The Audience

Overview

The new website must serve multiple audiences with different needs, knowledge levels, and success criteria. A procurement manager reordering familiar products needs speed and efficiency. An engineer evaluating options for a new application needs detailed specifications and comparison tools. A packaging designer needs visual guidance and creative inspiration. A customer service representative needs accurate data and an efficient lookup process.

Understanding these audiences shapes every design decision: navigation structure, search behavior, content depth, feature priority, and interaction patterns. This section shows the primary user groups, their goals, their frustrations with the current platform, and what success looks like for each.

The personas synthesized here draw from multiple research inputs: personas workshop, stakeholder interviews describing customer interactions, customer survey responses revealing preferences and pain points, behavioral analytics showing actual usage patterns, and competitive analysis identifying how similar audiences are served elsewhere.

External Audiences

The Veteran Buyer

Who they are: Experienced purchasers who know exactly what they need. They have part numbers, established supplier relationships, and repeat ordering patterns. They may be procurement managers at manufacturing companies, purchasing agents handling regular stock replenishment, or operations staff reordering consumables.

Approximate share: 30% of users

Primary brands: MOCAP (protective components for manufacturing)

What they know: Product codes, specifications from previous orders, their company’s standard parts list. They understand the catalog structure from repeated use. They don’t need product education; they need efficient execution.

Their goal: Search, find, and reorder with minimum friction. Complete the transaction and move to the next task. Time spent on the website is time not spent on other responsibilities.

Current frustrations:

• Search returns errors instead of products
• Cannot look up order history to reorder
• Must re-enter information for every transaction
• No saved favorites or quick-order capability
• Price verification requires phone calls

What success looks like:

• Search by part number returns an exact match instantly
• One-click reorder from purchase history
• Saved payment and shipping information
• Negotiated pricing is displayed automatically when logged in
• Order tracking without calling customer service

Design implications:

• Search must handle exact part number matches as the highest priority
• Account functionality is non-negotiable for this segment
• Streamlined checkout with minimal steps
• Quick-order interfaces (search box prominent, CSV upload for bulk)
• Mobile access for quick lookups and order status

Quote from research: Written survey feedback described customers who “know exactly what they want but can’t find it on our website” and must call instead.

The Problem Solver

Who they are: Buyers who know their application but not the specific product. They have a manufacturing challenge, a protection requirement, or a packaging need, but they don’t know which SKU solves it. They may be engineers specifying components for new products, operations managers addressing a production issue, or first-time buyers exploring options.

Approximate share: 50% of users

Primary brands: All brands, but especially MOCAP (application diversity) and Cleartec (packaging solutions)

What they know: Their problem. “I need to protect threaded holes during powder coating.” “I need clear packaging that displays my product attractively.” “I need caps that withstand 400°F.” They understand their requirements, but not necessarily the product nomenclature.

Their goal: Translate their problem into a product solution. Find options that meet their specifications. Gain confidence that the selected product will actually work.

Current frustrations:

• Navigation is organized by product codes that they don’t understand
• No clear path from “my problem” to “your solution”
• Application Advisor exists, but is hard to find and use
• Size charts are overwhelming without filtering
• Cannot easily compare options side by side

What success looks like:

• “Shop by Application” navigation that speaks their language
• Guided discovery that asks about their use case and narrows options
• Filterable product tables where they can specify requirements
• Clear application guidance on product pages
• Sample ordering to test before committing

Design implications:

• Use-case navigation alongside product category navigation
• Filter and sort functionality on all product tables
• Application tags and use-case content on product pages
• Comparison tools for evaluating alternatives
• Prominent sampling integration in the discovery flow
• Educational content positioned at decision points

Quote from research: Persona analysis noted these users “may not know the product name” and need “guided discovery, filters, recommendations.”

The Researcher

Who they are: Users who need to learn before purchasing. They may be engineers qualifying new suppliers, technical specifiers evaluating material properties, or careful buyers who want a thorough understanding before commitment. They value documentation, specifications, and educational content.

Approximate share: 20% of users

Primary brands: All brands, with particular importance for MOCAP (technical specifications) and X-Treme Tape (unfamiliar product category)

What they know: How to evaluate technical information. They can read specifications, compare data sheets, and assess whether products meet requirements. They may not know MOCAP’s specific products, but they understand their industry’s standards.

