Marketing Plan for Saigontourist travel services - Coursework Example

?Marketing Plan Table of Contents Overview 3 Marketing Plan 3 Product 3 Price 5 Place or Distribution 6 Promotion Mix Strategy 7 People 9 Process 9 Physical Evidence 10 Implementation and Evaluation Action Plan 11 Fish-Bone Diagram 13 References 14 Overview Saigontourist Travel Services is recognised as one of the leading organisations in the tourism industry of Vietnam. It is a subsidiary firm of ‘Saigontourist Holding Company’ which was established in the year 1975 as the foremost tourism service operator in the city of Ho Chi Minh. It is currently observed to be quite well-known owing to its excellent services related with recreational tour systematization along with serving fooding and accommodation facilities to its customers1. The objective of this paper is to recommend service marketing mix strategies with due regards to the implementation of the 7P’s framework of marketing. With the help of these strategies, the service quality of the tourism industry should get enhanced. It can also augment the equity and brand image of Saigontourist might be enhanced in future times among other competitors. Finally, an action plan is also suggested for the implementation and evaluation of these strategies. Marketing Plan Product Saigontourist is a renowned organisation which is observed to deliver continuous concentration over research and development initiatives in order to introduce innovative tour packages for its customers at frequent periodic intervals. It is worth mentioning that this might be considered as a major strength of the company which can facilitate the organisation to sustain in this fiercely competitive era of globalisation in the tourism industry. For this reason, it can introduce a travelling trip named ‘Cosy Viet’, including outstanding quality of services along with experienced consultants for its customers with the intention to provide them with highly satisfactory experience of travelling to all the implausible regions of Vietnam2. It is in this context that the core product in terms of ‘Cosy Viet’ and similar other tour packages might assist Saigontourist to attain a higher level of customers’ satisfaction resulting in the overall augmentation of its profitability and its efficiency in relation to customer relationship management. Saigontourist is a state-owned travelling enterprise which desires to attain the largest section of market share in the tourism industry of Vietnam. Therefore, the organisation has been observed to deliberately attempt towards enhancing its brand image by improving its eminence and characteristics of services offered to the target groups3. Moreover, the introduction of ‘Cosy Viet’ is also expected to enhance the brand equity of Saigontourist resulting in the overall improvement of its prosperity. Based on this aspect, Saigontourist can also offer the facility of a knowledge tour guide in order to offer value added services at an efficient cost to its customers. This might significantly help the customers of ‘Cosy Viet’ to attain an overall view about the culture, beauty, nature and history of Vietnam and its neighbouring areas such as Dalat-Nha Trang, Da Nang-Hue and others. This in turn is most likely to facilitate in enhancing the dependency and satisfaction level of the customers further resulting in the ascendancy of Saigontourist4. In ‘Cosy Viet’ package, the consumers can also be rendered with extra facilities namely couple passes for luxury cruise day outs, old war site touring packages, river cruising tours and trips for Indochina. Moreover, varied types of insurances can also be offered at a reasonable cost, in order to enhance customer gratification. Hence, it might facilitate Saigontourist to augment its brand value in the long run5. Price Pricing is the second most important aspect of marketing mix. In order to enhance the corporate image of Saigontourist, it shall be highly beneficial for the organisation to follow value-based pricing techniques, at the introduction stage of its new product, i.e. ‘Cosy Viet’. It is worth mentioning that Value-based pricing can be useful while promoting ‘Cosy Viet’ as it includes varied types of additional benefits which might assist in attracting more customers6. Furthermore, the price of the service is measured by the customers after analysing its perceived value among other competitors2. Hence, it might prove beneficial for Saigontourist to enhance its inimitability in the operations of the organisation. Place or Distribution In order to promote the inventive product of Saigontourist, it can make considerable utilisation of a few noteworthy selective distribution systems7. It is due to the reason that these distribution systems can effectively help Saigontourist to reach a large number of customers which is an extremely essential objective in the process of introducing a new product. Moreover, it might also facilitate in the efficient distribution of the tickets of the tour packages offered through ‘Cosy Viet’ package system through three diverse channels namely8: Channel 1:Tickets of ‘Cosy Viet’ can be purchased from travel agents Channel 2:Customers may buy the tickets of ‘Cosy Viet’ from the organisation’s website directly Channel 3: The tickets for the luxury tours of ‘Cosy Viet’ can also be availed through the Saigontourist officers9 Selective distribution system of Saigontourist10 Promotion Mix Strategy ‘Cosy Viet’ is one of the luxurious tour packages offered which is intended to be shortly introduced to the customers for the first time by Saigontourist. With this purpose, Saigontourist should utilise the strategy of push and pull in order to create consumer demands for the tour of ‘Cosy Viet’. This is because of the reason that most of the visitors acquire information about Vietnam from foreign articles, magazines and from many other sources, as depicted in the below diagram. Notably, these sources are often observed to lack in providing the true picture of Vietnamese culture and heritage compared to that provided by authentic Vietnamese sources. Knowledge Sources of Vietnam to Visitors11 With due concern towards the fact, Saigontourist can utilise four different advertising media namely newspapers, magazines, internet and outdoor advertising intending towards generating a clearer picture of Vietnamese heritage in the minds of the visitors. The organisation can also make use of attractive messages in its promotion through the aforementioned media channels such as ‘Discovering the beauty of Vietnam’. Moreover, the advertisement