades, safety sensors, self-cleaning mechanism, anti-
slipper base and automation mechanism thereby also reducing space requirements. These
requirements meet their desire for strategic innovation, operational reliability and cost
economic efficiency. Through this, as SliceMaster Sdn Bhd concentrate their main target
market on the age of 18 to 64 years old group which they are able to reach out for different
segments in customer needs and preference which can meet both professional use and
personal usage, thereby maximizing market penetration and sales potential.

Meanwhile, as stated in the Malaysia Retail Industry First Quarter Report 2024 by Malaysia
Retail Group also have a resilient pace for retail sector growth with supermarkets and
convenient stores playing its dominant roles contributed a growth rate of 3.8% respectively.
This shows that Malaysia's supermarket and convenient stores is a big market with great
potential to grow, which will be beneficial for SliceMaster Sdn Bhd. concentrating on these
business segments.

Moreover, the food and beverage (F&B) industry in Malaysia has been growing at an almost
highest rate which there are over 50,000 registered SMEs including restaurants, cafes, home
catering services, bars and food stalls across city and suburban areas based on Department of
Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) data released in 2024. This represents a massive opportunity for
SliceMaster Sdn. Bhd. which allows to target these businesses as prospects.

As a result, the market segment of potato cutter tool will cater to is young adults between 18
to individuals in their mid-60s, including chef, home cooks, decision makers in supermarkets,
convenience stores, the F&B industry, hospitality, and other sectors that require potato cutter
tool for their day-to-day operations.
3.2.4 VALUE PROPOSITION

The value proposition is a statement used to convey the firm's primary strategy with respect
of how it will provide its customers superior products and services of value. It is intended to
convince customers into choosing one particular brand over its competitors. According to
Eggert et al. (2020), it as a strategy tool that showcases to customers the unique value that a
company can provide and how resources are allocated towards those product elements. This
concept clarifies the significance of marketing for a firm to become its mission and
repositioning it in the market (Kowalkowski, 2011). It also points out the exact problems or
requirements that it addresses, the main benefits and advantages that provides and a
compelling argument why consumers should choose this solution over others in the market. A
powerful value proposition highlights the primary offer and attractiveness of a product or
service and motivating customer to want it.

SliceMaster Sdn. Bhd. potato cutter tool addresses a set of problems that most customers face
when doing food preparation and almost certainly provides a unique value proposition. The
function of this potato cutter tool is that it can slice in more ways than one which making
multiple cuts possible with a single device. SliceMaster Sdn. Bhd. designed the potato cutter
with 3 interchangeable blades in dicing, fries and wedges that fulfill many cooking demands
those were unmet by regular single-function cutters. This versatility makes it suitable for
many different industries like restaurants, F&B industry, hotels, home catering services,
supermarket and convenient stores.

The integrated use of high-end technology potato cutter tool more user-friendly and
convenient. Due to the safety sensors and auto power off mechanisms, the achieved
ergonomics provides the user with a comfortable working experience. This combination of
innovative features positions the potato cutter as a highly versatile tool, making it a crucial
option for professional chefs, home catering services cooks, and decision makers in the F&B
industry, hotels, supermarkets, and convenient stores. It provides convenience to meet
specific requirements enhancing food preparation standards.

Additionally, SliceMaster Sdn. Bhd. advanced blade technology of the potato cutter tool
emphasizes on its value proposition for consistent and precise cuts. Designed with durable
and sharp stainless-steel blades to ensure the food preparation time is minimized while the
efficiency in presenting delicious cuisine will enhance. Perfect cuts are desired by all food
and beverage sector during production which with our potato cutter tool can increase
production output to a great extent and also minimizing waste.

Moreover, our potato cutter tool comes with a self-cleaning mechanism for convenient
cleaning and to follow certain hygienic measures. Having these capabilities is crucial for
keeping food safe and free from cross-contamination when running a busy kitchen. Hence our
potato cutter tool can proudly be acknowledged as an indispensable weapon of diverse
business segments including restaurants, hotels, F&B industry, catering services, supermarket
and convenience store where in getting work done at a rapid pace while maintaining,
cleanliness and precision are considered top of the line.

Last but not the least, another important and crucial thing which comes attached to our potato
cutter tool is the exceptional efficiency and speed it acts with when preparing potatoes. The
automatic potato cutter uses cutting-edge slicing technology that allows to prepare potatoes in
a matter of minutes. However, preparing potatoes using traditional method is slow and tiring
compared to our potato cutter tool that guarantees quick, accurate cuts thus enhancing kitchen
efficiency.

3.2.5 EXPECTED REVENUE STREAM

Expected revenue stream is that projected income a company is planning to make from
different channels such as direct sales, after-sales services, premium service contracts and
reoccurring revenue models (Gallaugher et al, 2001). It ranges from selling products directly
to target markets, providing maintenance and repair services, implementing subscription-
based offerings for supplies or accessories. Pricing strategies, marketing efforts and customer
willingness to spend all play a role in determining not only the potential revenue, but also
more importantly the actual revenue received.

Our potato cutter tool will earn revenue from a few different sources, mostly targeting direct
sales and value-added services. We aim to generate through selling the potato cutter tool
directly to our end users, which include professional kitchens in restaurants, hotels, F&B
industry, catering businesses, supermarket and convenient stores. Moreover, we will provide
profitable post-purchase services like servicing, repairing and upgrade that are essential for
maximizing the tool performance throughout its lifecycle. We are also aggressively rolling
out a revenue strategy where we sell premium service contracts that include long term
warranties, regular maintenance and immediate repair services. Furthermore, we will conduct
comprehensive training programs that ensure an understanding of how the tool should be
used and kept in order to offer higher advantages with improved user satisfaction. Also, we
plan to launch a membership model for supply and accessories, which will provide a steady
source of income. Actual revenue generated is a function of how well our pricing models
work, marketing results and user desire to invest in kitchen tools. Therefore, creating robust
pricing and adherence strategies emphasizing the differentiation features of the potato cutter
tool is going to be significant in increasing sales volumes along with gaining a loyal customer
base.