Marketing Audit of the Best Western Restaurant - Essay Example

COVER PAGE Module Module Marketing Audit Level: Element: Assignment PEST & SWOT Analysis Report: Best Western No: The main aim of this report was to look into the working of one restaurant from the many in Scarborough, UK. The specific business under discussion in this report is Best Western which is basically a country house hotel. The workings of the restaurant are looked into using the PEST and SWOT analysis to see whether it is successful or not and what it is lacking in its marketing practices. Contents Abstract i Contents ii Introduction iii Structure of the Document iv Chapter 1 - Background Research 1 1.1Introduction 1 Point One (PEST analysis) 4 In order to bring the place out of drudgery the local council has made several attempts to bring about a revolution or a sort of renaissance so as to uplift the area and make it more appealing for the people. The new regulations and tenders aim to make the scarborough area the kind of place that people would want to come and vacation at. But this can be both good and bad for business. Those that are used to a traditional approach which have to take into account the new policies and then change their workings accordingly and that includes Best Western as well. 4 Social factors 4 Economic factors 5 SWOT analysis 6 Chapter 3 - Summary & Conclusions 9 Summary 9 Conclusions 10 No name (2009): Creative Potential: http://www.planningresource.co.uk/news/887371/Creative-Potential/ 11 Introduction The Scarborough area has many eateries and hotels of the like. To see how one excels over the other is an interesting phenomenon. The Best Western is a one of a kind place which offers an eclectic experience to all who stop by it. The property is spread out over 17 acres of lush gardens and knitted closely with the North Yorkshire Moors. Their food is their main attraction as they have hired award winning chefs to cook for their customers. It is a very dynamic market environment because each establishment in the Scarborough area is offering something different. This report will look into the factors that make Best Western a success and those that limit its performance. Structure of the Document There are three main Chapters: Chapter 1 - explores the background to the topic Chapter 2 - highlights the important points for the reader Chapter 3 - provides both a summary of my research and conclusions Chapter 1 - Background Research 1.1 Introduction Best Western is one of the foremost places of Scarborough and opens its doors to many people – both residents and tourists alike. Many call it a hidden gem because of its location and it is known for its 17 acres of tranquilty and calmness. Other than this the place can boast of having some of the best chefs in the world commanding its kitchens and a unique adventure experience for those who are looking for some excitement as well. This section looks into the market segments, the marketing mix and the trends that affect the productivity of the overall place. Market Segments When you create a market segment, you do so by grouping together similar individuals who have the same kind of consumer habits. This can be done in terms of gender, race, age, ethnicity etcetera. The main focus for anyone trying to locate a market segment is to understand his niche so that he can market his products in a more effective way. The marketing mix is therefore created on the basis of this information and is used to give the consumers a sense of affinity with the goods and services that are being advertised. No two people are alike and that has to be kept in mind when advertising, that is also the reason why mass advertising is not the most affective type of advertising there is. A good marketing mix doesn’t just inform the consumers of a good or service but also persuades them that they should spend their money and buy it. Defining and locating market segments Best Western’s restaurant has a very specific kind of market segment. They offer adventure activities and cheap dinning options along with great quality food. They are likely to attract young people, most likely tourists, who are looking to relax and do something worthwhile afterwards. This would include families as well as single people who come from middle classes or a higher social status. It will propel away those who are looking for a wild kind of time and attract those who are more into nature and calm serenity. Understanding segments’ needs and wants This is the segment that will most likely be taking a break from their daily hectic lives and want to get away from the city. The location of Best Western makes it an ideal place for people to go and get away from the chaos of their normal routine. Couples and families will ideally pick this place for this purpose alone. The marketing mix has to be made with this fact in mind. The features of the restaurant that fit well with this objective should be repeatedly highlighted so that people know that they can find what they are looking for at the place. Developing more appropriate marketing mixes The productivity of the place can be boosted if the establishment can account for the changing patterns in the society. They need to advertise themselves as unique and make sure that whoever is coming to the area knows that they are the best option available for them to go to. In order to attract a tourist or even a local consumer to their establishment they need to show them why it would be a good idea for them to come there instead of the many other places that are open in the same area. Just highlighting good food will not be enough as anyone can make that claim. They need to make sure that the customer knows that he will be getting something from his experience at the Best Western that he will not find anywhere else in the town. Those who are coming in for sight seeing can also be pulled in by the natural beauty surrounding the place. Root causes of marketing problems The main problem with the marketing at this point is that the features are not highlighted in the best possible way. There isn’t enough pictorial representation of what is good with the place and the pictures that are available for the consumers are very stoic and bland. Through its marketing any establishment should be able to set itself apart from all the other restaurants. Best Western is focusing more on its reputation as a worldwide chain than actually going after consumers and letting them know what is good about this individual outlet. If someone is going to come from a far off place or even if a resident was to plan some time off they would do so with places they thought had something different to offer. The Best Western approach is to highlight their advantages but not highlight how they are the only ones with those advantages. Their marketing campaign needs to become more competitive in order to knock their competition off the charts and increase