Reading assignment:
Last name A-G chapter 15
Last name H-R chapter 16
Last name S-W chapter 19
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
PR, sales and customer service
Public relations, sales and customer service are usually separate functions, which reside outside of the marketing department. As the size of the business gets smaller, these functions fall under the responsibility of the marketing manager. Based on your reading and the discussion we had in class, how do you think public relations, sales and customer service compliment the marketing mix? Supplement your answer with a link to a company that excels in one or all of these areas.
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Customer service augments the 'people' part of the marketing mix. Without good customer relations or service, the purchasing process can be negatively impacted by bad experiences, which will result in negative word of mouth. A crucial part of customer relations is the simple knowledge of who the customers are. Good point of sale interactions in-store will make customers want to return. Learning about customers can also improve Promotion, letting you tailor your promotional materials to a certain group. One of the best companies in terms of customer service in my experience has been Grow Federal Financial Credit Union (https://www.growfinancial.org/index.cfm). I take care of most of my financial business online, but when I do go to a branch location, they are always cheerful and helpful. After hearing horror stories of my friend's bank experiences, I also realized Grow is fairly honest and transparent in their policies- no hidden or unstated fees, deceptive rates, or pressure to sign up for credit cards.
ReplyDeleteChapter 15
ReplyDeletePR, Sales and customer service are parts of the marketing mix. As we have discussed, when the employees are not happy with the company, that will effects how they treat the customers. If customers are not happy with the service, no business will be considered. Having good customer service is a way to market the business, customers have the impression that they will be treated with the best while doing business with the company. The best thing about PR is it is free, company can get their name and service to the public without spending any extra money. Having sale on a special occasion or special product is a way to market that product to the customers and get their attention to the product and the company. One of the company I think that has very good sale and customer service is Southwest Airlines. First of all, their tickets are usually cheaper than others, they also offer special fair from/to big cities when you book your tickets two weeks before, or if you fly on Wednesday,...When tickets are bought, customer has one chance to change it without extra fee. Out of all the airlines, Southwest doesn't charge for luggage when the rest of the other airlines started to. Service is fast and on time, and customer can pick their own seat.
http://www.southwest.com/
Chapter 19: Customer Relationship Management
ReplyDeleteCRM focuses on the consumer. Research goes into finding out what people want and they customize their products and services to satisfy the customer. They collect their research on customer comments and feedback on the product. I think a good example of this would be Amazon. As you search for items or make purchases, they remember it and give you options of more things they think you would like. You can set up an account and when you make a purchase they remember your billing address, shipping address and payment info so when you check out everything is all done for you. It makes it easier and fast but there are drawbacks to it as well. They also have tons of stuff on Amazon, more than I ever expect to find on there. I think they really do pay attention to what their customers are buying and what they want. Customers can also leave feedback on products and as far as I know Amazon has always been helpful. I always feel like they "know" me (and they do) and it makes shopping on the web more comfortable and safe. At the same time, it's kinda creepy that they have all my info and know things that I like and dislike. http://www.amazon.com/
Public relations is an essential part of any marketing mix. PR is a way to build the ideals, ethics, and image of any business. This tool allows for a company to gain greater lengths of exposure that that of any advertising plan without accruing high expenses. One company that has taken the concept of good PR to a whole new level is that of the Virgin megalith. Virgin's CEO has created many exciting and varying forms of PR over the span of the company's existance. One memorable PR event was his ballooning around the world quest. This adrenaline junkie used his vivacious dreams as a means to gain the public eye as well as using product placement throughout the publications to boost revenue. Lately one of their PR undertakings has been sponsorship of "The Virgin Earth Challenge". The Virgin Earth Challenge will award $25 million to the individual or group who are able to demonstrate a commercially viable design which will result in the net removal of anthropogenic, atmospheric greenhouse gases each year for at least ten years without countervailing harmful effects. This removal must have long term effects and contribute materially to the stability of the Earth's climate. These PR opportunities are just a small example of many PR projects that have been conducted through Virgin.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/branson-s-virgin-earth-challenge/6gg2kij
Chapt 16
ReplyDeleteSales compliment all aspects of marketing mix but sales promotion deals with more specially promotion. In a nutshell, sales promotion is different methods to boost the number of customers and promote them to switch brands and become devote to their company. There's many different ways that are used in increasing sales promotions such as coupons, rebates, premiums and samplings, which are used to draw customers in. We can thank Claude Hopkins, a copywriter for Lord & Thomas, for popularizing these advertising tactics. Premiums are a favorite of mine, who doesn't love a free gift and this locks the costumers purchasing decision. Point of sale is also very important. To insure that the customer will actually buy the product there are methods a sale person uses to convince the purchaser to buy. Negotiation, sales presentation, follow-up and sales proposal are used during the actual point of sale. Cold calling and preapproach are used before the sale. The company Urban Outfitters does a fairly way job at Sales Promotion. They are constantly changing their inventory and decor of the shop to keep repeat customers coming back. I haven't seen much advertising of the company other than Internet banners on websites like Facebook, where a lot of their customers are. They have great coupons if you have signed up with them and premiums for little things like nail polish. Because the company is very corporate the sales aren't negotiated. I feel like the employees do use sales presentation and needs assessment to the customers to help them pick out clothes that would fit their styles and wants.
www.urbanoutfitters.com
Chapter 16:
ReplyDeleteSales go hand in hand with the marketing mix. Promotion is already in the title! Promoting the product is a way to increase the value, and adding value is crucial to sales. Another way to succeed is by lowering the price in order to increase sales. The place that sales promotion takes place could be on the Internet, sampling in stores, or even in a catalogue using coupons and rebates. A company that relies heavily on sales promotion is a phone company like T-Mobile. They offer rebates and sale prices on phones, but in return you must sign onto another two-year contract. T-Mobile not only uses advertisements to increase the value of their services and phones, but there are also salesmen in every store and even in the mall.
http://www.t-mobile.com/
ReplyDeleteSales Promotion and Personal Selling:
ReplyDeletePublix Supermarkets has a very good sense of how to achieve brand loyalty in their stores. Having worked for them for about a year, I can personally say that they will go to any length to get you to return to their store. They will go as far as to drive to another store and pick up an item for your personal want! They have all kinds of sweepstakes for super bowl parties as well as POP and sampling approaches. Coupons are also a frequently used tactic. There are magazines of coupons at the front of their stores in addition to the acceptance of competitors’ coupons.
In the store, the managers really try to develop a relationship with the frequent customers to protect that long-term satisfaction with Publix. Positive interaction is a must at the register!
Ch. 19
ReplyDeleteCompanies do research into find out what their customers want so that they can keep them happy and coming back for more. I have been working for Aeropostale for more than 4 years. Since I have started working with the company their product has changed drastically. When I started in 2005 aeropostale was mostly geared towards pre-teens. We were known for our monkey graphic tees, the butterfly logo for the girls polos and the bull dog for the guys. Over the years the company has deiced that what the customer wants is a more grown up look. 11 year old girls don’t want to wear t-shirts with monkey, they want shirts like Holister that just have a band name slapped across the front. So the company did away with the monkeys and they only appear occasionally on the holiday pajamas. The butterfly and bulldog was replaced with A87. By doing this Aeropostale not only gave their customers what they wanted but was also able to start appealing to a wider demographic.
http://www.aeropostale.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=3534619
Chapter 16
ReplyDelete-Medtronic is a medical device company. I chose to write about this company based on how the steps with the selling process/sales cycle complement the marketing mix.
In order for hospitals to by Medtronic medical devices here are the steps that have to be taken:
-A Medtronic sales rep. meets with the doctor.
-If the doctor uses the product and LIKES it, the Medtronic rep. would go to the purchasing unit in the hospital and would have the hospital order the device.
-After it has been ordered, the sales rep. would schedule a time with the doctor to show the doctor how to use the product on the patient.
-If the doctor likes the product. The hospital would re-order the product again.
This relates to marketing because in order to have a sale, the rep. has to "Market" the medical device to the doctor. In this case, it is having strong communication skills and building relationships with doctors/reps./and nurses.
http://www.medtronic.com/
Chapter 19 Customer Relationship Management
ReplyDeleteCustomer service lies at the heart of modern service industries. Customers are likely to be loyal to organizations that serve them well. Although the 'have a nice day' approach is a bit corny, it is certainly better than a couldn't care less approach to customer relations.
The first company that came to mind with good customer service is Walt Disney. Disney is one of the foremost names in the world of customer service. The company understands that their front-line employees represent the company from a customer perspective, and they train their employees with such care and support to ensure that their customer interactions are always "magical". Disney believes in listening to the customer in every aspect especially in turning bad moments into good moments with their customers. If a child waits in line for a ride only to find he is not tall enough for the ride, he is presented with a certificate that allows him and his family to go immediately to the front of the line when he is tall enough.
In having great customer service in every facet of the company, the Disney experience turns first time customers into life-long customers.
http://disney.go.com/index
Customer service, sales, and public relations compliment the marketing mix well. If you have have poor sales, horrible customer service, and a incompetent staff for your public relations, your screwed in the business world. You can, however, get away with only having two of the three. If your customer service is not very good, let's say the company is Holister and the employees are stuck up little douche bags, but the sales are high because many people go there no matter how expensive jeans are; then you can make it the business happen regardless if your public relations and customer service sucks. If you can target a specific group of people usually you do not need to have these compliments to the marketing mix.
ReplyDeleteSouthwest Airlines is one of the top companies with the best customer service and public relations. This can lead to higher sales and more brand loyalty. I love Southwest, I have never had a problem with them. Marketing even comes down to what the stewardess is saying to her fellow employee behind you in the cockpit. If you over hear something that makes you unhappy, it really does reflect the company. Thus far, I'd say Southwest has done a very good job of staying in character throughout the entire flight.
http://www.southwest.com/
PR, sales, and customer service all factor in to a company succeeding. The most tactful way to get your product or service out there is to use a promotional mix of these resources. Every company aims to increase sales and this is done by promoting the product> Customer service helps to connect your company with its followers. Avon is a good example. As a company they seek to bring women in to buy the product then step up and become a salesperson. Since they are constantly gaining employees to sell they are generally selling more product and more often. This is where point of sale is used. There is a sales presentation, a proposal, negotiation and a follow-up, in the end - product sold. Avon is lucky enough to be selling a product that can be sampled so the promotional benefit of free make up samples for women is a huge compliment to their marketing mix.
