Austar United Communications and Australand Property Group - Strategies to Satisfy Consumer Needs - Case Study Example

Modern marketing techniques or strategies are responses to how consumers try to satisfy their needs and wants Introduction The fundamental philosophy of today marketing strategies and techniques since the 1960s is mainly the outward focus on the consumers as the core of the universe (Eric, Linda and George, 2002). Marketing is rapidly going through a revolution. Traditional marketing methods have since been replaced by advanced marketing strategies including E-mail, SEO and social marketing. Modern marketing is widely used to persuade prospective clients about the company’s services and products and to establish a consumer base. Technology changes have forced organization to revitalize their marketing strategies so as to cope with stiff competition and fulfill consumer’s needs and desires. This paper discusses about how the modern marketing techniques or strategies are responsive to how consumers try to satisfy their needs and wants. The report is organized into three parts namely the introduction, body and conclusion. The body is dividend into three sections. Section one discusses the reasons why certain modern marketing techniques are used to deal with today’s consumer behaviors. Section two focuses (explain and analyses) several ways (2-3) that marketers today respond to how consumers try to satisfy their needs and wants. Third section describes how two Australian companies (Austar United Communication (AUSTAR) and Australand Property Group) are applying these marketing techniques to make the most of consumer behavior. The Reasons Why Certain Modern Marketing Techniques Are Used to Deal with Today’s Consumer Behavior Consumer satisfaction is a central concept, in consumer research and marketing thought. In theory, if consumers are satisfied with the brand, service or product, they are more likely to continue buying the product and share their experience with friends. If clients are dissatisfied, they often switch to other brands and products or make complain to retailers or manufactures. Given its role to marketing strategy and planning, satisfaction has lately been the subject of practitioner consumer and considerable academic research. Marketing strategy is critical, in influencing the purchasing behavior of clients by creating favorable feelings and thoughts about brands, services and products. Besides, regular marketers develops marketing strategies, which aids, in influencing what their target clients do, feel and think. In an effort to meet the consumer’s needs and taste, integrating various marketing techniques becomes indispensable. From a strategic point of view, the primary objective of marketing is mainly to increase the frequency and probability of customers coming into contact with services and products, buying and using them (Gupta, 2012). Today, modern marketing strategies have commanding power on both consumers and society at large. Modern marketing influences a change, in the client’s feeling and thinking about the marketing practices and about the situations and reasons for purchases. Gupta (2012) explains that there are numerous factors, which influences consumer purchasing behavior and include cultural factors, psychological factors, personal factors and social factors. Psychological factors that determine consumer buying behavior include motivation, perception, attitude, belief and learning. Social factors, which influence the purchasing power of consumers comprises of inspirational group, roles, statutes, reference group and family. Based on these factors, marketers are able to modify or design marketing mix such as packaging, product, branding elements, pricing, discounts and sale promotion as a per consumers’ taste and preferences. There are three modern marketing techniques/ strategies that are used for influencing consumer buying behavior and include concept based, technology based and cause based technologies. Technology approaches focuses on internet marketing, viral marketing, Bluetooth marketing, database marketing and neuro marketing while cause-based approaches revolves around green marketing and social marketing. Concept based approaches influence consumer purchasing behavior through emotional marketing, experiential marketing, relationship marketing, ambush marketing, permission marketing and guerilla marketing. Modern marketing strategies helps, in identifying prospective customers, strengthening customer loyalty, elimination of agents, customer relationship management, refining segmentation of clients and facilitates, in customer retention in today’s marketing practices. Analyzing Several Ways (2-3) that Marketers Today Respond To How Consumers Try To Satisfy Their Needs and Wants A successful marketer should work consistently to establish what the clients want, in terms of products. Once the consumers are satisfied, they often return and inform other consumers about the company’s services. By identifying customers’ needs and wants, marketers are able to implement presentation strategies so as to better suit consumers, interest. Marketers usually respond to consumer’s need by improving on their promotion campaigns, offering quality products and improving customer relationship. Promotion campaigns: promotion is a key tool, in marketing strategies. Promotion is mainly used by marketers to inform the public about the organization’s product and services. Marketers use promotion to woo prospective clients with an objective of changing their views, feelings, awareness and beliefs. For instance, marketers often use interpellation initiatives, which entail promoting the product using the names of famous individuals such as artists, footballers and athletes. These techniques convince clients that the company’s products are the best over rival services and products. The promotion activities that are crucial, in responding to customer needs and wants consist of sales publicity and promotion together with adverting. Through promotion campaigns, marketers provide incredible support services, brand and products via internet banners, radio spots, coupons, salesmanship, and search engine optimization. An effective promotion campaign focuses on delivering consistent good salesmanship to boast consumer morale and retain more clients. Offering