Marketing - Don Martin Ltd - Case Study Example

Marketing Introduction/Background Don Martin Ltd. needs to solve the issues related to service delivery which is described within the case as the major problem that the company is facing. Additionally, the competitiveness within the business environment is another issue that the company needs to provide a solution for. This is because of competitive businesses which are operating at a higher scale at competitive prices (Grasby 380). Additionally, the company is faced with the issue of human resource management. This is revealed by the fact that Martin is unable to find sufficient time to manage his employees because he also has suppliers to deal with. Due to this, the company has recorded a decreased quality in service delivery. Moreover Don Martin Ltd. requires solving issues related to change. The company has expanded significantly and its operations have grown. It is therefore necessary to ensure that there are changes in management which are aimed at managing the changes that the company is facing which are related to growth (Grasby 381). The problems of the company and their implications are analyzed in the following tables in relation to the various segments of the market for the company’s products. Problems Analysis Price Usage Needs Demographics Age Who The prices that the consumers require for the products and services of the company The consumers of the company’s products needs the prices to be reasonable both for the products and services Male and female shoppers Adults (above 18 years) What Goods and services The consumers need quality goods and services for the value of their money Car owners, mechanics, sports people, families, organizations (office ware) What is purchased varies among the adult consumers When During shopping and delivery of goods The user needs to cut the costs of services during shopping The shoppers of various demographics do their shopping at different time of the day The time of shopping varies depending on the preferences of the adult shoppers Where Within the premises of the business The users requires well arranged premises for the identification and access to the goods that they require Shopping within the company premises and service delivery to the families, offices, sports center and garages Shopping for goods and their delivery varies among the various age groups of the consumers Why The prices are higher because of the customer service delivery The needs of the consumers are motivated by the amount that they pay for them The shopping and delivery of goods depends on the kind of consumer and hence the variation The variation in shopping and needs for delivery services depends on the preferences of the various age groups among the consumers How Customers prefer to do their own shopping so that they would save on the costs associated with service delivery The user needs can be achieved through quality of good and service delivery in addition to reasonable prices The shopping and delivery of goods is defined by the ability of the consumers to pay for the services and their preferences The variation in purchase and delivery is determined by how the consumers of different ages want their shopping experience to be Implications Price Usage Needs Demographics Age Who The implication of price competition id reflected by the inability of the company to maintain its loyal customers Delivery of user needs will define the ability of the company to achieve business success Every consumer needs different goods and services and therefore the company must make these available The preferences of the various age groups must be met by the company for success What The goods and services of the company have varied prices. The needs of the user means that the management and employees are obliged to ensure that these needs are met The implications of the divergent demographics are expressed by the ability of the company to meet diverse needs of the consumers The needs of different age group have to be met by the company otherwise the customers may be lost to competitors When The prices depends on the market forces and therefore prices would vary at different times of the year The consumer needs during shopping and delivery and the ability of the company to meet them determines the satisfaction of the users The different demographics in the market defines the period when different goods reaches the peak of sales The time of shopping and needs for different goods and services varies depending on the ages of the consumers Where The prices at the company’s premises are compared to those of the competitors by consumers for decision making The need of users and the point of the delivery of these needs would reflect the level of consumer satisfaction The point of delivery varies depending on the demographics of the consumers Where consumers prefer to shop depends on their age and the related needs Why The reduction or increase of the prices depends on the need for competitiveness and the profit margins that the company needs to accomplish The needs of the users vary because of the diversity among consumers Different demographic groups have different user needs Age groups among consumers must be considered by the company in decision making because of the variance How The prices are set in relation to market forces The prices are set in relation to the needs of the consumers The method of delivery of goods depends on the demographic variance among consumers of the company’s products The manner of consumer relations by the company employees is defined by their ages Competitive Analysis The corporate capabilities that are presented within Don Martin Ltd. include the size of the premises, the number of employees and the services which the company has been able to offer their services. These capabilities make the company to be able to compete favorably in the market. This is revealed by the gross profit of the company from 30.5% one year ago to 35.6% (Grasby 383). Nonetheless, the case study reveals that the competitor companies have larger premises which reflect that the challenge in competitiveness of the company. Additionally, the case reveals that the company is facing a management crisis where the monitoring of employees is challenged by the fact that Martin does not have sufficient time for supervising the employees. The management problems shows that the company needs to increase the effectiveness of its management so that the employees are effectively monitored to ensure that they provide quality services to the customers. The competitive prices of the company’s goods and services have been the major factor that has facilitated its ability to perform well within the market. However, the company is faced with major problems which are associated with lack of a proper corporate strategy. As a result, Martin is thinking of selling the company or changing the line of business (Grasby 380). For the company to achieve a higher competitive ground, it is necessary that proper planning is achieved especially on the business activities, operation and their management. Marketing is of the competitive advantageous factors which are reflected within the case study. This is reflected by the fact that the company is demonstrating its products in terms of quality, price and the premises to its consumers via various marketing communication approaches. Decision/Recommendation It is recommended for the company to adopt and implement an effective management approach. This will ensure that employees are well supervised and as a result prevent the theft cases which are suspected to emanate from the employees. Additionally, proper management will ensure that employees are monitored for effectiveness in service delivery, communication and creation of healthy relationships with the consumers. Information and communication technology in terms of information systems should be implemented within the company to promote the ma management activities and enhance communication. This will help Martin and other managers to monitor the activities within the company easily through the use of management information systems. More significantly, the company must come up with a proper corporate strategy that will prevent the uncertainties which are expressed by Martin when making decisions on the future of the company. Furthermore, proper marketing communication must be employed. In this sense, Martin should employ experts within the sales and marketing department of the company. These experts will be responsible for promotional activities within the company. Works Cited Grasby, Elizabeth. Business Decision Making: Text and Cases. Toronto: Nelson, 2004. Print. Read More