The Business Domain of V-Space - Case Study Example

The Care Plan for the Videogame Shop V-Space Introduction:- V-SPACE is a new outfit in the world of video gaming that provides larger than life experience for its customers in the exquisite arena of scintillating electronic games. It is situated in the heart of Manchester, by the Salford Street. It has got a huge collection of unbelievably hi-fi video games and also a good reserve of every possible video game from the yesteryear. V-SPACE soon aims to be the ultimate destination for the video game lovers where they can not only play and purchase the best video games available in the market, but virtually be able to feel the vibe of the video games deep in their veins. The exclusive set up of the V-SPACE, the ambience inside, the massive repertoire of video games and related gaming equipments, ever helping staffs and a continuous priority to build and maintain the comfort level of the dear customers make this video game shop a true experience worth sharing with others. There are ample provisions for the customers to select from an expansive range of new products that sets V-SPACE apart from the rest of the shops functioning in the market. Moreover, the intensely knowledgeable associates of V-SPACE and the facilities that imbibe value addition to pre-used products confidently provide the customers a high level of satisfaction. V-SPACE holds an authentic passion for gaming, and a genuine commitment towards the gaming industry and a thoroughly disciplined business perspective that continuously drive values with the customers and the employees (EBGames, n.d.), also other people indirectly involved with V-SPACE helping it to grow in stature. The name ‘V-SPACE’ is chosen for the shop for a definite purpose that is to convey the customers the message that the shop provides space for the lovers of video games, a free zone where one can enjoy to the fullest possible extent the exhilarating experience of video gaming and get the feeling worth preserving. The business:- The business domain of V-SPACE in the arena of video games marks a detailed impression in the gaming market with a vast range of diversified products of high quality. The list comprises of products like Dreamcast, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, N-Gage, Nintendo 64, Nintendo Wii, and Nintendo DS (Video Games, 2009). These ranges of video games have excellent games of every possible genre from action to horror to strategy. In addition to these, V-SPACE provides a huge collection of video game consoles to the customers to aid them in making their gaming experience converge to the point of perfection. The variety of video games consoles includes the Game Boy consoles, GameCube consoles, Nintendo Wii consoles, PSP consoles, Playstation 2 consoles, Playstation 3 consoles and Xbox consoles (Video Games, 2009). Along with such a wide range of quality products, V-SPACE also concentrates in the region of providing excellent quality gaming equipments which, in general, act as comprehensive support systems to the core sphere of video gaming and add genuine value to the experience of true gaming spirits. The gaming equipments offered by the shop of V-SPACE are adaptors, game controllers, electronic wheels and memory cards of various capacities (Video Games, 2009). All these products primarily aim at providing the customers the ultimate feel of video gaming, taking into account in fulfilling their needs and urge related to video gaming and also stressing on the most important aspect of total customer satisfaction. Internal Customer Related Processes:- The different departments within the structural framework of the V-SPACE will cohesively act and operate in harmony, discussing the core business related matters required for sustained growth of the shop and establishing V-SPACE into a prominent enterprise in the local video gaming market of the city of Manchester. This aspect is related to the affairs of customer satisfaction in a complex manner, as the interdepartmental relations and the linkages between the various internal spheres of the business of the shop V-SPACE have serious repercussions on the sentiments of the customers though in from an indirect angle. The shop V-SPACE will specifically look into the matter of the internal customer related processes in order to rationally prioritize the interests of its customers and also simultaneously the interests of its employees (Managing for Quality, 2001). Sales strategy:- Focusing on the V-SPACE’s valuable product range and communicating with the customers through proper building up of its brand image should follow the sales and marketing strategy. The plan must and should be constructed in such a way so that with expertise and skilled manipulation of the company’s core values and brand image, there can be penetration in the market. . In Manchester, the market is fragmented, and so there is equal opportunity for all the similar video game shops and parlors that are rivals and selling homogeneous products- “Fragmented industry environments are usually ideal for focus on a well-defined market niche” (Thompson, Strickland, and Gamble, 2007, p. 247). The sales and marketing activities of the company should meet two major values. The first one is the Unique Products range (by specializing in the product-type) and the Second one is the Comfort Products range (by specializing in the customer type), along with a quality customer care service that will prevail all around the environment gratifying the customers with the maximum possible satisfaction level. The strategy to be taken should grow out of a sophisticated level of understanding of the market structure, rules and windings of the competitiveness that will ultimately determine the company’s (here it is the case of V-SPACE) endurance and attractiveness. (Fifield, 1998, p. 42). Diligently focusing on these two principles, the V-SPACE would constantly upgrade the quality of its gaming products to maintain the prevailing bank of customers and also would aim to increase its customer base as explained under the next head. The propaganda of targeting customers and increasing customer base:- The renewal of the customers is also essential in terms of the company’s popularity and reputation. The success of the company largely depends upon these factors as it proceeds in its venture of expansion. The acquisition of new customers is necessary and there should be a particular out of the ordinary approach to secure the customer attentions, which is the fundamental concept known as the USP. In marketing line, it is actually the Unique Selling Proposal that comes under that strategy mixes of the company that is looking to settle down in a potential demand zone. The proposals and the offers that the company initially produces to capture the market share should be unique in the sense that the other competitors will not then be providing with them. By this process, the USP will be get popularized among the consumers and they will consider those offers to be a significant part of the company’s salient features. This will ultimately aid in building up of the reputation level of the enterprise. But there should be enough quality of work associated with the related offers that will be given to the customers so that none of them can complain against the whole strategy and