Enhanced customer service through SMS gateway

Enhanced customer service through SMS gateway

SMS marketing has grown by leaps and bounds and without API, the entire process cannot function. API stands for Application Programming Interface and without this, no digital service can be accessed which makes it the necessary aspect in bulk text messaging. For over ten years now, short messaging service is working as a great communication device by most of the enterprises. It has been made possible through SMS gateway api which manages the traffic between the marketer and people at the receiving end. The main aim of any business is to offer great customer service so that they remain satisfied and loyal towards the company in the long run. To enhance the customer service, marketers usually prefer SMS gateway api which paves a way for thousands of messages in the form of notifications, launch of new products, payment and other specific days messages. The function of API is to provide an interface between different software systems used for bulk text messaging.

An outbound dialer also helps in enhancing the customer experience by calling large number of people informing them about the new product launch, billing details and other kinds of notifications. This also eliminates the cost of installing dialing software which is otherwise a costly affair. These dialers can either call automatically through each one in the database or he can make that call with a click of mouse and then direct it to various sales agents. In bulk text messaging, an outbound dialer is of great help as a large number of people have to be targeted at once. Customer service of highest order is the top priority if the businesses and if it is not achieved then business can fall drastically. Through SMS gateway api, things become smoother and quicker as it combines various systems like e-mail or web based SMS. If API is not there, then various SMS services cannot reach out to so many people. Outbound dialer promises to deliver best of its services and also eliminates the need for hiring telephone caller which is again an expensive affair.

Bulk text messaging is one of the most preferred forms of SMS marketing and with this; customer service experience can be improved. Before using SMS gateway api, it is important for the marketers to have technical knowledge about the system and also the skills of a developer. The API technique allows the combination of multiple services like bulk text messaging or other SMs solutions into one new application which can be easily communicated through the outbound dialer. SMS marketing will soon surpass all other channels of communication with its myriad features and applications which promise to make your business a success. There are different types of API including general API and specific API which can be sued to boost the business through SMS gateway api. Outbound dialer further streamlines the entire process of SMS marketing and enhances the customer experience with the company. So whether it is 2 way SMS, bulk SMS or SMS gateway service SMS marketing has a lot to offer in the days to come.

Related Gateway Articles

Generate great customer experience and self benefit through payment API and payment gateway API

Generate great customer experience and self benefit through payment API and payment gateway API

When you are into online business then there are some things you need to manage. First of all, you need to have a large collection of items to sell to your potential customers. Secondly, you should make their payment experience fast and secure. And you also need to secure yourself against online payment frauds so that you are justly paid for selling your products and services. When you opt for a professional organization that can help you with payment API and payment gateway API these are things that just fall into place. You don’t need to break your head about them.

Let us look at making the payment experience simple for your customers. When your customers pay for buying products and services from you they either pay through credit cards or eCheck or ACH. As an online business you have the option of giving them one or both the options. When you have a professional payment API in place you can easily debit your customers’ credit card or bank account and receive the payment. A payment API also allows you the option of debiting a set amount every year where the customer has opted for an EMI plan.

What is a payment gateway API? Simply put, it is an application that processes electronic payments made through credit card or direct debit. When the customer enters their financial data for payment processing the website needs to ensure that the data is not accessible to any hacker. What the payment gateway API does is scramble the data so that only the card issuing bank or the bank where the customer account is maintained can unscramble it. This API also ensures that the customers’ financial data is valid and accurate and payment is actually realized by the merchant. The payment gateway API is just like an electronic cash register that helps complete the financial transaction between the buyer and the seller.

Today’s customers are an impatient lot. They love shopping at websites that are fast – both in displaying their products and services and also at processing the payments. Although some websites offer cash on delivery to their customers, majority of customers like the idea of paying online and getting their products and services delivered. For the websites too, electronic payments mean immediate payment and less hassle and risk. This is the reason any ecommerce website should use appropriate payment API and payment gateway API for their own benefit as well as for the benefit of their customers.

