Can you elaborate on the concept of "whole product" as explained in Crossing the Chasm?

The concept of "whole product" from Crossing the Chasm has significantly influenced corporate strategies and business models. It has led businesses to understand that merely offering a generic product is not sufficient, especially for the mainstream market. Companies now focus on creating a "whole product" that fulfills the target segment's compelling need to buy. This includes not just the core product, but also additional elements like support, training, and other complementary products or services. This approach helps in customer satisfaction and positive word of mouth. Furthermore, to hasten whole product creation, companies often form tactical alliances to jointly co-develop and market the whole product, ensuring mutual benefits.

Companies might face several obstacles when trying to create a 'whole product'. One of the main challenges is the need to satisfy the diverse and comprehensive needs of the mainstream market, which often requires more resources and capabilities than a start-up might possess. This could lead to customer dissatisfaction and negative word of mouth if the product falls short of expectations. To overcome these challenges, companies can form tactical alliances with other organizations to jointly co-develop and market the product. This not only helps in sharing the burden of resources but also ensures that all organizations involved benefit from the success of the product.