From the Founder's Desk — Odunsi Ayanfeoluwa, Founder & CEO
One of the most dangerous statements in business is: "Our customer is everyone." No. If everyone is your customer, then no one is.
“We are not designing products for "users." We are designing products for real people with real pressures, real dreams, real fears, and real businesses.”
A restaurant owner in Lagos does not wake up thinking about software. They wake up thinking about salaries, suppliers, electricity, customers, staff, and surviving another busy day. If we truly understand that reality, we build better products.
What Is a Customer Persona?
A research-based representation of a group of customers who share similar characteristics, behaviours, needs and goals. A persona is not imaginary — it is built from real interview data. If it cannot be supported by research, it is simply an opinion.
Anatomy of a Great Persona
- Basic info: name, age range, business type, location, years in business.
- Goals: revenue, waste reduction, time, satisfaction, expansion.
- Frustrations: manual tracking, staff mistakes, supplier delays, inconsistent sales.
- Current solutions: WhatsApp, Excel, pen and paper, phone calls, memory.
- Buying motivations: time, cost, profit, stress, reputation.
- Buying concerns: price, learning curve, internet, staff resistance, trust.
KIAGO TECH Persona Example — Adeola
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Age | 42 |
| Business | Medium-sized restaurant |
| Location | Ibadan |
| Years in business | 11 |
| Biggest challenges | Supplier delays · inventory errors · food waste · staff accountability |
| Current tools | WhatsApp · notebook · calculator · phone calls |
| Goals | Reduce waste · improve profitability · grow the business · standardise operations |
“I don't mind paying for software if it genuinely saves me time.”
Customer Segmentation
- Kiachow: small restaurants, fast-food outlets, hotels, cafés, catering businesses.
- Kiavendor: fashion vendors, electronics sellers, grocery merchants, beauty businesses, wholesale traders.
The KIAGO TECH Customer Journey
Problem
Discovery
First Visit
Research
Trust Building
Sign-Up
Onboarding
First Success
Regular Usage
Loyalty
Referral
Journey — Kiachow (excerpt)
| Stage | Emotion | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Problem | Frustration | Inventory mistakes increase food waste. |
| Discovery | Curiosity | Finds Kiachow via LinkedIn, Google or a recommendation. |
| Website visit | Cautious optimism | Evaluates professionalism, clarity, pricing, trust. |
| Sign-up | Hope | Registers for an account. |
| Onboarding | Frustration → Relief | If confusing → abandonment. If smooth → first success. |
| Long-term usage | Trust | Uses Kiachow weekly, recommends to other restaurants. |
Identifying Pain Points
- Slow website.
- Complicated registration.
- Too many form fields.
- Poor mobile experience.
- Lack of pricing transparency.
- Delayed customer support.
- Unclear instructions.
Moments of Delight
- Fast account approval.
- Helpful onboarding videos.
- Friendly customer support.
- Personalised welcome messages.
- Celebrating customer milestones.
- Quick problem resolution.
Workshop · Journey Table
| Stage | Action | Thoughts | Emotions | Pain Points | Opportunities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Problem | — | — | — | — | — |
| Discovery | — | — | — | — | — |
| Website | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sign-Up | — | — | — | — | — |
| Onboarding | — | — | — | — | — |
| First Success | — | — | — | — | — |
| Retention | — | — | — | — | — |
| Referral | — | — | — | — | — |