fuel the negative reputation of “New Company gimmick”. In true sense the honesty will be a vital key in penetration of the market base and will also play essential part in the market capture process. The activations and the reactivations will depend upon the factors affecting in the customer pull. As the company moves forward and strengthens itself as an established enterprise the customer base should increase with time and the main structure that will be providing the company’s progress in this field will be the number of activations or reactivations. The motivations of the company or its employees should lie in the immediate call for action where and whenever necessary to meet up the demands of their customers. The follow up should be based on the value creation by the well-directed dedication and substantial level of commitments towards consumers’ requirements and the subsequent fulfillment of such. This will foster genuine brand loyalty among the customers and thereby true perception of the brand value compelling them to stick to the company regarding the up-sell and cross-sell transactions. (Kaynak, 1993, pp. 46-48). The main target customers will be in three segments. The first segment will include kids aged from 8 to 12 years. The second segment which is the most important will comprise of only teenagers (children in between the age range of 13 years and 19 years). The rage of experiencing the video gaming experience is most widespread among the teenagers and the shop of V-SPACE would definitely like to exploit this particular fact from every possible angle. The third and the last segment of customers would comprise of people of the age group from 20 years to 25 years. There is a certain strategy in creating such a segment, and that is due to the reason the customers of particularly this age group have a decent spending capacity which could, if properly tapped, help in providing continuous impetus for V-SPACE in terms of sales revenue. Negotiating a Sale:- The video game shop V-SPACE has certain coherent strategies regarding the dynamics of fruitfully negotiating sales with the customers. It has got well formatted plans that direct it to become cognizant of the customer preferences, in connection to the features of the video games and game equipments and also about the purchasing priorities of the customers (Negotiating a Sale, 2006). The provision of well chalked out discount schemes and also the schemes about installment payments make it possible for the video game shop V-SPACE to effectively pitch for its quality gaming products. Advertising Strategies:- The actual motive of the company is to build up a sustainable operation and customer loyalty. There are a few initial ideas that the company should look upon: Sampling in-store and neighborhood: This is a very quick and seemingly the best way to get the customers’ responses. Intensive sampling process should be undertaken along with the proper communication of the company values with the customers. Well-trained employees should be engaged in the delivery of this process. They should be able to serve to the best of interest of the customers and company as well. Sampling should be done at least twice a day at different intervals like in the morning or afternoon. The operational situation should also include out-store campaigns in order to raise the initial customers’ interest level. Neighborhood sampling should be undertaken in some of the companies, offices, individual stores etc. located nearby. Internet Marketing: this is the e-marketing campaign and a very powerful instrument in the field of advertisements (Advantages of internet marketing, n.d.). It should be incorporated in the marketing strategy, as it is cheaper and very much precise. Deviating away from the traditional marketing methods, this tool through search related options helps to locate the potential customers who have got the same mindset as of the company’s values. There should be other marketing schemes like organizing fun quiz, discounts, seasonal offer, lotteries etc. that raises the customers’ interests & inquisitiveness in the company. Participation in the community activities: It is important on the basis that there are always greater chances to popularity of the company through sponsoring social participation programs like cleaning of surroundings, spreading greenery, conducting social and cultural programs spreading awareness of different kinds of social evils (racial discrimination) and enhancing public participation and cooperation towards a united movement. “Promoters ensure that this endeavor will not only increase income and create jobs for the cultural minorities but also enrich cultural and community pride” (Boyed, 2008, p. 70). Concentrating on Public Relations:- V-SPACE does not perceive communications regarding public relations in the same frame as advertising. V-SPACE gives lot of significance to the sphere of public relations and regards it a very essential element for building up credibility. Moreover, the cost incurred in carrying on the policies of public relations is very low both in absolute and in relative terms. V-SPACE would explore in the realms of public relations to upgrade its prospects in the market (Advantages of PR, n.d.). Further, clear public relations policies of V-SPACE avoid the clutter of advertisements in the public relations messages, which would, eventually hit the attention of the customers directly and help the shop to increase its sales revenues. Also effective public relations strategies of V-SPACE would help the proper image building process of the shop (Advantages of Pr, n.d.) which would bring it to forefront in the lucrative gaming market. The last significant point at the present context is since there are three different segments of customers of V-SPACE so intensive implementation group specific public relations policies would conveniently streamline the sales strategies of the shop. Summary:- Sum and substance, the video game shop V-SPACE is the new dynamic player in the sphere of gaming and it sincerely intends to put a prominent mark in the ever expanding gaming market in the local region of the city of Manchester. With its variegated range of excellent quality products in multidimensional gaming arenas, V-SPACE will stress on the customer satisfaction from every possible angle and render the highest priority in doing sound business. References 1. “Advantages of Internet Marketing”, n.d. Christia Net, available at: http://www.christianet.com/internetmarketingservices/advantagesofinternetmarketing.htm (accessed on April 15, 2009) 2. “ADVANTAGES OF PUBLIC RELATIONS”, n.d., available at: http://drypen.in/pr/advantages-of-pr.html (accessed on April 15, 2009) 3. EB GAMES, n.d. “About Us”, available at: http://www.ebgames.com/gs/help/About_Us.aspx 4. Boyd, M.R., 2008, Jim Crow Nostalgia: Reconstructing Race in Bronzeville, Minnesota Press. 5. Fifield P., 1998, Marketing strategy, Elsevier 6. Juran, J. n.d. Managing for Quality, Select Knowledge 7. Kaynak E., 1993, The Global Business: Four Key Marketing Strategies, Haworth Press. 8. “Negotiating a sale”, n.d., H.I.E, Available at: http://www.hie.co.uk/HIE-Director Briefings/SE1NEGSA.pdf (accessed on April 15, 2009) 9. “Video Games”, 2009. Available at: http://shopping.yahoo.com/b:Video%20Games:55721357 (accessed on April 15, 2009) Read More