their own consumer base and ergo their productivity. Changing needs, wants, attitudes and trends Many people enjoy time off. The environment of the Scarborough area however has changed drastically over the past few years. The council’s innovation initiatives have led to higher number of people who are into technology to walk that part of town. Best Western promises a very traditional experience which does not account for the taste of these people. It needs to change as per their requirements because they make up quite a considerable amount of the total consumers. Best Western needs to become a hybrid that fuses together tradition and technology. It is because of the areas reputation that even tourists that will come in will be looking for such things too. Chapter 2 - Main Discussion Point One (PEST analysis) This report will make use of the PEST analysis to look into the political, economic, social and technological aspects that have an influence on Best Western. Practically speaking one can get a better understanding of the market trends through this analysis and hence help create better plans and strategies for the marketing mix. Political Factors In order to bring the place out of drudgery the local council has made several attempts to bring about a revolution or a sort of renaissance so as to uplift the area and make it more appealing for the people. The new regulations and tenders aim to make the scarborough area the kind of place that people would want to come and vacation at. But this can be both good and bad for business. Those that are used to a traditional approach which have to take into account the new policies and then change their workings accordingly and that includes Best Western as well. Social factors It is a known fact that during the early 2000s due to the economic downturn the people who lived in Scarborough began to lose faith in the place. The local council then came up with plans to combat the problem. The residents consist of people who did not believe in the place and then those who left to study and never came back. This kind of an attitude turns into a lethargic and dead scenario where people do not want to go and visit restaurants or anything else for that matter. The entire area needed an uplift which was provided by the council through various investments and now things are looking up. The unemployment levels due to this have also decreased. The patterns of the society have also changed and people are now moving away from traditional things towards a more globalized approach and technology. So any place that wants to be successful will need to adapt itself to these changes as well. Technological factors Many people now plan their vacations and their fun time over their computers. Long before they set a foot outside their homes they’ve made their reservations and a list of things that they will be doing while they are out. The website for Best Western offers nothing but a handful few stoic pictures of the restaurant. If one wants to go out and do something fun they will not go to a quite looking lifeless place. The presentation of the place online will affect their customer strength greatly and they may end up losing people instead of attracting them. Economic factors Scarborough has been becoming a hub for creative and digital industries. Over the years it has developed these further and therefore the entire structure and way of life of the place has changed due to this. More techno savvy people are stopping by to get that kind of an experience (planningsource.co.uk). A rich traditional quite experience does not fit into their routine. The consumer base requires something with an electronic touch and this will greatly affect Best Western. If they cannot account for the new generation then they will be left behind. Importance of PEST analysis The PEST gave us an idea of how the setting in which the Best Western exists influences its general workings. By taking into account these four factors the place can introduce changes as per the changing needs of the business. It helps it stay on top of the game and not be behind times. The PEST analysis gives you those details which will have an inherent effect on any business; therefore taking it into account is a very good idea. SWOT analysis The SWOT analysis is an insight into the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that are faced by any businesses. This restrauant also has some strong points and some weak ones. It can avail a few opportunies and must watch out for other threats. This section will look into the factors which give it its strength and make it weak. Along with this future opportunities will be noted along with threats. Strengths: Dual restaurants Location is amazing Cheaper dining options Quality of food is very good i.e. best chefs around Outdoor activities are also provided Wedding services provided Conferences and meetings can be catered to Weaknesses: High competition with other eating places Management is inconsistent Interior is too bland Quality of experience is marred by quality of service at times Opportunities: New innovation projects by government could result in higher intake Can attract a foreign market who is looking for a suburban experience Threats: The new innovation projects could also mean that the country house will need to restructure itself completely. Creative industries are undermining the establishment. Chapter 3 - Summary & Conclusions Summary Recommendations  Best Western needs to stop relying on its reputation and devise marketing strategies that actually go after the consumers and doesn’t wait for them to show up themselves. Although the reputation is a plus point, the fact that it is being taken for granted is hindering the restaurants performance. They also need to establish how and why they are unique and why a consumer should pick them over all else. There have been problems with the management and the staff in the past and steps need to be taken to create consistency so that the word of mouth does not stop other people from coming to the place. In order to increase productivity they also need to adapt to the changes brought in the by the creative and technological industries. The sooner they do so the better because most people will come looking for those things if nothing else and may turn to other places if they do no find them at Best Western. Conclusions Through the PEST and SWOT analysis this report looked into the workings of Best Western. By taking into account the various economic and social trends the establishment can further enhance or change its marketing approach and thereby attract more consumers and turn over more profits in the future. The SWOT analysis in particular is an excellent indicator of what the place can build upon and what weaknesses it needs to deal with. References No name (2009): Creative Potential: http://www.planningresource.co.uk/news/887371/Creative-Potential/ Read More