February 21, 2025

JTBD for Competitive Analysis

The Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) framework helps businesses analyze competition by focusing on customer needs instead of product features. It identifies what customers are trying to achieve (jobs), the results they want (desired outcomes), and unmet needs in the market. This approach uncovers opportunities for innovation and helps businesses align their product, marketing, and sales strategies with customer expectations.

Quick Comparison: JTBD vs. Traditional Analysis

Aspect	Traditional Focus	JTBD Focus
Primary Focus	Product features	Customer needs and outcomes
Scope	Direct competitors only	All possible solutions
Insight Type	Descriptive (what exists)	Prescriptive (what actions to take)
Strategic Outcome	Market positioning	Opportunities for new solutions

Looking Beyond Direct Competition

Think beyond the obvious. Any solution that helps customers achieve the same goal qualifies as competition. For example, a meal kit company like Blue Apron isn't just competing with other meal kit brands. It's also up against grocery stores, restaurant delivery, and even tools like meal planning apps that help customers prepare easy, healthy meals at home.

This wider lens helps uncover competitors you might otherwise overlook, avoiding blind spots that can limit strategic decisions:

Competition Type	Description	Example Solutions
Direct	Same product category and method	Meal kit services
Indirect	Different category, same goal	Grocery stores, restaurant delivery
Alternative	Entirely different approach	Cooking classes, meal planning apps

Steps to Analyze Competition with JTBD

Define Customer Jobs and Desired Outcomes

Start by identifying customer jobs and the results they want to achieve. Focus on the outcomes customers care about - not just features. Platforms like thrv’s JTBD software can help simplify this process.

Job Component	Description	Example Metric
Functional Jobs	The main tasks customers aim to complete	Time to complete the task
Emotional Jobs	How customers want to feel during or after the job	Confidence level
Social Jobs	How customers want others to view them	Professional credibility

Evaluate Competitor Performance

Once you've defined customer jobs, assess how well and how quickly competitors deliver on those outcomes. Use a performance matrix to measure key areas.

Assessment Area	Measurement Method	Data Source
Job Completion Rate	Metrics showing accuracy in completing tasks	User surveys
Time to Value	Speed at which the desired outcome is achieved	Usage analytics
Customer Effort	Resources customers need to invest	Customer interviews

These metrics will help you identify unmet needs and areas where competitors fall short.

Identify Market Gaps

Market gaps highlight opportunities where customer needs aren't being fully met. These gaps can guide innovation and product development.

Key areas to analyze include:

Underserved Needs: Where customers report low satisfaction across all available options.
Performance Gaps: Specific areas where competitors fail to deliver effectively.
Value Misalignment: Cases where solutions require too much effort or cost compared to the value provided.

Using JTBD Results

The Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) analysis provides valuable insights to sharpen your product strategy, marketing, and sales efforts. Start by using these insights to fine-tune your product roadmap.

Product Roadmap Planning

Turn competitive insights into clear product priorities. Using thrv's structured framework, product teams can assess which features will have the most impact by addressing specific unmet needs.

Priority	Criteria	Actions
High Priority	Critical jobs unmet by competitors	Develop features that directly fill these gaps
Medium Priority	Jobs partially met with mixed competitor performance	Improve existing features to stand out from competitors
Low Priority	Jobs already well-met by competitors	Monitor for future opportunities

Marketing and Sales Improvements

Shape your messaging and sales strategies around customer jobs. Use the insights from JTBD to refine how you communicate your solution's value.

Communication Area	JTBD Application	Expected Outcome
Value Proposition	Highlight how features solve customer jobs	Stronger connection with customers
Sales Conversations	Focus discussions on job completion	Better understanding of customer needs
Content Strategy	Develop content tailored to specific jobs	Improved lead quality

By aligning your roadmap and messaging, you set the stage for creating a lasting edge in the market.

Building Market Advantages

Stand out by addressing underserved customer jobs. Pinpoint areas where competitors fall short, and channel your R&D efforts to meet these needs. Regularly evaluate your solution's performance to maintain and strengthen your position in the market.

Key Benefits Review

JTBD shifts the focus of competitive analysis from product features to the tasks customers aim to accomplish. This approach helps businesses uncover deeper market insights and advantages.

Benefit Category	Impact on Business Strategy
Customer Understanding	Helps uncover motivations and unmet needs.
Competition Mapping	Highlights direct and indirect competitors.
Innovation Focus	Guides R&D toward opportunities with high potential.
Strategic Alignment	Aligns product, marketing, and sales strategies.