PMP-Based Customer Process: Managing Requests Like Projects

A PMP-based work process tends to bring to mind large construction or IT projects. But Feelbetter treats even a single customer purchase request as a small project and structures the work around the project life cycle covered by PMP project management.

This article lays out, step by step, what we do and which tools we use at each stage, from the moment a request comes in to the moment a verified purchase link goes out by email.

Why Apply a PMP Process to Customer Requests?#

PMI defines a project as a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service or result (PMI). A purchase request has a clear beginning and end, and because every customer is looking for a different product under different conditions, the result is different every time.

Feelbetter founder Jayden (Joohyung Im) prepared for about seven weeks and passed the PMP exam on July 3, 2026, and has since been applying PMP practice to product and e-commerce project work. His preparation and the trial and error along the way are covered in detail in the review below.

The PMBOK Guide, Seventh Edition, shifted from a process focus to 12 principles and 8 performance domains and emphasized tailoring, adapting the approach to fit the situation (PMI). The Eighth Edition, released in 2025, consolidated these into 6 principles and 7 performance domains and brought process guidance back (PMI).

We don't import procedures built for large projects wholesale, either. We slim the stages and documents down to fit requests that wrap up within 60 minutes. That is what PMBOK calls tailoring.

The Five-Stage Project Life Cycle of a Purchase Request at a Glance#

PMI's guidance organizes project experience into five areas: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing (PMI). We break each request into the same five stages.

Initiating: Defining Requirements With the AI Brief#

Everything starts with the customer describing the product they want in text, a link or a photo. In project terms, this is the initiating stage, and the most important job here is to write down the requirements accurately.

AI reads the free-form request and organizes it into a brief that covers the product, category, detailed conditions, budget and quantity. If information such as size or color is missing, it flags that first, at this stage.

• Product: What are we looking for? (brand, model name, features in the photo)
• Details: Size, color, options, whether it must be new
• Constraints: Budget, quantity, date needed, delivery region
• Stakeholders: The requesting customer, the assigned concierge, candidate sellers

The brief becomes the standard for every decision that follows. Vague scope blurs the verification criteria too, so we don't skimp on time at the initiating stage.

Planning: Setting Scope, the 60-Minute Schedule and Risks First#

Scope: what we do and what we don't

Our deliverable is a verified purchase link the customer can buy from right away. Customers pay directly through the link, so our scope centers on finding and verifying. When scope is clear, customers know what to expect, too.

Schedule: the 60-minute baseline

Every request carries the same schedule standard: send the link within 60 minutes. AI creates the brief right after the request arrives, and most of the remaining time goes to the concierge's sourcing and verification. Because the time is fixed, we also decide in the planning stage how far the search will go.

Risk: a lightweight risk register

We don't produce heavy documents for every request, but we keep a list of the risks that come up often. In the planning stage, we pick only the items that apply to the request at hand and decide on responses in advance.

Executing: Sourcing, Verification and Roles Defined With RACI#

The executing stage is when the concierge finds sellers in Korea and abroad and checks price, stock and authenticity. This is where our principle that AI drafts and people verify shows most clearly.

The more parties work together, the clearer it has to be who is responsible for what. Organized with a RACI matrix, a common project management tool, it looks like this. R stands for Responsible, A for Accountable, C for Consulted and I for Informed.

The key point is that final accountability (A) always rests with a person. AI is a tool that speeds up the organizing; the concierge decides which link to send. And the final purchase decision always belongs to the customer.

We approach stakeholder management on the same principle. We ask customers only the questions we truly need, and we verify seller information through official channels and publicly available sources.

Monitoring and Controlling: Quality Checklist and Change Control#

Quality management: what we check before sending a link

Quality isn't something you inspect at the end; it's something you build into the process. Before sending a link, the concierge checks the following.

• Seller: Is it an official store or a trustworthy seller?
• Match: Do the model name, options and size match the brief?
• Price: Is the total, including shipping and other costs, within budget?
• Stock and delivery: Is it available now, and does it ship to the delivery region?
• Link: Does it actually open and go straight to the product page?

Change control: when a customer changes the request

It's natural for customers to change the color or budget partway through. Rather than starting a new search right away, we first check how the change affects scope and schedule. Then we update the brief and verify again against the new criteria.

Closing: Sending the Link, Gathering Feedback, Recording Lessons Learned#

Once the verified link goes out by email, the request enters the closing stage. Closing isn't simply wrapping up the work; it's the final check that every condition in the brief has been met.

After closing, we jot down what we learned from the request, such as which missing information slowed us down or which seller checks were tricky. These accumulated lessons are used to refine the brief fields and the checklist.

We go deeper into why PMP suits the business of overseas purchasing in how PMP relates to overseas buying agents. If you'd like to experience this process yourself, leave the product you're looking for on our request page.