Illustrative case study · Healthcare & Life Sciences

Share is thinnest where the next buyers are.

A dental equipment maker with a flat order book needed to know which clinics would buy next, and why so few of them bought from it. Interviews with 300 clinic owners and practice managers, one per clinic, produced the report in 16 days.

Illustrative scenario

Samplen = 300

Illustrative report

Dental Equipment Buyer Segmentation

Which dental clinics will buy equipment next, and why does the maker win so few of them?

Study architecture

Sort the buyersA three-segment model built on each clinic’s last two purchases

Spot the next buyersMajor equipment purchases planned within a year, by segment

Size the share gapWhere the maker’s share holds and where it slips

Scope

A maker strongest with clinics that replace on a schedule may be missing the clinics that buy next.

Sample

300

Owners and practice managers who sign equipment purchases, one per clinic.

Research by

Study typeMarket assessment

ScenarioIllustrative

Dental equipment buyers · Executive reportExecutive summary

Executive summary

Expanding clinics are half of next year’s buyers, and the maker’s share among them is 15%

The 300 clinic owners and practice managers, one per clinic, describe three ways of buying equipment: on a planned cycle, after a breakdown or to expand. Expanding clinics are a minority of clinics but half of those planning a major purchase within a year. Most financed their last purchase and chose on the offer around the equipment. The maker’s share is lowest in this segment.

51%n = 118

of next-year buyers are expanding clinics

75%n = 80

of expanding clinics plan a purchase within a year

15%n = 80

of expanding clinics bought last from the maker

24%n = 300

of all clinics bought their last major piece from the maker

Figures rounded. Base n = 300 clinics, one signer each, unless stated.

Top lines

1One trigger defines each segment: a schedule, a breakdown or a new roomThe segment model and the habit behind each03

2Expanding clinics are half of next year’s buyersMajor purchases planned within a year04

3The maker’s share is thinnest where buying is busiestLast major purchase, by segment05

4Expanding clinics choose on financing and the plan for the roomPayment and the reasons for the brand chosen06

5Segment model, sample and quality controlHow the segments were built and checked07

AAppendix and typing toolQuestion flow, data tables, six typing questions09

Sample

300 clinics, one signer each

Segments

120 scheduled, 100 run-to-failure, 80 expanding

Method

AI-moderated interviews, segmentation

Clinics

Single-dentist and group practices

Illustrative report. The company, scenario, and all figures are fictional.

Illustrative report02

Illustrative reportExecutive summary

Illustrative example. The company, scenario, and all figures are fictional. They show UserCue’s method and deliverable format. They do not come from any client study.

The engagement

Delivered in

days, with the report, the data file and a live readout.

Interviews

300

Clinic owners and managers who sign for equipment.

Audiences

Segments of 120 scheduled replacers, 100 run-to-failure, 80 expanding clinics.

Method

Segments

Each clinic’s last two purchases, clustered into three buying segments.

The brief

Client

A dental equipment maker

Decision

Which clinics to pursue for its next equipment orders

Stage

Sales and offer planning for the coming year

How we ran it

Approach

AI-moderated interviews with a behavioral segmentation model

Measured

Purchase triggers, timing, payment and the brand bought

Sample

Single-dentist and group dental practices, one signer per clinic

Headline figures

Next-year buyers51%

of clinics planning a major purchase within a year are expanding clinics

Share gap15%

of expanding clinics bought their last major piece from the maker, against 35% of scheduled replacers

Financing70%

of expanding clinics financed their last major purchase

The question

Where will the next dental equipment orders come from?

The maker held a strong share with its longtime customers, yet its order book was flat. The commercial team needed to see how clinics buy, which ones plan to buy soon and where its share slips, from the one person in each clinic who signs.

How do clinics decide when to replace or add equipment?

Which clinics plan to buy next, and when?

Where does the maker’s share hold, and where does it slip?

What we did

How the study ran, start to finish.