Their goal: Gather comprehensive information. Download specifications. Compare options systematically. Build confidence through knowledge before purchasing or recommending products to others.

Current frustrations:

• Technical specifications are buried or incomplete
• Resources are gated or hard to locate
• No side-by-side comparison capability
• Educational content scattered across sites
• Cannot easily download comprehensive spec sheets

What success looks like:

• Complete technical specifications on every product
• Downloadable resources (CAD files, spec sheets, certificates)
• Comparison tools for systematic evaluation
• Educational content explaining materials, applications, and limitations
• ISO certification visibility for quality assurance

Design implications:

• Specification completeness is critical (data quality prerequisite)
• Download functionality for technical documents
• Comparison feature allowing side-by-side evaluation
• Educational content strategy (materials guides, application guides)
• Certification display for quality-conscious segments
• Longer session support (these users browse extensively)

Quote from research: Analytics showed Cleartec/Beckett sessions average 2m 9s versus MOCAP’s 1m 50s, suggesting “more research-intensive purchasing” behavior.

The Visual Buyer

Who they are: Primarily Cleartec customers who think visually about packaging. Marketing managers, packaging designers, retail merchandisers, and product managers who need to see what packaging will look like with their products. Aesthetics matter as much as specifications.

Approximate share: A significant portion of Cleartec traffic

Primary brands: Cleartec Packaging, Beckett

What they know: Visual merchandising, brand presentation, retail requirements. They understand how packaging affects product perception. They may not know technical terminology for tubes and closures but they know what they want to achieve visually.

Their goal: Find packaging that enhances their product presentation. Visualize how their product will look inside the packaging. Understand customization options (printing, colors, configurations).

Current frustrations:

• Product images don’t update to reflect selected configurations
• Cannot visualize their product in the packaging
• Custom printing options unclear
• Hard to browse visually across options
• Closure compatibility is not obvious

What success looks like:

• Dynamic images that update with configuration selections
• Visual browse capability (image-forward product display)
• Clear presentation of customization options
• Closure compatibility guidance
• Sample ordering to see the physical product before committing

Design implications:

• Image quality and dynamic updates are critical
• Visual navigation options (browse by appearance, not just specs)
• Configurator UX must be intuitive and visual
• Mockup or visualization tools, if feasible
• Custom printing information prominently displayed
• Strong integration between tubes and compatible closures

Quote from research: Cleartec persona analysis emphasized “packaging that adds product value” and the need for “high-quality product imagery.”

The Field Technician

Who they are: MRO (maintenance, repair, operations) buyers and field service professionals who need solutions to immediate problems. They search by application rather than specification. Speed of finding and speed of shipping both matter. They may be making purchases on mobile devices from job sites.

Approximate share: Primary audience for X-Treme Tape, subset of MOCAP users

Primary brands: X-Treme Tape, MOCAP

What they know: Their immediate problem. “I have a leaking hose.” “I need to mask this fitting for painting.” They understand practical applications but may not be familiar with technical product specifications.

Their goal: Find something that works right now. Understand if the product solves their specific problem. Order quickly with fast shipping.

Current frustrations:

• Cannot search by application or problem
• Product capabilities are not clearly explained
• Unfamiliar with self-fusing silicone tape technology
• Need education but don’t want to read extensively
• Mobile experience is poor for on-site purchasing

What success looks like:

• Application-based discovery (“repair,” “seal,” “insulate,” “mask”)
• Quick product education (what it does, how it works, when to use it)
• Clear stock availability and shipping speed
• Mobile-friendly purchasing for field use
• Trust signals (reviews, use cases, demonstration content)

Design implications:

• Application-based navigation is essential for X-Treme Tape
• Educational content must be concise and scannable
• Video or demonstration content for unfamiliar products
• Mobile optimization for field access
• Prominent shipping information and stock status
• Quick checkout for urgent purchases

Quote from research: X-Treme Tape persona analysis noted users seeking “quick-fix solutions” who need to understand “when the product fits their situation.”

The International Buyer

Who they are: Customers purchasing from non-US markets. They face additional complexity: language, currency, shipping, customs, payment methods, and regional inventory. They may be any of the above archetypes, but with added friction from cross-border commerce.

Key markets: UK/EU (served from UK warehouse), Poland (specific inventory issues), Mexico (freight complexity), China (payment and checkout gaps)

What they know: Their local market expectations. Payment methods that work in their region. Shipping timeframes that make sense for their location. Unit systems they use (metric vs. imperial).

