Sales Development and Merchandising - Assignment Example

 Sales Development and Merchandising Introduction Global business environment is becoming highly competitive as several leading multinational and domestic organisations are trying to capitalize on the potential business opportunities that are developed due to globalisation and technological advancement. UK hotel industry has become highly competitive as several potential and competent organisations are implementing unique strategies in business operation process in order to gain potential competitive advantages. The London Hilton Hotel is one of the most luxurious and popular hotels situated in 22 Park Lane. This hotel is located in W1K London 1BE. It is one of the leading hotels within the UK hotel industry. The hotel was formed in the year 1963. Management of Hilton Hotels actually run the business operation of this hotel. This assignment will analyze and evaluate several strategies that are adopted and implemented by London Hilton Hotel. Task A This part of the assignment will describe the elements of products and services of this Hilton Hotel. (a) UK hotel industry is becoming highly competitive as several leading organisations within this industry are trying to implement unique product and service operation strategies in order to gain potential competitive advantages. Similar to other luxurious hotels across the globe, Hilton Hotel also has some valuable and advanced modern-day services and amenities. The organisation has divided its product and service portfolio into several contexts, such as family’s convenience and comfort, business convenience, individual convenience and comfort, individual reaction and fitness convenience, and accessibility needs. Large and unique meeting rooms, availability of conferencing services, business centre, availability of audio-visual instruments and access to strong wireless networks enhances business convenience. On the other hand, presence of big lounge, effective room service facility, safety deposit box, spa, cribs, high chairs and foreign currency exchange facility enhances comfort and convenience of both individuals and other family members. Last but not the least; grab bathroom bars, roll-in-shower, audible alarms in elevators and other amenities help the management of the organisation to meet the accessible needs of target customers (Hilton, 2013, p.1). The management of Hilton Hotel effectively focuses on these product and service mix in order to enhance sales and profit growth rate. Availability of both business meetings and family gathering amenities and service process helps the management of the hotel to attract both business executives and other individuals to visit the hotel. This effectiveness of the product mix automatically increases the sales growth rate of the hotel. Therefore, the organisation significantly enjoys a steep profit growth rate curve within the UK hotel industry. (b) It is highly important for the marketing management of each and every organisation to segment target customers according to the characteristics of the products and services. It is clear from above discussion that Hilton Hotel has the availability of business amenities as well as family amenities. Therefore, it can be stated that the organisation targets business executives, family individuals and foreigners who come to visit London. Advanced business conference amenities, such as modern conference rooms, audio-visual instruments, printer, photo-copy services, strong wireless networking access and several secretarial services helped the organisation to target business executives. Therefore, it can be stated that the organisation has effectively implemented demographic segmentation. Gyms, fitness centres and stem room help the management to target people who are concerned about healthy body and fitness. Several luxurious amenities, such as advanced room-service amenities, big lounge, gift-shops, spa, lowered bed, roll-in shower, grab bars and modern-day barber shop helped the organisation to target family individuals. Therefore, it can be stated that the management of the organisation also has effectively implemented psychographic segmentation. Last but not the least; the organisation also has implemented geographic segmentation as maintenance of traditional culture in hotel helps the foreigners and tourists to stay and enjoy the amenities and services that are provided by the management of Hilton Hotel Task B This part of the assignment will discuss about external sales development techniques of London Hilton Hotel. (a) Economic environment and social environment are the major factors that impact buying behaviour of consumers quite heavily. Recent financial crisis and economic recession affected the economic environment of UK and other places across the world. It is clear from above discussion that the management of London Hilton Hotel has segmented its product and service portfolios, and amenities by targeting foreigners, business executives and family individuals. Therefore, it can be stated that recent global economic crunch affected the buying behaviour of global consumers. Therefore, choice of luxury hotel can be condemned by the target customers in order to back their affected purchasing power (Luther, 2001, p.98). But, favourable social demands for the traditional products and services that are offered by the management of this hotel have a positive impact on the buying behaviour of target customers. London can be considered as one of the popular and favourite tourist spots among the visitors. On the other hand, traditional consumer services and advanced in-hotel amenities help the management of the organisation to attract target customers socially. (b) Advertising and promotion can be considered as important marketing strategies for the organisations that can help to enhance effective brand awareness and positive sales growth rate. Therefore, it is highly important for the management of Hilton Hotel to focus on effective utilisation of effective advertisement mediums that can enhance effective brand awareness. First of all, the organisation can promote their hotel through online social media platforms. It will help the organisation create awareness among the social media and other internet users. Print media advertising can be considered as effective promotional strategy that can help Hilton Hotel to create significant brand awareness among the business executive and tourists. Advertisement in business magazines and tourism magazines can help the organisation to create significant brand awareness. Last but not the least; it is important for the organisation to consider sales promotional strategy be promoting hotel packages and other leisure services through travel and tourism management organisation. It will help the management to attract target customers. (c) It is true that consideration of external merchandising can help the management of Hilton Hotel to increase sales and customer volume. Special offers for holiday packages, different point-of-sale methods and free display techniques can be considered as important external merchandising and activities that can help the organisation to maximize customer volume. Special and economic priced holiday packages during Christmas and other festive season will help the organisation to create significant brand awareness among the target customers. In addition to this, effective point-of-sales direct selling activities though the sales peach of executives from sales and business development department can help the management of the organisation to pull significant number of target customers