1Kickoff
Strong share, flat orders.
Where will the next dental equipment orders come from, and why aren’t we winning them? The kickoff turned it into three questions: how clinics decide to replace or add equipment, which plan to buy and when, and where the maker’s share holds or slips.
2Design
One signer per clinic, three segments.
Only one person per clinic took part, the owner or manager who signs equipment purchases: 300 in all. Responses on how their last two purchases were triggered, timed and paid for went into a model that sorted clinics into segments of 120, 100 and 80.
3Fielding
300 clinic buyers, in their own words.
Clinics took part by voice or text, quant and qual in one conversation, 33 minutes at the median, and were pressed on what nearly changed their last purchase. The researcher read all 346, removed 46 for rushed responses, non-signers or duplicate clinics, and kept 300.
4Analysis
The busiest buyers rarely pick the maker.
After clustering clinics on purchase triggers, timing and payment, the researcher ran each segment’s purchase plans against the maker’s share of its last purchases. Expanding clinics make up 51% of next-year buyers, yet only 15% bought their last major piece from the maker.
5Readout
Half of next year’s buyers are expanding.
The researcher talked the maker’s commercial team through a 30-page report in a live readout, plus the segment model and a typing tool that sorts new clinics. The maker created a financed build-out package for expanding clinics and sent reps to practices adding treatment rooms.

What we found

Four findings from the report.

Summary

Dental clinics buy equipment in three ways: on a planned cycle, after a breakdown or as they expand. Expanding clinics are just over a quarter of clinics but 51% of next-year buyers, and most finance what they buy. The maker’s share is highest with scheduled replacers and lowest with expanding clinics, at 15%, the segment where the next orders sit.

Dental equipment buyers · Executive reportTop line 1

Top line 1 of 4

One trigger defines each segment: a schedule, a breakdown or a new room

¹ Q11 to Q17. Trigger, timing and payment for each of the last two major equipment purchases, n = 300.

² Segment profiles by practice type are in the appendix tables.

Clustering on how each clinic triggered, timed and paid for its last two major purchases gives three segments. Scheduled replacers buy on a planned cycle, run-to-failure clinics wait for a breakdown, and expanding clinics buy for a new room or site¹. One habit defines each segment, held by 81% to 90% of its members.

85%n = 120

of scheduled replacers buy on a planned cycle

81%n = 100

of run-to-failure clinics replaced after a breakdown

90%n = 80

of expanding clinics bought for a new room or site

3segments

from purchase triggers, timing and payment

The three buying segments and the habit that defines each

Defining habit, share within each segment

Practice type (n = 300)

Group practiceSingle-dentist practice

Group practices, share of each segment

Latent class clustering on the trigger, timing and payment of each clinic’s last two major purchases; three segments gave the clearest split. A six-question typing tool assigns new clinics with 91% agreement.

Supporting evidence

Single-dentist clinics make up most run-to-failure buyers; they keep equipment running until a repair costs too much. § 3.2
Expanding clinics are newer practices or groups adding a site, and most plan more than one purchase. § 3.3²

Illustrative report03

Dental equipment buyers · Executive reportTop line 2

Top line 2 of 4

Expanding clinics are half of next year’s buyers

¹ Q23. Does your clinic plan a major equipment purchase in the next twelve months? Single select, n = 300.

² Q24. What do you plan to buy? Multi-select, asked of the 60 expanding clinics with a plan.

118 of the 300 clinics plan a major equipment purchase within a year. Expanding clinics are just over a quarter of the sample but 51% of those next-year buyers¹. 75% of them plan a purchase, against 30% of scheduled replacers and 22% of run-to-failure clinics, whose purchases follow breakdowns and rarely appear in a plan.

51%n = 118

of next-year buyers are expanding clinics

75%n = 80

of expanding clinics plan a purchase within a year

30%n = 120

of scheduled replacers plan one

22%n = 100

of run-to-failure clinics plan one

Major equipment purchases planned within a year

Plan a major purchase within a year, by segment

What expanding clinics plan to buy (n = 60)

What expanding clinics are adding

1A new treatment room
2A second site
3Imaging for the whole clinic

Plans are self-reported for the next twelve months; a major purchase is one above the clinic’s own capital threshold. Planned items are multi-select, asked of the 60 expanding clinics with a plan.