Their goal: Complete transactions with the same confidence as domestic buyers. Trust that the displayed information (stock, pricing, shipping) reflects their actual situation.

Current frustrations:

• Stock displays showing wrong warehouse inventory (Poland seeing Ukraine stock)
• Unclear VAT and shipping cost presentation
• Freight charges that don’t match actual quotes (Mexico)
• Missing payment methods (China: no Alipay/WeChat Pay)
• Measurement system confusion

What success looks like:

• Accurate regional inventory display
• Clear, upfront pricing including all taxes and shipping
• Payment methods appropriate to their market
• A language and unit system matching their preferences
• Shipping timelines calibrated to their location

Design implications:

• Regional inventory logic must be accurate (critical fix)
• Localization beyond translation (units, dates, currency formatting)
• Payment method expansion for key markets
• Shipping estimation accuracy
• Checkout transparency to prevent abandonment

Quote from research: Honorata Grzebielucha reported 40-50% Poland order cancellations from inventory display errors. Linda Yang reported zero China online orders this year.

Internal Audiences

Customer Service Representatives

Who they are: The frontline team processing customer inquiries, orders, and issues. They use the website as a reference tool while assisting customers. Kate Parish (Customer Service Manager) leads a four-person team covering all brands.

Team composition (from written surveys): Taber Stone, Audrey Cain, Kit Villmer, Amber McGrael (US); Paula Mol, Arleta Bakowska (UK); Michelle Xu, Karen Lee, Phoenix Huang (China)

What they do daily:

• Answer product questions that customers should find online
• Look up pricing and stock information
• Process orders on behalf of customers
• Handle order tracking inquiries
• Manage return requests
• Provide documentation (certificates, invoices)

Current frustrations:

• Search fails, forcing manual product lookup
• Cannot trust displayed stock or pricing data
• No customer portal means every inquiry requires staff time
• Sample requests are cumbersome to process
• Information is scattered across systems

What success looks like:

• Website answers customer questions without staff intervention
• Accurate data that they can trust and share with customers
• Customer self-service reduces routine inquiry volume
• Efficient internal tools for complex issues that do require assistance
• Clear visibility into customer history and preferences

Design implications:

• Data accuracy benefits internal users as much as customers
• Customer portal reduces support load
• Search fixes eliminate a major category of calls
• Staff-facing views may need enhanced functionality
• Training and documentation for the new platform

Quote from research: Written survey feedback: “Customers unable to find products on the website even when on the phone with them, end up having to manually search and lookup.”

Sales Representatives

Who they are: Inside sales staff who use the website to support customer conversations, create quotes, and process orders. They build relationships and pursue strategic accounts while relying on the platform for routine transactions.

Team composition (from written surveys): Dalton Schrumpf, Adam Cato, Matt Hull (MOCAP Sales, US); Erin Camden (MOCAP Sales Support); Marta Wojszczyk, Mario Netzer, Manuela Mandache, Elena Tuluca (UK Sales); Alan Dominiczak, Jakub Madura (Poland Sales); Barbara Gonet (UK Sales Support); Ivy Guan (China MOCAP Sales); Kevin Chen (China Beckett Sales)

What they do daily:

• Respond to customer inquiries with product recommendations
• Create and manage quotes
• Process orders for customers who prefer phone/email
• Build relationships with strategic accounts
• Support the product discovery process
• Navigate negotiated pricing for established customers

Current frustrations:

• Cannot show customers accurate pricing online
• Must verify stock information before committing
• Small accounts consume time that should go to large accounts
• The website doesn’t support the sales conversation effectively
• Quoting process is disconnected from the web experience

What success looks like:

• Self-service for routine transactions frees time for strategic work
• Accurate pricing display, including negotiated rates
• Reliable stock information that they can commit to
• Tools to share product information with customers (links, downloads)
• Quote management integrated with web experience

Design implications:

• Negotiated pricing display when logged in (top MoSCoW priority)
• Stock accuracy is sales-critical
• Shareable URLs for products and configurations
• Quote workflow integration
• Account management tools for sales-assisted purchasing

Quote from research: Shawn Halley (Director of Global Sales) identified the customer portal as “critical to 2030 growth goals,” explaining that self-service would free sales capacity for strategic relationships.