Finding a professional that can offer the best payment API and payment gateway API is not difficult. All one needs to do is ask around and search online. Out of the many vendors available in this domain there are some that have been in this business for years. After shortlisting a few of these service one should check out what their customers say about them. This will help the merchants to make informed decisions. And once these APIs are in place websites can really enhance their online sales.

Over $150 per customer: Life Coaching Audio & Video Package

Check out these Get Twitter Followers products:

Over 0 per customer: Life Coaching Audio & Video Package
Pays 60%! Very high conversion due to highly personalized free life coaching course. 1 years worth of follow up done.Many many testimonials. Backend products add up to over 0 per customer. Affiliates visit www.redefineyourreality.com/affiliate.htm
Over 0 per customer: Life Coaching Audio & Video Package

Online Promotions To Support Your Brand And Build Customer Loyalty

Online Promotions To Support Your Brand And Build Customer Loyalty

Online Promotions To Support Your Brand And Build Customer Loyalty

Free Online Articles Directory

Why Submit Articles?
Top Authors
Top Articles
FAQ
AB Answers

Publish Article

0 && $.browser.msie ) {
var ie_version = parseInt($.browser.version);
if(ie_version Hello Guest
Login

Login via

Register
Hello
My Home
Sign Out

Email

Password


Remember me?
Lost Password?

Home Page > Business > Online Promotions To Support Your Brand And Build Customer Loyalty

Online Promotions To Support Your Brand And Build Customer Loyalty

Edit Article |

Posted: Jun 23, 2009 |Comments: 0
| Views: 150
|

Share

Syndicate this Article

Copy to clipboard

Online Promotions To Support Your Brand And Build Customer Loyalty

By: Cyndi Walker

About the Author

Promotional Currency (PC) is a digital promotions firm that merges digital technology, artist licensing and promotional risk coverage to deliver turnkey, fixed-cost solutions that meet the unique needs and budgets of the brand marketing or b2b marketing client. Among product offered are: unique customer loyalty programs, promotional incentives, online promotions and mobile promotions.

(ArticlesBase SC #988138)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Online Promotions To Support Your Brand And Build Customer Loyalty

Online promotions continue to gain momentum as marketing budgets shift from conventional advertising methods toward more efficient promotional channels. Interactive and cost-effective, they can include sweepstakes offers, contests, and online instant win games. The challenge is to leverage online promotions in a way that effectively strengthens your company’s brand while building loyalty in your existing customer base. It is not a simple task.

Below, we’ll explore how you can use online promotions to build your customer database while reinforcing your brand. We’ll also explain how web-based sweepstakes and games of chance can help your company achieve your marketing objectives. Lastly, we’ll briefly describe how you can easily manage the budgetary risks of online promotions.

Online Promotions Attract Demographic Information

Demographic information is a key asset for consumer-driven companies. All markets are comprised of groups that can be segmented by ethnicity, income, education, and a host of similar data points. Once such information has been compiled, purchasing trends become apparent.

Online promotions, such as interactive sweepstakes and games of chance, can be used as a marketing tool to attract demographic data. Whether entrants are driven to your promotional site by a retail point-of-sale call to action or wide-scale mail drop, they are required to enter personal data to participate. This information can be stored in a database which can then be used to further market to your target demographic.

Branding And Customer Loyalty Through Online Promotions

If crafted well and executed properly, interactive promotions can reinforce your company’s branding objectives. However, too often, companies will deploy them haphazardly without giving sufficient thought to their long-term effects. Online instant win games and sweepstakes offers should fortify your company’s winning proposition. To be sure, it is easy enough to offer prizes and incentives for your target market’s participation. However, doing so in a way that yields long-term value is far more complex. It requires the knowledge and expertise of an experienced online promotions agency.

Just as branding objectives can be accomplished through a shrewd deployment of online promotions, so too, can sweepstakes and games of chance develop stronger customer loyalty. However, it is critical that you match your promotional objective with the campaign. For example, suppose your objective is the development of customer loyalty within your market. In this case, offering online promotions focused on points-based rewards would be more appropriate than offering free samples of your product.

