Marketing

Personal Care Industry
Customer Journey Map

1
Awareness & Problem Recognition

Customer Emotions: Stress & Urgency

🔍 Touchpoints

  • Industry trends reports (e.g., sustainability, customisation)
  • Competitor product launches & market share changes
  • Production line bottlenecks & rejected product batches
  • Compliance audits & regulatory changes (e.g., GMP)
  • Discussions at industry conferences (APIC, AusPack)

⚠️ Pain Points

  • Difficulty adapting lines for diverse product forms (liquids, creams, powders)
  • Manual processes leading to inconsistency and hygiene risks
  • High labour costs and struggle to retain skilled workers
  • Pressure to increase speed-to-market for new products
  • Maintaining strict GMP and quality control standards

💡 Foodmach Opportunities

  • Publish thought leadership on flexible automation for personal care
  • Showcase solutions for rapid changeovers and diverse product handling
  • Highlight automated hygiene features (CIP/SIP compatibility)
  • Emphasise precision filling and capping to reduce waste

📊 Key Metrics (Foodmach)

  • Website traffic from personal care sections
  • Engagement with relevant content (e.g., whitepapers on GMP)
  • Inquiries mentioning specific personal care challenges
2
Information Gathering & Research

Customer Emotions: Hopeful but Overwhelmed

🔍 Touchpoints

  • Foodmach.com product pages (fillers, cappers, labellers)
  • Online solution configurators or virtual demos
  • Industry forums and peer recommendations
  • Supplier webinars on automation best practices
  • Initial outreach to sales via email/phone

⚠️ Pain Points

  • Finding solutions compatible with small, oddly shaped, or delicate packaging
  • Understanding total cost of ownership vs. initial investment
  • Ensuring compliance with TGA/NICNAS regulations
  • Assessing integration complexity with existing legacy systems
  • Lack of clear, comparable data across different vendors

💡 Foodmach Opportunities

  • Provide detailed specifications for personal care packaging types
  • Offer free consultations to assess current line capabilities
  • Share case studies on successful personal care automation projects
  • Develop ROI calculators tailored to hygiene and waste reduction
  • Highlight customisation capabilities for unique product formats

📊 Key Metrics (Foodmach)

  • Number of specific solution page views
  • Demo request conversion rates
  • Engagement with technical specs and comparison charts
3
Vendor Evaluation & Contact

Customer Emotions: Cautious Optimism & Scrutiny

🔍 Touchpoints

  • Detailed proposals and quotations
  • Technical discussions with Foodmach engineers
  • Site visits to Foodmach's manufacturing facility (Echuca)
  • Reference calls with existing Foodmach personal care clients
  • Product testing on Foodmach equipment with their actual products

⚠️ Pain Points

  • Ensuring proposed solutions meet specific viscosity and filling accuracy needs
  • Verifying Foodmach's experience with cosmetic-grade machinery and materials
  • Concern about post-installation support and spare parts availability (local vs. overseas)
  • Navigating complex purchasing processes and capital expenditure approvals
  • Risk assessment for production downtime during integration

💡 Foodmach Opportunities

  • Emphasise "Australia's only full-service" with in-house design & manufacturing
  • Showcase hygienic design principles and material certifications
  • Provide local testimonials highlighting reliable service and support
  • Offer staged implementation plans to minimise disruption
  • Demonstrate precise filling for expensive ingredients to minimise giveaway

📊 Key Metrics (Foodmach)

  • Proposal acceptance rate
  • Number of site visits/product tests scheduled
  • Time taken from proposal to negotiation
4
Purchase Decision & Contract

Customer Emotions: Anticipation & Financial Scrutiny

🔍 Touchpoints

  • Contract review and negotiation
  • Final project scope and timeline agreements
  • Legal and finance department consultations
  • Kick-off meeting with Foodmach project team
  • Payment schedule and financing discussions

⚠️ Pain Points

  • Securing internal budget and stakeholder buy-in
  • Understanding long-term service agreements and warranties
  • Anxiety about potential cost overruns or unforeseen delays
  • Ensuring the contract includes specific performance guarantees (e.g., OEE)
  • Complexity of integrating new high-tech equipment into existing processes

💡 Foodmach Opportunities

  • Provide clear, transparent contract terms and performance guarantees
  • Assign a dedicated project manager for single point of contact
  • Offer flexible payment terms or financing options
  • Highlight strong post-sales support and warranty programs
  • Present detailed risk mitigation strategies for implementation

