Customer research
Compare competitors using verifiable information
Fill each cell only with what a competitor's own documentation or terms say, quoted closely, with the page and the date you saw it. Mark a cell unknown when you can only infer the answer. A shorter table you can defend beats a full one built on guesses.
A text to start with
I want to compare [my product or idea] with [competitor names] on [list of features]. I will paste text from each competitor's current documentation, pricing page or help center: [pasted text with URLs and dates seen]. For each feature, give the exact published claim, the source and date, any stated limitation, and mark unknown where the text does not say. Do not infer from marketing language.
Example request. Change the details to fit your situation.Competitor claim table
Comparison purpose: [ ] Competitor: [ ] Source page URL: [ ] Date page was read: [ ] Feature: [ ] Exact published claim, quoted: [ ] Plan or region limits stated: [ ] Limitation or caveat on the page: [ ] Unknown or not stated: [ ] Cell is quoted, inferred or unknown: [ ] Cells to recheck against the live page: [ ] Questions for the vendor: [ ] Date to review this table again: [ ]
Cells built on inference
Phrases like "powerful reporting" or "works with your tools" do not establish what a feature does, so challenge any cell that rests on them. Check the date on each source, since an old pricing or help page may describe a plan that no longer exists. Make sure limits tied to plans, regions or account types appear in the cell. Record a feature missing from the page as unknown, because a missing mention is not proof of absence. Compare quotes against the pasted text to catch accidental paraphrase.
Ask another agent to check the result
Go through this comparison table and flag every cell that appears to come from marketing wording, an undated page or an outdated plan. Check that each quote matches the pasted source text. Identify cells where a missing mention was recorded as a missing feature.
Verify before you rely on it
Recheck the cells that matter most to your decision against the live pages, and record the date you did so. For features marked unknown, decide whether public documentation can settle them or whether a trial account or a direct question to the vendor is needed. Set a date to revisit the table, since published claims change.