Supporting evidence

Expanding clinics plan more than one major item on average, so their share of planned units runs higher still. § 4.2
Scheduled replacers know their next date; most can name the month their oldest chair is due. § 4.3²

Illustrative report04

Dental equipment buyers · Executive reportTop line 3

Top line 3 of 4

The maker’s share is thinnest where buying is busiest

¹ Q26. Which maker supplied your clinic’s most recent major equipment purchase? Single select, n = 300.

² Q30. Would you consider each of these makers for your next purchase? Asked of all 300 clinics.

The maker supplied the last major purchase of 35% of scheduled replacers, 17% of run-to-failure clinics and 15% of expanding clinics¹, 24% across all clinics. Its strength sits with scheduled replacers, who plan far fewer purchases in the year ahead than expanding clinics. Among expanding clinics, Makers B and C, which both bundle financing, took most of the rest.

35%n = 120

of scheduled replacers bought last from the maker

17%n = 100

of run-to-failure clinics did

15%n = 80

of expanding clinics did

24%n = 300

share across all clinics

Last major purchase from the maker, by segment

Last major purchase from the maker

Brand of the last major purchase, expanding clinics (n = 80)

Maker BMaker CThis makerOthers

Would consider the maker for the next purchase

Share is the maker of each clinic’s most recent major equipment purchase. Makers B and C are other equipment makers in the market, unnamed here.

Supporting evidence

Expanding clinics that considered the maker and chose another most often cite a missing financing offer. § 5.2
Scheduled replacers who buy from the maker tend to stay: most of their last two purchases came from it. § 5.3²

Illustrative report05

Dental equipment buyers · Executive reportTop line 4

Top line 4 of 4

Expanding clinics choose on financing and the plan for the room

¹ Q31. How did your clinic pay for its last major equipment purchase? Single select, n = 300.

² Q33. What was the main reason you chose that brand? Single select, expanding clinics, n = 80.

70% of expanding clinics financed their last purchase, against 30% of scheduled replacers¹. Asked why they chose the brand they bought, 40% of expanding clinics named the financing offer and 30% a plan for the whole room; 15% named the equipment itself. Together, 70% chose on the offer around the equipment.

70%n = 80

of expanding clinics financed their last purchase

30%n = 120

of scheduled replacers financed theirs

40%n = 80

chose the brand for its financing offer

15%n = 80

chose it for the equipment itself

How expanding clinics pay, and why they pick a brand

Main reason for the brand chosen, expanding clinics (n = 80)

Financed the last major purchase, by segment

What expanding clinics want in an offer

1Financing approved with the quote
2Install planned around the build
3One contact for the whole room

Single-select main reason; shares are rounded and sum to 100. Financing includes leases and maker or dealer loans arranged with the purchase.

Supporting evidence

Run-to-failure clinics finance when the breakdown is costly; 38% of them did. § 6.2
Expanding clinics rate install dates higher than any other segment, and many tie the date to opening the new room. § 6.3²

Illustrative report06

Top line 1 of 4 · page 03Illustrative report · top line 1 of 4 · swipeIllustrative report

Question 1 · How clinics buy

One trigger defines each segment: a schedule, a breakdown or a new room.

Three segments buy differently: scheduled replacers (120), run-to-failure clinics (100) and expanding clinics (80). One habit defines each: 85% of scheduled replacers buy on a planned cycle, 81% of run-to-failure clinics replaced after a breakdown and 90% of expanding clinics bought for a new room or site.

Expanding: new room or site90%

Scheduled: planned cycle85%

Run-to-failure: breakdown81%

Defining habit within each segment · n = 80, 120 and 100

Question 2 · The timing

Expanding clinics are half of next year’s buyers.

