Sad, but true: Most companies have potentially disastrous blind spots with regard to truly understanding their customers' experiences with their products and services. This session introduces a simple, intuitive tool – the customer consumption chain – to help companies visualize the activities customers go through to address their own needs, some of which might involve making a purchase. When the chain breaks down, is unsatisfying, or is less convenient than that offered by a competitor, a company can be at a competitive disadvantage. Choice of customer segment, based on behavioral differences, is key. The goal is to improve the customers' total experience, thus improving margins, revenue opportunity and loyalty. Examples might include Amazon.com, Coinstar, and the Kone Corporation.