2.1 Handle with mass customization trends - YouTube

Handle with mass customization trends

Introduction

The concept of mass customization is attributed to Stan Davis

who coined the term in his bestseller “Future Perfect” in early 1987.

Subsequently in 1993 B. Joseph Pine made mass customization popular

with his book “Mass customization: the new frontier in business competition”.

The term is derived from the combination of the two apparently contradictory terms

"mass production" and "customization".

The aim of mass customization is to tailor-make products for individual customers

at a cost comparable to mass production.

Background & history of mass customization (MC)

The mass customization approach is a radical shift from traditional mass production

evolved during the industrial revolution

and dominated by Henry Ford’s one-size-fits-all approach.

Traditional manufacturing is based on a make-to-stock procedure,

which has been significantly questioned by the social answer to the globalization phenomena.

A first attempt of companies in the textile and clothing sector

to embrace the individualization-trend arisen in the past decades

culminated in an increase of seasons, multiplication of designs and more regional focus

implementing an order-to-store approach.

Recent ICT and digital technology developments

definitely triggered the inversion of companies’ traditional top-down attitude

to a customer focused bottom-up approach

facilitating the make-to-order manufacturing strategy.

Advantages of MC

Mass customization in the clothing industry

is the new edge to competitive advantage in the 21st century.

This approach is marketing orientated as it offers the exact product

with the exact individual measurements to the increasingly demanding consumers.

Moreover, by delivering made-to-order products,

companies are able to increase their margins and minimize risk,

moving away from a purely price-led competition

that favors volume driven multinational competitors

ICT technology and social media provide a direct channel for the company

with its customers eliminating mediators

and enabling the company to respond more effectively to consumer demands.

Furthermore, delivering a customized product guarantees a high product differentiation

and strengthens the customer relationship.

Key drivers of MC

Already Davis described time as the key factor

in guaranteeing a successful application of mass customization.

As he stated, customers need product orders in their time frame,

and not the apparel producers’ time frames.

To implement with success a mass customization strategy

three key drivers are fundamental,

namely technology, supply chain transformation

and organizational restructuring.

Frank Piller, leading expert on mass customization,

further explores and describes the key drivers for mass customization as:

Solution Space Development, where a business clearly delineates what it will offer,

Robust Process Design, which permits to deliver customized solutions

with near mass-production efficiency and reliability

and Choice Navigation, assuring an user centered thus satisfying buying experience.

Enabling technologies

Thanks to significant technology advancements achieved in the past decade,

the needed tools to execute successfully the mass customization strategy

are now largely available.

ICT based mainly on internet and strongly linked to social media

provide a direct interaction with customers.

Particularly digital manufacturing technologies

such as Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing,

Digital Printing, Numerical Control Cutting and Single Ply Cutting

contribute to an efficient and easily adjustable manufacturing pipeline.

Furthermore, 3D body scanners and interactive point-of-view terminals

are the needed tools to enable a successful purchase.

Nevertheless, these advanced retail technologies do not exclude

but improve a real-world fitting experience in a physical store

where customers can explore the product options.

Tipologies of MC

In 1992 Pine described four types of mass customization:

Highest level of customization is present in the Collaborative Customization

where firms talk to individual customers

to determine the precise product offering that best serves the customer's needs.

Cosmetic customization describes a level of customization

where firms produce a standardized physical product,

but market it to different customers in unique ways.

Whereas an Adaptive Customization provides customer with a standardized product,

which is customizable in the hands of the end-user,

by either adding or modifying components or providing open application options.

Applying a Transparent Customization,

firms provide individual customers with unique products,

without explicitly telling them that the products are customized.

In this case, there is a need to accurately assess customer needs,

based on previously delivered customer information.

Strategies for SMEs

The textile and clothing sector is very suited to implement a mass customization approach

due to products strictly related to customers being unique in size and shape.

Moreover, Mass Customization can increase competitiveness

by shortening the traditionally long production time

through production planning strategies.

In order to implement with success a mass customization strategy,

companies should be aware of some critical points such as:

Avoid excessive choice,

Target Real Consumer Needs,

Involve Consumers in Product Creation,

Select wisely which features are customizable,

Optimize Stock levels by focusing on Top Products,

Reorganize the business model around Mass Customization,

Broaden product line-up with simple personalization options.

Apparel MC model

Mass Customization gives the power of choice to the consumer,

retailer, or business customer within limits.

The important point is that the customer is involved at the design stage

and chooses from a number of alternatives.

In the shown model are listed the different points of customer involvement,

the related parameter options and the involved enabling technologies.

Conclusion

Mass customization is a paradox-breaking reality

that combines the unique products of craft manufacturing

with the cost-efficient manufacturing methods of mass production.

When discussing mass customization,

it is helpful to distinguish the following aspects

underlining that mass customization does not mean to have a massive product variety,

which offers choice but does not provide the ability for the customer to specify the product.

Also, MC is not simply linking a technically advanced ordering system

to a traditional craft production, without leveraging planning strategies of mass production.

On the other hand, applying the MC approach

does not mean providing standard products targeted to specific customers

through personalizing marketing strategies

without adapting the product to the customers need.

And foremost, in mass customization there is no request for ordering minimum quantities.