The CODA framework

In Marketing Strategy and Organization: Building Sustainable Business the CODA (Customers Outlook on Diffentiating Advantages) framework contains four types of Sustainable Competitive Advantage:

1. The Product/Service refers tothe functional core benefit which the prodicut or service offers to the customers. What do you offer?
2. Customer Processes are the interactions between the organisation and its customers. How and where do you offer it?
3. Price is the sum of financial and non-financial costs a customer incures when buying. What are the costs to the customer?
4. Image refers to the awareness, the beliefs, the ideas or the impression which customers hold about an organisation. What do you represent?

Possible customer benefits include: Products and services

• Reliability and consistency
• Environmental safety
• Functional performance
• Styling and design
• Compatibility
• User convenience

Customer Processes

• Serviceability
• Pre-transaction process
• Transaction processes
• Post-transaction processes
• Professionalism

Image benefits

• Empathy
• Availability in the channels
• Product image
• Brand image
• Corporate reputation
• User community

Price Benefits

• Switching costs
• Disposal costs
• Acquisition costs
• Operating costs
• Bundling and complementaries