📊 Key Metrics (Foodmach)

  • Contract closing rate
  • Average time from final proposal to signed contract
  • Customer satisfaction with negotiation process
5
Implementation & Installation

Customer Emotions: Pressure & Diligent Oversight

🔍 Touchpoints

  • Regular project update meetings (on-site & remote)
  • Foodmach engineers on-site for installation & commissioning
  • FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing) and SAT (Site Acceptance Testing)
  • Operator training sessions
  • Integration with existing MES/ERP systems

⚠️ Pain Points

  • Minimising disruption to active production lines during installation
  • Unexpected issues with facility readiness or power supply
  • Ensuring seamless integration with diverse third-party equipment
  • Staff adapting to new automated processes and controls
  • Adhering to strict personal care GMP and cleanroom protocols

💡 Foodmach Opportunities

  • Execute precise project management to minimise downtime
  • Leverage in-house manufacturing for rapid part fabrication/modifications
  • Provide comprehensive, hands-on training for operators and maintenance staff
  • Demonstrate expertise in integrating complex systems (PLC, SCADA)
  • Ensure compliance with all relevant personal care industry standards

📊 Key Metrics (Foodmach)

  • Project completion within timeline/budget
  • Downtime incurred during installation
  • Number of issues raised during FAT/SAT
6
Go-Live & Initial Operations

Customer Emotions: Relief & Performance Monitoring

🔍 Touchpoints

  • Initial production runs and quality checks
  • Foodmach post-installation support & fine-tuning
  • Real-time OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) monitoring
  • Feedback sessions with production and QA teams
  • Troubleshooting and minor adjustments

⚠️ Pain Points

  • Achieving consistent product quality and fill accuracy at scale
  • Optimising line speed for different product types/SKUs
  • Addressing minor teething issues quickly and effectively
  • Ensuring operators are fully proficient with new HMI interfaces
  • Maintaining pristine hygiene conditions post-automation

💡 Foodmach Opportunities

  • Provide dedicated rapid response technical support
  • Utilise remote diagnostics for quick issue resolution
  • Offer ongoing OEE optimisation services and training
  • Collect data for case studies demonstrating tangible ROI (e.g., reduced waste, increased throughput)
  • Reinforce commitment to long-term partnership

📊 Key Metrics (Foodmach)

  • Achieved OEE vs. target
  • Number of support tickets / resolution time
  • Customer feedback on initial performance
7
Long-term Partnership & Growth

Customer Emotions: Confidence & Strategic Alignment

🔍 Touchpoints

  • Scheduled preventative maintenance visits
  • Consultations for line upgrades, expansions, or new product development
  • Discussions about Industry 4.0 integration (data analytics, predictive maintenance)
  • Collaboration on future automation projects or factory relocations
  • Foodmach industry updates and technology showcases

⚠️ Pain Points

  • Staying ahead of evolving consumer demands and ingredient trends
  • Planning for future capacity needs and market shifts
  • Cost of ongoing maintenance and potential upgrades
  • Ensuring technology remains cutting-edge and competitive
  • Risk of supplier complacency once a deal is done

💡 Foodmach Opportunities

  • Become a trusted advisor for long-term automation strategy
  • Proactively suggest improvements for efficiency and sustainability
  • Offer competitive service contracts and spare parts programs
  • Collaborate on R&D for next-gen personal care packaging
  • Leverage successful projects for testimonials and industry recognition

📊 Key Metrics (Foodmach)

  • Customer retention rate
  • Repeat business / upsell opportunities
  • Net Promoter Score (NPS)
  • Customer testimonials / case study participation

Key Strategic Insights for Personal Care Products Manufacturing

🎯 Product Versatility & Aesthetics

Solutions must handle diverse product viscosities, delicate containers, and maintain brand aesthetic integrity (e.g., precise labelling, capping).

⚡ Hygiene & Compliance Critical

Emphasis on GMP, easy-to-clean designs, and traceability for regulatory adherence is paramount in every solution.

🔄 Agility for New Product Introduction

Manufacturers need rapid changeover capabilities and scalable solutions to quickly adapt to market trends and new SKU launches.

💰 ROI from Waste Reduction & Precision

Highlight savings from reduced product giveaway (expensive ingredients), less rejected product, and lower labour costs, alongside increased throughput.