118 of the 300 clinics plan a major equipment purchase within a year. 75% of expanding clinics do, against 30% of scheduled replacers and 22% of run-to-failure clinics, so expanding clinics make up 51% of next-year buyers.

Expanding clinics75%

Scheduled replacers30%

Run-to-failure clinics22%

Plan a major equipment purchase within a year · n = 300

Question 3 · The share

The maker’s share is thinnest where buying is busiest.

The maker supplied the last major purchase of 35% of scheduled replacers, 17% of run-to-failure clinics and 15% of expanding clinics, 24% across all clinics. Makers B and C took most of the expanding clinics’ purchases.

35%scheduled replacers

15%expanding clinics

Last major purchase from the maker · n = 120 vs n = 80

Question 3 · Why it slips

Expanding clinics choose on financing and the plan for the room.

70% of expanding clinics financed their last purchase, against 30% of scheduled replacers. Asked why they chose the brand they bought, 40% of expanding clinics named the financing offer and 30% a plan for the whole room; 15% named the equipment itself.

Financing with the equipment40%

Build-out plan for the room30%

Delivery and install date15%

Equipment features15%

Main reason for the brand chosen · expanding clinics · n = 80

“We were opening two new rooms and needed everything at once. The maker that won had financing approved before we finished the floor plan.”

Practice owner · Illustrative quote

Illustrative quotes

Three themes behind the numbers.

Run to failure

“Our chair went eleven years. We replaced it the moment it stopped working, with whatever could be installed fastest.”

Practice manager

Planned cycle

“We replace on a cycle and budget for it a year ahead. We have bought from the same maker three times now.”

Dentist and owner

Financing

“Equipment features are much the same across brands. What decided it was a monthly payment we could carry while the new room filled up.”

Group operations manager

What the equipment maker did

Three moves made with the report.

1The offer · from finding 4

Bundled financing into a build-out package.

Expanding clinics now get one offer for the whole room, with financing approved alongside the quote and the install planned around the build.

2The call list · from finding 2

Sent reps to clinics adding rooms.

Practices adding treatment rooms or a second site now top every rep’s call list: they make up 51% of next-year buyers.

3The typing tool · from finding 1

Sorted every account by segment.

The six-question typing tool now tags each clinic in the sales system, so each offer matches how that clinic buys.

Illustrative example. The company, scenario, and all figures are fictional. They show UserCue’s method and deliverable format. They do not come from any client study.

Bring us your next segmentation question.

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Acceptance study

How the study ran, start to finish.

1Kickoff

Strong share, flat orders.

Where will the next dental equipment orders come from, and why aren’t we winning them? The kickoff turned it into three questions: how clinics decide to replace or add equipment, which plan to buy and when, and where the maker’s share holds or slips.

2Design

One signer per clinic, three segments.

Only one person per clinic took part, the owner or manager who signs equipment purchases: 300 in all. Responses on how their last two purchases were triggered, timed and paid for went into a model that sorted clinics into segments of 120, 100 and 80.

3Fielding

300 clinic buyers, in their own words.

Clinics took part by voice or text, quant and qual in one conversation, 33 minutes at the median, and were pressed on what nearly changed their last purchase. The researcher read all 346, removed 46 for rushed responses, non-signers or duplicate clinics, and kept 300.

4Analysis

The busiest buyers rarely pick the maker.

After clustering clinics on purchase triggers, timing and payment, the researcher ran each segment’s purchase plans against the maker’s share of its last purchases. Expanding clinics make up 51% of next-year buyers, yet only 15% bought their last major piece from the maker.

5Readout

Half of next year’s buyers are expanding.

The researcher talked the maker’s commercial team through a 30-page report in a live readout, plus the segment model and a typing tool that sorts new clinics. The maker created a financed build-out package for expanding clinics and sent reps to practices adding treatment rooms.

Four findings from the report.

Summary

Dental equipment buyers · Executive reportTop line 1

Top line 1 of 4

One trigger defines each segment: a schedule, a breakdown or a new room

¹ Q11 to Q17. Trigger, timing and payment for each of the last two major equipment purchases, n = 300.

² Segment profiles by practice type are in the appendix tables.

85%n = 120

of scheduled replacers buy on a planned cycle

81%n = 100

of run-to-failure clinics replaced after a breakdown

90%n = 80

of expanding clinics bought for a new room or site

3segments

from purchase triggers, timing and payment

The three buying segments and the habit that defines each

Defining habit, share within each segment

Practice type (n = 300)

Group practiceSingle-dentist practice

Group practices, share of each segment

Supporting evidence

Single-dentist clinics make up most run-to-failure buyers; they keep equipment running until a repair costs too much. § 3.2
Expanding clinics are newer practices or groups adding a site, and most plan more than one purchase. § 3.3²

Illustrative report03

Dental equipment buyers · Executive reportTop line 2

Top line 2 of 4

Expanding clinics are half of next year’s buyers

¹ Q23. Does your clinic plan a major equipment purchase in the next twelve months? Single select, n = 300.

² Q24. What do you plan to buy? Multi-select, asked of the 60 expanding clinics with a plan.

51%n = 118

of next-year buyers are expanding clinics

75%n = 80

of expanding clinics plan a purchase within a year

30%n = 120

of scheduled replacers plan one

22%n = 100

of run-to-failure clinics plan one

Major equipment purchases planned within a year

Plan a major purchase within a year, by segment

What expanding clinics plan to buy (n = 60)

What expanding clinics are adding

1A new treatment room
2A second site
3Imaging for the whole clinic

Plans are self-reported for the next twelve months; a major purchase is one above the clinic’s own capital threshold. Planned items are multi-select, asked of the 60 expanding clinics with a plan.

Supporting evidence

Expanding clinics plan more than one major item on average, so their share of planned units runs higher still. § 4.2
Scheduled replacers know their next date; most can name the month their oldest chair is due. § 4.3²

Illustrative report04

Dental equipment buyers · Executive reportTop line 3

Top line 3 of 4

The maker’s share is thinnest where buying is busiest

¹ Q26. Which maker supplied your clinic’s most recent major equipment purchase? Single select, n = 300.

² Q30. Would you consider each of these makers for your next purchase? Asked of all 300 clinics.

35%n = 120

of scheduled replacers bought last from the maker

17%n = 100

of run-to-failure clinics did

15%n = 80

of expanding clinics did

24%n = 300

share across all clinics

Last major purchase from the maker, by segment

Last major purchase from the maker

Brand of the last major purchase, expanding clinics (n = 80)

Maker BMaker CThis makerOthers

Would consider the maker for the next purchase

Share is the maker of each clinic’s most recent major equipment purchase. Makers B and C are other equipment makers in the market, unnamed here.

Supporting evidence

Expanding clinics that considered the maker and chose another most often cite a missing financing offer. § 5.2
Scheduled replacers who buy from the maker tend to stay: most of their last two purchases came from it. § 5.3²

Illustrative report05

Dental equipment buyers · Executive reportTop line 4

Top line 4 of 4

Expanding clinics choose on financing and the plan for the room

¹ Q31. How did your clinic pay for its last major equipment purchase? Single select, n = 300.

² Q33. What was the main reason you chose that brand? Single select, expanding clinics, n = 80.

70%n = 80

of expanding clinics financed their last purchase

30%n = 120

of scheduled replacers financed theirs

40%n = 80

chose the brand for its financing offer

15%n = 80

chose it for the equipment itself

How expanding clinics pay, and why they pick a brand

Main reason for the brand chosen, expanding clinics (n = 80)

Financed the last major purchase, by segment

What expanding clinics want in an offer

1Financing approved with the quote
2Install planned around the build
3One contact for the whole room

Single-select main reason; shares are rounded and sum to 100. Financing includes leases and maker or dealer loans arranged with the purchase.

