expression

pain point

a specific problem customers need solved

In Business & Marketing

In more detail

1. (noun) a particular problem or difficulty that causes worry or frustration for a person or organization

2. (noun) a place on the body that hurts or causes discomfort

Examples

Customer service is a major pain point for the company, so they're hiring more staff.
He massaged the pain point in his lower back.

How to use pain point

Pain point is widely used in business and organizational contexts to describe persistent problems that need solving, especially regarding customer experience or operational inefficiency. The first sense (figurative) is far more common in modern usage than the literal physical meaning. It often appears in strategic discussions and problem-solving frameworks where stakeholders aim to understand what frustrates their customers or employees.

Common phrases

identify pain points
address pain points
key pain point
customer pain points
common pain point

Synonyms

sore spot · problem area · weakness · difficulty · challenge

A common mistake

Learners sometimes overuse this expression in casual conversation where simpler words like problem, issue, or difficulty would be more natural and less jargony.

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