Managing The Promotional Risk

Companies that are considering promotional sweepstakes and instant win games are often concerned about their potential exposure to budgetary risk. This is especially true for wide-scale online promotions deployed throughout a broad market as well as promotional campaigns in which the prize value is significant. This risk can be easily managed. Your company can secure promotional risk coverage that insulates it from loss. By using such coverage to smooth the risk variance of online promotions, you can offer more attractive prizes and incentives. In doing so, your company will attract a far greater number of registrations.

Online promotions are a valuable marketing strategy for reinforcing your brand while increasing loyalty in your customer base. The key is to partner with an experienced promotional agency that can design campaigns for maximum long-term value.

Retrieved from “http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/online-promotions-to-support-your-brand-and-build-customer-loyalty-988138.html”

(ArticlesBase SC #988138)

Cyndi Walker -
About the Author:

Promotional Currency (PC) is a digital promotions firm that merges digital technology, artist licensing and promotional risk coverage to deliver turnkey, fixed-cost solutions that meet the unique needs and budgets of the brand marketing or b2b marketing client. Among product offered are: unique customer loyalty programs, promotional incentives, online promotions and mobile promotions.

Rate this Article

1
2
3
4
5

vote(s)
0 vote(s)

Feedback
RSS
Print
Email
Re-Publish

Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/online-promotions-to-support-your-brand-and-build-customer-loyalty-988138.html

Article Tags:
online promotions, customer loyalty, online instant win games, online sweepstakes, interactive promotions, promotional agency

Related Videos

Latest Business Articles
More from Cyndi Walker

How to Shop with Online Coupons

Shopping expert Helen Malani has tips for shopping with online coupons. (01:01)

Brand Protection for Your Online Business

http://www.brandsplat.com Enzo F. Cesario interviews Daniel Greenberg, Attorney and Director of Online Brand Protection for Lexsynergy, who shares key points in protecting your online brand (03:59)

Tips for Online Marketing

Learn the basics of marketing your business online with these great tips on e-marketing and promoting your business on the web. (02:09)

How to Market a Book on the Internet

Here’s an example of the kind of thing you can accomplish when you learn the very simple secrets to marketing a book online. (20:46)

Small Business Stories – SendOutCards

At the COSE 2008 Conference in Cleveland, Ohio Sandy Payer talks to SBTV.com’s Alex Fees about her online greeting card company; SendOutCards.

(06:35)

Reviewing the Rapid 106 Electric Saddle Stapler

Looking for a saddle stapler what will speed up production and efficiency? The Rapid 106 might be right for you. Learn all about this saddle and flat stapler in this product review.

By:
Tim The Tutorl
Businessl
Nov 19, 2010

Fear of Forgetfulness

Alzheimer’s disease happens to old folks in their seventies. One symptom is forgetfulness.

By:
Andrew Beenel
Businessl
Nov 19, 2010

PB21SP Wire-O Punch & Bind Machine: The Perfect Small Office Wire Binder

Looking for a high quality Wire Binder for your small office binding needs? We may have found the perfect machine for you. The PB21SP is perfect for any small office or personal user who wants to bind up to 50 wire-o books per day without breaking the bank.

By:
Tim The Tutorl
Businessl
Nov 19, 2010

Bunk Bed Furniture: Ensuring Safety and Comfort for Kids

There are records that would show that kids are actually playing before they go to sleep.

By:
Andrew Beenel
Businessl
Nov 19, 2010

The Locksmith shall set you Free

To become a locksmith in a commercial organization, you must be able to create master keys and develop a strategy for key management.

By:
Andrew Beenel
Businessl
Nov 19, 2010

Employing a Kelowna Rubbish Removal Solution in the Okanagan Valley

Employing a Kelowna rubbish removing operation in the Okanagan Valley. If an individual is sick and tired of looking around their house or in their garage and seeing only an ever-growing pile of junk,

By:
JmjMurrayl
Businessl
Nov 19, 2010

http://stevedooleyinc.com/livesmart-360-an-unbiased-review-of-the-livesmart-360-network-marketing-opportunity/

LiveSmart 360 is a new network marketing company that features several health and wellness products. Click the link now for an unbiased review of LiveSmart 360. This article includes a review of the LiveSmart 360 comp. plan, products, etc.

By:
Steve Dooleyl
Businessl
Nov 19, 2010

Home Sellers Should Not Be Affected by Their Emotions

Selling your house can be an emotional ride, so it is best to hire a Real Estate agent for you to be able to get away from all the emotional stress you’d have to go through.

By:
rudsontrenl
Businessl
Nov 19, 2010

Promotional Risk Coverage Magnifies The Impact Of Promotional Marketing

Promotional risk coverage eliminates the budget uncertainty associated with offering large prizes, attractive coupons, and generous rebates and premiums to your market. It gives you an opportunity to launch exciting marketing campaigns through which you offer high-value promotions that would otherwise lie beyond your budget.

By:
Cyndi Walkerl
Businessl
Dec 29, 2009

Promotional Incentives Launch Products and Lift Sales

Promotional incentives are a powerful marketing lever that brand advertisers can use to engage and excite consumers. They play a key role in launching new products, lifting sales of existing products, and cultivating customer loyalty. From the smallest “mom and pop” retail stores to the largest brands in the world, promotional incentives encourage people to experience products they might otherwise ignore.

By:
Cyndi Walkerl
Businessl
Dec 11, 2009

Entertainment Promotions Attract Your Audience and Build Brand Success

Entertainment promotions are very powerful in triggering a response from your target market. This article explains how entertainment promotions boost your sales, improve customer loyalty, and drive your brand’s success. Learn how to leverage entertainment promotions to collect valuable information about your audience.

By:
Cyndi Walkerl
Internetl
Dec 04, 2009

Music Download Promotions Can Be Tailored to Fit Any Audience

We will give you a comprehensive preview of music download promotions. You’ll learn how they work and the unique promotional advantages they offer your business. We’ll also describe how to use digital promotions to deliver a memorable impact at a surprisingly low cost. Lastly, we’ll explain how you can tailor music download promotions to form a seamless fit for your target audience, regardless of your marketing objectives.

By:
Cyndi Walkerl
Businessl
Nov 18, 2009

Mobile Promotions Motivate Customers To Respond

As cell phones, PDAs, and other mobile devices have flourished, they have created a new marketing platform from which you can engage your audience. Below, you’ll discover how to use mobile promotions, such as SMS promotions, mobile coupons, and ringtone promotions, to capture valuable mindshare within your market. Once you catch the attention of consumers in a way that excites them, motivating them to take action becomes far easier.

By:
Cyndi Walkerl
Businessl
Nov 15, 2009
lViews: 142

Promotional Risk Coverage Extends Your Promotional Marketing Budget

In this article, you’ll discover how over redemption coverage eliminates budgetary uncertainty. We’ll explain how promotional risk coverage works and how you can use it to plan each of your marketing campaigns to the penny. You’ll also learn how to launch large-scale promotions with high-value prizes while paying a fraction of the associated cost.

By:
Cyndi Walkerl
Businessl
Nov 15, 2009

Customer Loyalty Programs And Customer Rewards Increase Long-Term Profitability

Customer loyalty programs can function as the promotional linchpin that drives your company’s long-term profitability. They are an essential tool for improving customer retention. By offering your customers digital incentives, such as music downloads, skins, and an assortment of mobile promotions, you can dramatically increase the lifespan of each customer.

By:
Cyndi Walkerl
Businessl
Oct 28, 2009
lViews: 243

Promotional Incentives: Bridge the Chasm Between You and Your Target Market

There is tremendous potential in reaching your audience through promotional incentives. By offering instantly deliverable music download promotions and mobile promotions, you can educate your market, acquire customers, and catapult your brand, capturing retail mindspace in the process.

By:
Cyndi Walkerl
Businessl
Oct 19, 2009

Add new Comment

Your Name: *

Your Email:

Comment Body: *

 

Verification code:*

* Required fields

Submit

Your Articles Here
It’s Free and easy

Sign Up Today

Author Navigation

My Home
Publish Article
View/Edit Articles
View/Edit Q&A
Edit your Account
Manage Authors
Statistics Page
Personal RSS Builder

My Home
Edit your Account
Update Profile
View/Edit Q&A
Publish Article
Author Box

Cyndi Walker has 21 articles online

Contact Author

Subscribe to RSS

Print article

Send to friend

Re-Publish article

Articles Categories
All Categories

Advertising
Arts & Entertainment
Automotive
Beauty
Business
Careers
Computers
Education
Finance
Food and Beverage
Health
Hobbies
Home and Family
Home Improvement
Internet
Law
Marketing
News and Society
Relationships
Self Improvement
Shopping
Spirituality
Sports and Fitness
Technology
Travel
Writing

Business

Agriculture
Ask an Expert
Business Ideas
Business Opportunities
Corporate
Customer Service
Entrepreneurship
Ethics
Franchise
Fundraising
Home Business
Human Resources
Industrial
International Business
Leadership
Management
Negotiation
Networking
Non Profit Organizations
Online Business
Organizational
Outsourcing
Presentation
Project Management
Public Company
Public Relations
Sales
Six Sigma
Small Business
Strategic Planning
Team Building
Training

Need Help?
Contact Us
FAQ
Submit Articles
Editorial Guidelines
Blog

Site Links
Recent Articles
Top Authors
Top Articles
Find Articles
Site Map

Webmasters
RSS Builder
RSS
Link to Us

Business Info
Advertising

Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2010 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved.

More Demographics Articles

First Impressions Do Count in Customer Service

First Impressions Do Count in Customer Service

Customer Service Agents are the frontline staff of the company they are who customers speak with first. Essentially, they are the voice of the company.

If a Customer Service agent is professional, friendly, and can solve a customers needs, that customer will have a positive impression of the company. This pleasant experience can lead to repeat business and even referrals increasing profitability.

On the other hand, if a Customer Service Agent is unprofessional, uniformed, and unable to solve a customers needs, the customer will hang up the phone in frustration resulting in a negative impression. Consequently, the customer will indeed talk about your company, but with a very pessimistic tone which can discourage customers away from you and to your competitor decreasing productivity!

As a leader, it is your responsibility to train the staff with proper telephone skills and company and product knowledge as well as the requisite customer service skills necessary to excel customer expectations. With this education, you are arming the Customer Service Agent with the power to better assist customers and increase productivity creating many positive first impressions along the way!

The Customer Service Representative

As the leader of customer service agents, you will engage with a wide variety of personnel, different backgrounds, different ages, and different skill sets including:

* The young employee who is starting his first job.
* The single mother who needs a second job for additional income.
* The recent college graduate who has not yet found his dream job, but needs a job to pay the bills.
* The middle-age mother who has gone back to work now that her children are grown just to give herself something to do.
* The business professional that has just been laid off from his real job due to downsizing.

These are just a few examples. Every Customer service agent has a different story and a different reason for working.

Your staff may or may not be excited to work at the company. For example, a recent high school graduate may be quite excited about his first job. Whereas, a single mother would much rather be at home with her children. It is your job as the leader to motivate everyone even the most disgruntled Customer Service Agent!

Every Customer Service Agent within your staff will have different skill sets. For example, the business professional may be quite computer-savvy, whereas the middle-age mother who has gone back to work may have very little knowledge of computers. It is your job as the leader to train everyone even the Customer Service Agent who thinks he knows it all!

A major component of your responsibility as a leader is motivating and training the Customer Service Agents so they are comfortable with the technological and people skills that are needed for the job. You also need to know what motivates each employee to keep them excited about being at work.

Call Center Challenges

As a call center leader, you face many challenges a day. Here is just a sample:

* A competitive workforce for qualified Customer Service Agents
* Lack of time to properly train Customer Service Agents
* High turnover rate among Customer Service Agents
* Technological challenges for Customer Service Agents
* Unmotivated Customer Service Agents
* