Essentials of Service Marketing - Research Paper Example

Introduction This project review summarizes the research and it provides the on what was encountered in the process of looking for the information. In the review recommendation have been given on how challenges encountered can be overcome. In the review findings of the research have been highlighted. Online survey The survey questionnaires were presented online to participants and various issues emerged in the process.. Some of the potential respondents wanted a lot of clarification about the whole project. They inquired if they could be involved and what they were likely to gain. In some of the incidences the respondents were more interested on obtaining help indicating that they had a close relative who they suspect could be suffering from the disease. There are some of the questionnaires which were filled partially and these were rejected. Some of the respondents needed a lot of explanation on exactly how donations raised by charity are spent. Some of the respondents felt that these could be a way of swindling money from people. This therefore called for patience in explaining the issues to the respondents. In some cases the group members were reported to have been impolite in the responses they gave to the inquiries which were made. It therefore came out clearly that there is a great need for people involved in such projects to be advised on good public relations. Some of the respondents also thought that filling the questionnaire online was not the best as it meant that there was lack of commitment. They felt that it would be better if the questionnaires were presented in person to enable any clarification to be made to respondents at the field level. This could have been one of the explanations for some of the questionnaires being partially filled with some respondents promising to fill the questionnaires but they failed to do so. Some of group members felt that it could be fun if this would have been done through presentation of the questionnaires to the respondents in person. The group members were reminded of the challenges of going to the field in person including more monetary resources being required, and chances of the members influencing the answers given in the questionnaire. The focus group and general research outcome The focus group meeting started by establishing the mood for the discussion. There was the introduction session where the moderator gave a chance to the group members to introduce themselves starting with the group members. The introduction was a lively session with some of the group members insisting that they needed the official names plus the nicknames of the participants. Some of the members went further to request the cell phone numbers saying that it was good to keep in touch after the discussion so as to keep each other posted on “prostrate cancer”. It emerged that the participants had a lot to share about there ambitions in life and how it was challenging to be successful in academics. The moderator needed to be very tactful in regulating the discussion without making the participants feeling that they were being ignored. At some point some participants wanted to dominate the discussion while other appeared to seat back. The moderator had to help in ensuring balance in participation by requesting the opinion of the participants who had not gotten the chance of airing their views. Some of the participants were very eager to share what technology could do to them. Some indicated that they spent a substantial amount of time on the net watching movies on you-tube others indicated that they liked chatting with friends on the social networks. On the other hand some of the participants indicated that they did not like passive entertainment and for them participating in physical activities was their choice of entertainment. There was laughter when some of the participants went further to show off their built bodies as a sign that it was more beneficial to participate in physical activities as a form of entertainment other than “wasting time on the net”. The conclusion for the argument was that there was need to balance ones leisure activities to involve both physical and passive entertainment. On the awareness issue it emerged that some of the members indicated that they were not aware of the prostrate cancer. Majority of them indicated that they were aware of cancer in general. It emerged that majority of the participants had known cancer to be a deadly disease that had no treatment. That the disease was a slow killer that was associated with a lot of pain. This was a clear indication that people had no clear information about cancer and they only had part of the truth about cancer. Most of the participants indicated that they had not met any person who was suffering from cancer. This was an indication that they were not involved in health activities like visiting the sick in the hospitals. Many of the participants were surprised when one of them indicated that her father was suffering from prostrate cancer. This was a clear indication that there was little knowledge about the disease and it was not seen to be a disease that could affect somebody close. It was also an indication that some of the information was available among many people but there is lack of avenue that can enable the sharing of the information. There were very few participants who believed that cancer was a disease that could be avoided at early age by dieting. Some indicated that cancer was hereditary, it emerged from exposure of radioactive material, x-rays or ingestion of some chemicals and that dieting may not be of any help. The group members clarified some of the facts about cancer and the role diet can play in prevention and management. Some of the participants indicated prostrate cancer was not life threatening because they rarely heard about it. Some indicated that it was only life threatening for old people who lacked strength and therefore end up succumbing to it. Other indicated that the disease was not risky as it is not communicable. The reasons given to whether the one could talk to family members about prostrate cancer were varied. Some indicated that because of the love they had for their family members they would share anything on health issues. On the other hand others indicated that they will not share because they will not be listed to and that health issues are best handled by the family doctor. Others indicated that prostrate cancer is a disease closely linked by sex issues and that is a no go zone and after all the disease is not common. Some of the members indicated that when they have some time with together with family members there are other issues they feel they need to raise that affect their life directly. It came out clear from the discussion that health issues are rarely addressed at family level. It emerged that after having been informed about the disease they felt that they could encourage a family member to undertake the test although some felt that there is need for self explanatory flyers to be given so that they can be spared the hard tasks of explaining medical issues. The marketing point of view From the research there was insight by group members on how cancer campaign relates to marketing of any other product. The Hunter population can be taken as the available market in which the prostrate cancer products are to be marketed. The youth has been targeted in the campaign and this can be seen to be a form of market segmentation where the market is divided into segments that consist of members with homogeneous characteristics. The type of participation in the prostrate cancer campaign that the youth are targeted to participate is analogous to a specific product for the market. Diversification can be used as a growth strategy under which there is vertical integration, diversification into related businesses and diversification into unrelated businesses (Palmer, 2009; Peng, 2009). One of the products that the youth are called upon to be customers is participation in charity that will help the cancer foundation. Volunteering can also be seen as a product that has targeted the youth as the market. Both volunteering and charity can be seen as products that are being marketed to the youth at the prostrate cancer campaign. There is need for market analysis where the competitors need to be established. In this case breast cancer campaign can be taken to be a complementary product to prostate cancer that is being offered at the market. This is because the two diseases are of equal importance in terms of death threat and prevalence. It was established from the study that prostrate cancer is not regarded to be a life threatening and its prevalence and that many people are not aware of the high prevalence of the disease. At the treatment and management of prostrate cancer level the type of options available for diagnosis, management and treatment can be taken as a variety of products that are available to the market. From the study it was clear that professional standards are very important in the campaign for prostrate cancer. This includes the participant being highly knowledgeable about the disease and having a good idea of the financial need in the campaign and how the finances are to be used. This is in agreement with the servicescape model which brings out the importance of the designer being aware of how particular standards influences the production of the frontline personnel and the quality of service delivered. (Lovelock, Wirtz & Chew 2009). The model also provides an overview of the different dimensions that help in shaping an effective service environment (Servipedia, 2006). Conclusion The research can be summarized to have been a success, interesting and very educative to the group members. It is also believed that what was learnt from the process of the research will make similar future endeavours to be more successful. Lovelock, C., Wirtz J. & Chew P. 2009, Essentials of Service Marketing, Prentice Hall, Jurong. Servipedia 2006, ‘Servicescape’, American Marketing Association, viewed 20th March 2011, Palmer, D. 2009, ‘Coles flags changes to loyalty program as shopper data becomes next battleground’, AFN Thought For Food, viewed 20th March 2011, < http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2009/05/13/coles-flags-changes-to-loyalty- program-as-shopper-data-becomes-next-battleground.html>. Peng, M.W. 2009, Global Strategy, 2nd edn, South-Western Cengage Learning, OH. Read More