Division and Regional Managers

Who they are: Leaders responsible for brand performance and regional results. They need visibility into how the platform serves their customers and supports their business objectives.

Key stakeholders (from live calls): Jim Boehm (Beckett Sales Manager), Dave Koester (Cleartec Sales Manager), Honorata Grzebielucha (UK/EU Sales Director), Linda Yang (China Sales Director), Ricardo Munoz (Mexico Sales Director)

What they need:

• A platform that supports their division or region’s specific requirements
• Visibility into regional performance
• Ability to address market-specific issues
• Input into features that affect their customers

Current frustrations:

• Platform failures directly impact their metrics (Poland cancellations, China zero orders)
• Limited ability to customize for regional needs
• Data problems that they cannot fix independently
• Feature requests go into a backlog without visibility

What success looks like:

• Regional issues resolved (inventory accuracy, payment methods, localization)
• Performance visibility through analytics
• Input channel for regional requirements
• A platform that helps rather than hinders their sales goals

Design implications:

• Regional customization capability without fragmenting the platform
• Analytics and reporting by region
• Stakeholder communication about feature development
• Escalation paths for regional issues

Marketing and Creative

Who they are: Team members responsible for brand presentation, content, and customer communication. Michael Wester (Director of Global Marketing) and Shane Flottmann (Art Director) participated in live call interviews.

What they need:

• A platform that reflects brand quality and professionalism
• Content management capability for updates
• Visual presentation that enhances rather than detracts from products
• Analytics to understand customer behavior

Current frustrations:

• Dated visual appearance affects brand perception
• Content updates require technical intervention
• Limited visibility into customer behavior
• Cannot easily A/B test or optimize

What success looks like:

• Modern, professional visual design
• Manageable content (CMS capability for appropriate content types)
• Customer journey visibility through analytics
• Optimization capability over time

Design implications:

• Visual design must meet modern B2B standards
• CMS selection should enable marketing autonomy for appropriate content
• Analytics implementation as a first-class requirement
• Foundation for ongoing optimization

Technical and IT

Who they are: The team responsible for platform maintenance, integrations, and technical operations. Ildar Khakimov (IT, Canada) participated in live call interviews.

What they need:

• A platform that is maintainable without constant intervention
• Clean integrations with ERP systems (Sage, EFACs, KingDee)
• Reduced technical debt compared to the current state
• Ability to make updates without extensive custom development

Current frustrations:

• 12-year-old custom architecture with accumulated technical debt
• ERP integration challenges (Sage has no API)
• 2-week to 3-month delays for product updates
• VBScript-based size chart generation
• Fragmented checkout across domains

What success looks like:

• Modern, maintainable platform architecture
• Reliable ERP integration with reasonable update latency
• Standard tools and practices replacing custom solutions
• Reduced emergency firefighting, more strategic development capacity

Design implications:

• Platform selection should prioritize maintainability
• Integration architecture is critical (especially Sage workarounds)
• Reduce custom development where standard solutions exist
• Documentation and knowledge transfer for long-term maintenance

Audience Prioritization

Not all audiences are equal in terms of revenue impact, strategic importance, or platform design influence. The following prioritization reflects research findings:

Primary Design Focus

Secondary Design Focus

Tertiary Design Focus

Cross-Audience Requirements

Some needs appear across multiple audiences:

Universal Needs

Segment-Specific Needs

Implications for Design

Understanding these audiences shapes platform design in specific ways:

Navigation Structure

Must support multiple entry paths: search (Veterans), browse by category (Researchers), browse by application (Problem Solvers), browse visually (Visual Buyers).

Search Behavior

Must handle part numbers (Veterans), problem descriptions (Problem Solvers), material specifications (Researchers), and application terms (Field Technicians).

Content Strategy

Must balance efficiency (Veterans want minimal content) with education (Researchers and Field Technicians need understanding) and inspiration (Visual Buyers want ideas).

Feature Priority

Portal and search serve the highest-volume audiences (Veterans, Problem Solvers) and provide the greatest operational relief (Customer Service).

Mobile Strategy

Different audiences have different mobile needs: quick lookup (Veterans, Field Technicians), research reference (Researchers), versus transaction completion (lower priority across all groups).

The platform cannot optimize for a single audience without failing others. The design challenge is creating coherent experiences that serve distinct needs within a unified interface.