campaigns should also include the specifications of certain free gifts such as luggage bags, water jars, pens, and many others for children which can further attract the customers’ attention and also enhance their satisfaction level considerably. Other than this, Saigontourist might also execute certain sponsorship events in order to increase the awareness of the citizens towards the brand, resulting in the overall augmentation of the demand of its innovative tour package. Saigontourist might further intend sending direct mails to the loyal customers along with certain discount facilities in order to enhance the efficiency of the relationship with them12. Along with this, catalogues should also be attached with the mails including all details about the various tour facilities offered by Saigontourist in order to retain its reliable customers13. People In order to offer best services to its customers, Saigontourist should provide varied types of guidance programmes to its employees such as hospitality management, event management and communication development courses14. Moreover, the management of Saigontourist can also offer rewards to its staffs to enhance their dedication towards work. The enhanced skills and employee morality through proper training programmes might prove beneficial for Saigontourist to satisfy customer requirements and desires in a pleasant way, thereby enhancing customer confidence and reliability15. Process With regards to the process involved in Saigontourist, it should provide an experienced tour guide to assist or develop the knowledge perceived by the customers regarding the places they are visiting in order to make the journey pleasant and enjoyable. Moreover, it can also facilitate the customers in attaining detailed information about the culture of Vietnam which may in turn enhance customer contentment and loyalty towards organisational services16. Physical Evidence Saigontourist can introduce the facility of transportation services for its customers in order to enhance the customer allegiance and assurance. In terms of transport services, luxurious transport services are offered to the consumers of Saigontourist. In addition, Saigontourist might also offer the facility of luxurious fooding and accommodation services in order to augment the customers’ gratification level17. Along with this, Saigontourist might also provide the customers with the facility of reputed restaurants offering delicious and a variety cuisines as well18. Thus, it can be affirmed with reference to the above discussion, that Saigontourist might focus on the customer preferences as a key factor in order to amplify its brand equity along with market share and total revenue19. Implementation and Evaluation Action Plan Action How Sensible Measurable Achievable Realistic Timed 1)New product (Cosy Viet) with additional facilities such as old war site touring, bags, pens According to the requirement of the customers on the basis of marketing research It would improve employee loyalty It can be measured by analysing the total sales of Saigontourist With the help of administrative authority of Saigontourist Reasonable cost Within 2 months 2) Value based pricing for Cosy Viet According to marketing research results Efficiency of Saigontourist By measuring the profit margin With the help of management of Saigontourist Reasonable cost Within 2 months 3)Availability of tickets through travel agents, websites and officers of Saigontourist In order to attract more customers Brand image augmentation of Saigontourist By evaluating the demand of Cosy Viet With management and the tourism department of Vietnam Reasonable cost Within 2 months 4)Promotion through: newspaper, foreign articles, magazines, internets, sponsorships, direct mails with catalogues Increase customer ranges Product and organisational awareness By assessing the dominance of Saigontourist With the help of management of Saigontourist Reasonable cost Within 3 months 5)Staffs should be offered hospitality management, communication development courses and event management To improve customer satisfaction It would improve customer confidence By considering the brand image of Saigontourist With the help of management of Saigontourist Reasonable cost Within 1 month 6)Saigontourist must offer an knowledgeable tour guide To improve customer delight Brand value extension of Saigontourist It can be measured by analysing the total revenue of Saigontourist With the help of management of Saigontourist Reasonable cost Within 1 month 7) A.C. bus service, luxurious hotels and restaurants for customers In order to pull more customers Brand identity intensification of Saigontourist It can be measured by analysing the net profit of Saigontourist With the help of management of Saigontourist Reasonable cost Within 1 month Fish-Bone Diagram Source:20 References Continuum Learning, No Date. “7Ps of Services Marketing”. “Extension of the 4Ps - 7Ps Services Marketing Framework by Booms and Bitner”. http://www.continuumlearning.com/Customer%20Services_7Ps%20of%20Services.pdf Dementris, Vrontis and Philip, J. Kitchen. “Entry Methods and International Marketing Decision Making: An Empirical Investigation.” International Journal of Business Studies (2005):13, 1, 87-110 Gale, B, T. & Swire, D. J., 2006. “Value-Based Marketing & Pricing”. “Competitive Marketing Strategy”. Jonathan Ivy. “A new higher education marketing mix: the 7Ps for MBA marketing”. International Journal of Educational Management (2008): 22. 4, 288-299 Mehrdad, Alipour and Elham, Darabi. “The Role Of Service Marketing Mix And Its Impact On Marketing Audit in Engineering and Technical Service Corporations.” Global Journal of Management and Business Research (2011): 11, 6 (1) Microsoft, 2012. “Support”. “Fishbone Diagram”. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb734745.aspx Paradissa Co, 2012. “Paradissa”. “Hot Tours”. http://www.paradissa.com/vietnam/vietnam-luxury-travel/cozy-vietnam_en.html Paradissa Co, 2012. “Paradissa”. “Vietnam Travel Deals”. http://www.paradissa.com/vietnam_en.html Scribd, No Date. “Marketing Plan”. “The study of the marketing strategies for Vietnam tourism” http://www.scribd.com/doc/38831016/Vietnam-Tourism-Marketing-Strategy-1-0 Scribd, No Date. “Marketing Plan”. “Marketing Mix”. http://www.scribd.com/doc/62651429/Saigontourist-Marketing-Plan Yu, Jia Hu. “How Brand Equity, Marketing Mix Strategy And Service Quality Affect Customer Loyalty: The Case Of Retail Chain Stores In Taiwan”. The International Journal of Organizational Innovation (2011): 4, 1 Read More