ReplyDeletechapter 16
ReplyDeletewww.avon.com
Chapter 19
ReplyDeleteCustomer Service!
The first company I thought of when it comes to customer service and customer relationships was the Ritz carlton. I used to have a few friends that worked there, mostly as behind the scenes employees like banquet setup and stuff.
Employees at every level are taught the importance of the guests and the relationship the hotel has with each of them. The employees that have more interactions with guests are encouraged to learn there names and purpose of their trip.
When first time guests book at the Ritz Carlton they ask a couple of questions about lifestyle and find out about any specifications and needs the guests might have. This prepares the hotel employees, and gives time to make any chnages to the rooms (sometimes even if it is only something like having specific magazines in the room). This information is saved in a system for all the Ritz Carltons around the world in case that guest travels to more than one of the locations.
Most people that stay at the Ritz always stay at the Ritz for these reasons and many more. All the guests are treated super well and everyone on the staff is prepared to help with anything.
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Default.htm
-K. Sobr
Chapter 19 Customer Relationship Management
ReplyDeleteCustomer relationship is very important in marketing mix since most companies focus on the demands from their customers who help establish the 4Ps.
The first company that come into my mind is Pinkberry. Pinkberry is an upscale chain that provides healthy frozen yogurt. I am one of their big fan and customer. The company focuses on customer experiences and services. With place like Pinkberry, it is as much about being there as the actual product. People don’t go there for just the frozen yogurt. They go there for an experience, services and the hip design of Pinkberry.
Pinkberry learning from their customers through their website where the customers get to create profile to join the Groupies which allow the customers to leave comments on their blog, submit stories or experiences, share photos, take quiz to find out What Type Of Pinkberry Eater Are You, and vote on the polls.
Pinkiberry also has been creating events to connect with their customers and bring their customers together. They have strongly enhanced the relationship between customers and their brand.
With their customer relationships, they are able to determine their marketing mix. For example, place (distribution), the customers have choices on catering, order online, delivery, and curbside. There are many many more promotions and new locations since their first store.
Pinkberry has done a great job in keeping their customers and attracting new customers.
http://www.pinkberry.com/
Customer Service:
ReplyDeleteNormally I try to avoid dealing with customer service at all costs because most of the time I feel like I'm dealing with people who hate their job and don't want to help me at all. This past winter I was taken back at how Uno's Chicago Grill made it their priority to make sure I was 100% satisfied. What had happened was that I ordered the BBQ flatbread pizza with no onions. The waitress was really nice and said no problem. But when she served me the pizza it had onions on it. I didn't think anything of it, I would just pick them off. When she came back around to see if we were doing okay, she noticed the onions. She looked so concerned and disappointed. She offered me a new pizza, and I simply told her I was fine and not necessary. A couple minutes later the manager came by and gave me his business card and on the back it said "free flatbread pizza" and it was signed.
This experience really made me look at Uno's in a different way. I used to group them with Applebee's and Chili's, but now I would chose Uno's over both of those any day. It just goes to show how important customer service is. I left the restaurant with a trust in them I didn't have before. Trust doesn't come along easily these days for a company and once you lose people's trust, you're in for failure.
http://www.unos.com/
"Public relations (PR) is a profession with varying definitions because of its many functions and the differentiating perceptions held by its practitioners[1] and the public. Public relations (PR) is a profession that includes the functions of communication, community relations, crisis management, customer relations, employee relations, government affairs, industry relations, investor relations, media relations, mediation, publicity, speech-writing, and visitor relations."- Wikipedia
ReplyDeleteCustomer service is a huge part of PR. The more happy the employees are, the better they treat the customer, and thus giving the customer a positive connotation about the company. The one company that comes to mind is Nordstroms. It is upscale department store who tries its hardest to please its higher income clients. Also Publix is another great company. They go out of their way to get you whatever you need. My mom need champagne and they did not have any so they drove to another store to get here some and brought it to our house.
Advertising is another part of PR, which goes along with publicity. Advertising however can effect your clients for better or for worse, which i why much research has to go into what your target audience is for your advertisements.
Promoting your product via sales and promotions is a great way to spread the word and have repeat dedicated customers along with new ones.
ReplyDeleteAt Pier One we have sales every month. Promoting a different event, right now we are in the cafe savings event for easter. Focusing sales on kitchen and textiles while also branching out ward to other items to engage the customers interests and needs. With up to 25% off on select Now priced items.
While at the same time entering triple points when you use your pier one card. Getting 12 points for every dollar you spend. (usually 4/1) So when u spend $167 u get the 2000 points (usually takes $500) to receive a $20 certificate in the mail.
Every month the sale changes to keep the customer coming back. To see what new items have been put on promotion that they can get a great deal on along with other items.
www.pierone.com