Integrated Marketing Communications and Customer Satisfaction - Assignment Example

? IMC and Satisfaction: BERVET Alcohol and Beer Marketing Management-500 Esosa Dickey Strayer Dr. Kay Green Integrated marketing communications The term integrated marketing communications (IMC) has been coined in the mid 1990s and has become internationally well known since then. The scope of integrated marketing communications has been realized by various companies in different countries, but it has been understood differently in different contexts. Hence there is no rigid definition of this term that can be used to explain its utility in the context of the present company in its present marketing activities (Smith, Berry & Pulford, 1999). However, from an in depth understanding of the different ways of marketing communication this process would be discussed in detail in this paper in the context of marketing activities of the BERVET. The process of integrated marketing communications fundamentally refers to “the strategic analysis, choice, implementation and control of all elements of marketing communications which efficiently, economically and effectively influence transactions between an organization and its existing and potential customers, consumers and clients” (Smith, Berry & Pulford, 1999). In simple words it is the way in which an organization manages and controls all its market communications. It is ensured that the messages, personality of the company and its brand positioning in the market is delivered across all the elements of the market by utilizing a single and consistent strategy (Smith, Berry & Pulford, 1999). This process is applicable to any type of company dealing with any type of product or service, however, BERVET can customize each step of this process in order to fit the bill of the goods and services offered by it. Although the concept of marketing communications has been put to use in companies as an all inclusive concept to deal with the different levels of communication since the 1990s, the technique of strategically integrating these diverse functional areas is unique to the approach of integrated marketing communications (FitzGerald, 2000). BERVET should develop a single communications strategy, the basic of which should be followed for each target audience that has been identified from the entire market. This strategy has to be used “as the basis for executing each communication function” (FitzGerald, 2000) throughout the marketing process by using a wide range of channels of communication. Twelve different strategies have been identified by Smith, Berry and Pulford (1999) to accomplish the process of integrated marketing communications; such as, advertising, public relations, sales promotion, point of purchase, packaging, exhibition, sponsorship, internet, direct marketing, personal selling, corporate identity and word of mouth. BERVET has decided to choose advertising as the basic strategy for its integrated marketing communications. Advertising strategy of BERVET Advertising can be made through different channels. BERVET keeps pace with advancement of time and revises its advertising policies and the channels used. Television commercials, print media (newspapers and magazines), bill board signs and event sponsoring have been the most popular methods of advertising for the company since it had started business in 2000. However, recently it has also started to make its presence felt by advertising on the internet. The marketing goal of BERVET is to expand to the European continent and capture the European market. The target audience includes the governments of the different countries in the region, the private sector, the retailers and whole sellers, the individual customers. The different advertising channels have been chosen keeping in mind these different target groups. The internet is the most common form of media in both the developed countries in the region that allows the people to share ideas, communicate, and build network. Hence advertisement on the internet is particularly of immense importance for the company’s expansion plans. The effectiveness of advertising can be measured after determining the objective of advertising; communication objective and sales objective. In this case the company advertises with both these objectives. Effectiveness of the advertising strategies can be measured by judging three basic factors affected by the advertisement campaign; reach to the audience, resonance and reaction (Minelli, Chambers & Dhiraj, 2012). Reaching the right customer is the most important responsibility of an advertisement campaign and its effectiveness can be judged by tracking how well the advertisement is reaching the targeted audience. The company can measure the frequency and gross rating point (GRP) against the demographic target on a monthly basis for this purpose (Valos & Shimp, 2012). Secondly, arresting the attention of the target audience is the other goal of an advertisement campaign. Measuring of the effect of resonance refers to measuring the effectiveness of communication of the brand and what feelings the customers nurture regarding the brand. Finally, advertising drives behavioural change. Hence the effectiveness of the campaigns can be perceived by increase in sales figures and other behavioural changes among customers; such as customers discussing about the BERVET’s products in the social media channels, people liking the brand on the Facebook fan page, or simply any behaviour that yields positive return on investment (ROI). The company might record such information for evaluation by conducting regular surveys; by telephonic test, interview test or highly scientific mechanical tests like, Galvanometer test or Techistoscope test that measures consumers’ reactions scientifically (Trehan & Trehan, 2010; Barker, Valos & Shimp, 2012). Promotional strategies The company can use several other promotional strategies to fulfil its marketing goals. One effective means could be sending push messages to mass mobile phone numbers notifying the offers and discounts available from time to time to the target customers. By doing so the company would be able to penetrate into the target audience base since mobile phones have become the most common form of communication. The company already has strong presence on the internet. It can sponsor online contests and give prizes to the ones that win, with the name and logo of the brand put on the prize. This would attract potential customer’s attention towards the brand. Information might be collected from the customers when they walk into the stores and in return they might be given away a can of beer. Sample products might also be given away from roaming distributing joints or stationed kiosks to make the people aware of this new brand in the European market. Since Europeans are sport lovers, BERVET should also sponsor popular games like soccer or golf. Marketing research approach Marketing research helps the company to gather information required to identify marketing opportunities, generate and evaluate its marketing actions; monitor its marketing performance. The best market research approach for BERVET is to jointly conduct advertising research and customer satisfaction research by collecting quantitative and qualitative data and evaluating them. The data can be collected for constructing a loyalty measure (affective), attribute satisfaction measure (cognitive and repurchase intention measure (behavioural) and an overall satisfaction measure (emotional). The findings and implications would indicate customer satisfaction levels (Cengiz, 2010). Addressing gaps in customer expectations Customers’ expectations are not always fulfilled and they do not get enough value against the money they pay for obtaining a good or service. BERVET should study the customer satisfaction levels and identify the areas that the customers ask for every time they walk into the stores or visit their website. It is a common phenomenon in services sector that occasional lapses in delivery occur (Heinonen, 1997). BERVET should improve its quality assurance level and payback policies in case of customer dissatisfaction, web functionality, train employees to render better service, update the pricing structures regularly as per the discounts and offers provided. Alongside it should create customer service feedback monitoring system in order to keep a check on the customer’s feedback on these changes. The alcoholic beverage market in Europe is mature and highly competitive. Hence expectations of the customers are driven higher by the ampleness of product availability (Takminds, n.d.). BERVET is therefore under constant pressure to update and upgrade itself to deliver high quality products and maintain superior relationship with its clients and customers at every point of sale. References Barker, N., Valos, M. & Shimp, T. (2012). Integrated Marketing Communications. Connecticut: Cengage Learning. Cengiz, E. (2010). Measuring customer satisfaction: Must or not? Journal of Naval Science and Engineering, 6(2), 76-88. FitzGerald, M. (2000). Marketing Communications Classics: An International Collection of Classics and Contemporary Papers. Connecticut: Cengage Learning EMEA. Heinonen, J. E. A. (1997). Gap analysis in pubs between customers and workers. Retrieved from http://opko.laurea.fi/~jarhein/Thesis98.pdf Minelli, M., Chambers, M., & Dhiraj, A. (2012). Big Data, Big Analytics: Emerging Business Intelligence and Analytic Trends for Today's Businesses. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Smith, P. R., Berry, C. & Pulford, A. (1999). Strategic marketing communications: new ways to build and integrate communications. Great Britain: Kogan Page Publishers. Takminds. (n.d.). Case Study: The Secret Formula. Retrieved from http://takminds.dk/User_files/5fc664a4be85700dff84cf2ae622158e.pdf Trehan, M. & Trehan, R. (2010). Advertising and Sales Management. Delhi: FK Publications. Read More