quality products: good quality services are the main reasons as to why clients often buy directly from the retailers. Successful marketers therefore, keep consumers with repeat sales of high quality products and services. Quality implies services and products that are reliable, safe, long lasting, delivered on time and conforms to norms of ethics and standards (Blanco, Caron-Fasan and Lesca, 2003). Most marketers contend that creating customer value by offering high quality products is paramount to the welfare of the organization. Creating unique customer value is a critical condition for marketers as it secures a niche, in a competitive economy. Such marketing strategies should be implemented and planned, in accordance with consumers’ behavior patterns and needs. The core element of successful marketing plan should therefore, focus on examining the consumption system i.e. which products plays a central role, in meeting consumer needs. Quality is linked with consistency (Nellas, 2010). A customer who is happy and satisfied with the first products wants to be contended on all further occasion. Products that are below the standards tend to ruin the company’s reputation and discourage potential buyers. Customer relationship: Customer relationship is the most efficient and strongest approach employed by marketers to fostering lasting relationship with clients. Strong customer relationship facilitates ideate personal bonding among people. Once these emotional and personal linkage, are inculcated, it is very easy for marketers to satisfy customers’ needs. According to XXX the more sophisticated and efficient strategies incorporated, in implementing the customer relations, the more fruitful and strong is the company. Through customer relationship, marketers focus on increasing products awareness and obtaining new customers within the market segments. Customer relationship ensures that current and prospective customers are aware of the company’s services and products, and helps marketers, in building lifelong and profitable relationship with clients. Describing how two Australian companies (Austar United Communication and Australand Property Group) are applying these marketing techniques to make the most of consumer behavior Austar United Communication (AUSTAR) AUSTAR is an Australian pay television company that strives towards servicing regional subscribers (Contact Center World, 2003). The company was established, in 1995 and provides dial up internet and mobile telephone services. In order to efficiently serve its consumers, the company employs over 800 staffs and has invested over $ 1 billion to improve on its customer service center and technology platforms. The company quality services are courtesy of digital satellite technology that provides television services to rural and regional Australia. In a bid to satisfy consumer needs, AUSTAR launched MyStar (a personal digital recorder), in 2008. MyStar provide customers with live rewind, live pause and recording functionality (AUSTAR, 2008). The product allows customers to watch programs without necessarily buying additional set top box. The promotion campaign for MyStar has been acknowledged by the government as integral part of AUSTAR’s Get Ready campaign. Australand Property Group Australand is amongst the major diversified property groups, in Australia with operations covering development of apartments and housings, residential land, property management and income producing industrial and commercial properties (Autraland, 2006). Australand’s reputation and integrity rests mainly on delivering quality homes and its ability to understand customers’ ever-changing desires and needs. As such, prevalence is given, in the development of quality and affordable housing and apartments. The company has created investor relations and company secretariat department that addresses customer queries regarding land leasing, featured estates, future projects and information on investment portfolio (Autraland. 2006). Promotion activities are performed by both Residential divisions together with Commercial &Industrial division particularly, in Sydney and Melbourne. As of Decemebr 2011, Autraland’s promotion activities focused on marketing portfolio of 70 properties that were under development (Ninemsn Pty Ltd 2004). Conclusion There are various modern marketing strategies and methods widely employed by marketers to attract more customers. The ultimate goal of marketers is to retain current customers and win prospective customers; hence, the need to integrate modern marketing techniques. The key modern marketing techniques discussed, in this paper include concept based, technology based and cause based technologies. Satisfying customers demands commitment, creativeness and innovation among marketers. In an effort to respond to consumer needs and desires, two Australian Companies namely Austar United Communication (AUSTAR) and Australand Property Group engages, in promotion activities, adopts customer relationships and offer high quality services to the customers. (AUSTAR) has over years provided television services that are highly esteemed within rural and regional parts of Australia. The company launched Mystar brand, which has successfully enabled viewers to record live programs and pause live television programs courtesy of the digital satellite technology. Australand Property Group specializes in the following areas development of apartments and housings, residential land, property management and income producing industrial and commercial properties. References Autraland. 2006. Company Profile. [online] Available at: [Accessed 15 May 2013]. AUSTAR, 2008. Company Profile. [online] Available at: [Accessed 15 May 2013]. Blanco, S., Caron-Fasan, M. L., and Lesca, H., 2003. Developing Capabilities to Create Collective Intelligence within Organizations. Journal of Competitive Intelligence and Management, 1, (1), 80-92. Contact Center World. 2003. Austar United Communications Limited - Company Profile. [online] Available at: [Accessed 12 May 2013]. Eric, A., Linda, P., and George Z., 2002. Consumer. New York: McGraw- Hill Irwin. Gupta, S. K., 2012. Emerging Marketing Approaches To Influence Customer Buying Behavior. [online] Available at: [Accessed 14 May 2013]. Nellas, S., 2010. The Importance of Quality in Business. [online] Available at: Read More