for the Hilton Hotel in London. Task C This part of the assignment will help to determine the use of internal sales techniques by Hilton Hotel. (a) It is clear from above discussion that the management of Hilton Hotel has focused on modern and advanced layout of the Hotel in order to attract the target customers. Advanced business conference amenities, lifestyle amenities and other customer services actually help the management of the organisation to attract both business executives and family individuals (Ebster, 2011, p.17). Attract in-hotel design and unique in-room amenities help the management of the organisation to provide a memorable experience to each and every guest who used to stay here. The management of the organisation also has tried to create uniqueness in its layout and internal designs by providing effective customer services/. Alarm in elevators, attractive and fashionable bathroom amenities and luxurious in-room experience attract not only regional customers but also foreigners who seek to get memorable experience against their paid money. Therefore, it can be stated that unique and attractive internal design and layout. (b) Internal merchandising can be considered as an important marketing and business operation strategy that can help an organisation to increase its customer volume and overall business output. However, the organisation has adopted and implemented cost based reasonable pricing strategy and free samples of several service portfolios that helped the organisation to attract the target customers towards the hotel. In addition to this, the management of the organisation used to make contact with several travel and tourism agencies regarding the package sales. Looking into the importance of internal merchandising, it is recommended to the management of Hilton hotel to focus on effective internal sales merchandising strategy to improve the business outcome. The organisation should try to develop a good and healthy relationship with the external agencies regarding the occupancy of hotel rooms regarding leisure and other happening seasons, such as Christmas. This strategy will help the organisation to maintain a strong relationship with target customers through the help of middle agents. In addition to this, the organisation should try to develop effective social media promotional strategy as it can be considered as a significant internal merchandising strategy that can help organisatio0n to conduct mass marketing. (c) The management of the organisation focuses on sales promotion and online social media promotional strategy quite heavily. The organisation has promoted its services, holiday packages and product amenities through online leisure websites. Moreover, the organisation has tried to implement social media promotional strategies in order to create significant brand awareness. Last but not the least; the organisation has put advertising on several tourism and business magazines in order to attract tourists and other business entrepreneurs. It is recommended for the management of the Hilton Hotel to focus on effective relationship between the sales department and several external travel agencies. The organisation should provide lucrative commission to9 the promotional and other travel & tourism agencies in order to attract several tourists during events and festive seasons. Task D This part of the assignment will describe the role of staffs in maximising sales growth rate of the Hilton Hotel. (a) The sales department of the Hilton Hotel generally motivates and influences its executives to focus on individual aggressive selling techniques. However, it is quite complex and uncertain as the UK hotel industry has become saturated due to the presence of several leading organisations. Moreover, online package selling can be considered as an important selling technique that has been considered by the organisation in order to increase sales growth rate of the organisation. It is highly important for the management of the organisation to include third-part selling process in order to gain and develop potential client base across the globe. The sales department of the organisation should try to focus on maintaining good relationship with the external travel and tourism agencies in order to assist their sales executives to get potential customers for the hotel. In addition to this, introduction of advanced and modern CRM application in the organisation will help the executives and employees of sales department to maintain an effective relationship with the customers. (b) It is true that effective operational design always has a positive impact on the sales revenue growth rate of the organisation. The management of London Hilton Hotel always try to focus on development and implementation of effective operational design in order to enhance sales revenue growth rate of the organisation. First of all, the organisation has adopted and implemented advanced information communication technological process within the organisation in order to enhance communication between the top level management and employees. It actually helps the organisation to overcome the possibility of several workplace conflicts. Logistics and distribution can be considered as important operational activities for any hotel. The management of Hilton Hotel also focused on the effectiveness of logistics and distribution. However, the organisation has adopted and implemented online strategy in its logistics and distribution operation process. This effectiveness of supply chain department of the organisation has helped to enhance sales revenue maximization. (c) Sales department also can be considered as an important department of an organisation. Effectiveness of a sales team actually decides the business growth rate of a hotel. However, the sales department of the Hilton Hotel should try to focus on implementation of effective principles in a sales training programme in order to increase competency of sales department. The organisation should try to include sales software, such as use of Salesforce.com in order to provide effective training to the sales executive. In addition to this, the management of the organisation should try to include the concept of just-in-time approach in order to help the employees to meet with daily sales target in their late future. However, it is highly important for the organisation to motivate employees to be flexible and hardworking. Practical training about how to give sales peach will help employees to grow in their future. Conclusion It is clear from above discussion that London Hilton Hotel has adopted and implemented several marketing strategies in order to gain potential competitive edges over its potential competitors. Effective adoption and implementation of internal and external merchandising helped the management of the organisation to increase customer volume significantly across UK. Moreover, advanced amenities and effective customer services helped the organisation to attract target customer towards the organisation quite effectively. Despite the implementation of several unique strategies, it is highly important for the management of the organisation to focus on effective online and third-party marketing to enhance effective sales growth rate. References Ebster, C., 2011. Store Design and Visual Merchandising. London: Routledge. Hilton., 2013. Amenities and Services. [Online]. Available at: http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/united-kingdom/london-hilton-on-park-lane-LONHITW/about/amenities.html. [Accessed on July 14, 2014]. Luter, W., 2001. The marketing Plan. London: Sage. Read More