Summary of Mass Customization

Summary of Mass Customization

Mass customization, as defined by Joseph Pine in his book Mass Customization: The New Frontier in Business Competition is a company's capability to develop, produce, market, and deliver goods that feature enough variety and customization that nearly everyone can get exactly what he or she wants." He further adds in his interview that Mass customization is when something is efficiently customized on demand--not in advance--and it doesn't cost a heck of a lot more to make than it would if you were making it for everyone at once.

With the advancement of internet technology, everything from books to houses can be tailored online. Through mass customization, customers are able to deliver their specifications in a structured form. They are now involved in the design, production, or delivery process using technology to limit the cost. Gilmore describe in his book 'Markets of One' that when companies mass customize their goods and services, consumers no longer have to sacrifice what they want exactly by buying mass-produced offerings designed for some average, and non-existent, customer. He adds that "Anything you can digitize you can customize,"

For example, iPrint.com is a website that sells stationary, mugs, t-shirts, mouse pads and more. The clickable graphics buttons on their website screen is used to steer the customers through the options and web forms to gather text and digital images or choose combinations of pre-test designs. All designs are tracked through a unique ID and the server-side drawing software enables the webpage to display an impression of what the product will look like including customized text and graphics. The final design is approved by the customer and sends it straight for printing, without the human intervention that often causes re-work in traditional printing.

Customization is not limited to consumer goods. Germen house builders through their website, offer their customers to choose the style, size and shape of their house and adding on extra features as appropriate. Customers can see a 3D model of the house at the end with complete furniture and can view automatically generated 2D cross section. The complete specification is compiled automatically and fed to the marketing team.

Everything from greetings cards to automobiles can now be customized online. Like Ford, whose founder pioneered homogenous production and offered customers 'any color you like as long as it's black' is restructuring its company to deliver customized cars. Together, the vision of mass customization seemed to promise manufacturers various benefits: they can offer value services to their customers, achieve greater levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, low inventory cost, opens new doors for business opportunities and many more.

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