Supporting evidence

Run-to-failure clinics finance when the breakdown is costly; 38% of them did. § 6.2
Expanding clinics rate install dates higher than any other segment, and many tie the date to opening the new room. § 6.3²

Illustrative report06

Top line 1 of 4 · page 03Illustrative report · top line 1 of 4 · swipeIllustrative report

Question 1 · How clinics buy

One trigger defines each segment: a schedule, a breakdown or a new room.

Expanding: new room or site90%

Scheduled: planned cycle85%

Run-to-failure: breakdown81%

Defining habit within each segment · n = 80, 120 and 100

Question 2 · The timing

Expanding clinics are half of next year’s buyers.

Expanding clinics75%

Scheduled replacers30%

Run-to-failure clinics22%

Plan a major equipment purchase within a year · n = 300

Question 3 · The share

The maker’s share is thinnest where buying is busiest.

35%scheduled replacers

15%expanding clinics

Last major purchase from the maker · n = 120 vs n = 80

Question 3 · Why it slips

Expanding clinics choose on financing and the plan for the room.

Financing with the equipment40%

Build-out plan for the room30%

Delivery and install date15%

Equipment features15%

Main reason for the brand chosen · expanding clinics · n = 80

Three themes behind the numbers.

Run to failure

“Our chair went eleven years. We replaced it the moment it stopped working, with whatever could be installed fastest.”

Practice manager

Planned cycle

“We replace on a cycle and budget for it a year ahead. We have bought from the same maker three times now.”

Dentist and owner

Financing

“Equipment features are much the same across brands. What decided it was a monthly payment we could carry while the new room filled up.”

Group operations manager

Three moves made with the report.

1The offer · from finding 4

Bundled financing into a build-out package.

Expanding clinics now get one offer for the whole room, with financing approved alongside the quote and the install planned around the build.

2The call list · from finding 2

Sent reps to clinics adding rooms.

Practices adding treatment rooms or a second site now top every rep’s call list: they make up 51% of next-year buyers.

3The typing tool · from finding 1

Sorted every account by segment.

The six-question typing tool now tags each clinic in the sales system, so each offer matches how that clinic buys.

Illustrative example. The company, scenario, and all figures are fictional. They show UserCue’s method and deliverable format. They do not come from any client study.

Where will the next dental equipment orders come from?

How do clinics decide when to replace or add equipment?

Which clinics plan to buy next, and when?

Where does the maker’s share hold, and where does it slip?

How the study ran, start to finish.

Strong share, flat orders.

One signer per clinic, three segments.

300 clinic buyers, in their own words.

The busiest buyers rarely pick the maker.

Half of next year’s buyers are expanding.

Four findings from the report.

One trigger defines each segment: a schedule, a breakdown or a new room.

Expanding clinics are half of next year’s buyers.

The maker’s share is thinnest where buying is busiest.

Expanding clinics choose on financing and the plan for the room.

Three themes behind the numbers.

Three moves made with the report.

Bundled financing into a build-out package.

Sent reps to clinics adding rooms.

Sorted every account by segment.

Bring us your next segmentation question.

Home Medical Device Experience

Hospital Infusion Pump Choice

Operating Room Scheduling Tools Concept Test

Where will the next dental equipment orders come from?

How do clinics decide when to replace or add equipment?

Which clinics plan to buy next, and when?

Where does the maker’s share hold, and where does it slip?

How the study ran, start to finish.

Strong share, flat orders.

One signer per clinic, three segments.

300 clinic buyers, in their own words.

The busiest buyers rarely pick the maker.

Half of next year’s buyers are expanding.

Four findings from the report.

One trigger defines each segment: a schedule, a breakdown or a new room.

Expanding clinics are half of next year’s buyers.

The maker’s share is thinnest where buying is busiest.

Expanding clinics choose on financing and the plan for the room.

Three themes behind the numbers.

Three moves made with the report.

Bundled financing into a build-out package.

Sent reps to clinics adding rooms.

Sorted every account by segment.

Bring us your next segmentation question.

Home Medical Device Experience

Hospital Infusion Pump Choice

Operating Room Scheduling Tools Concept Test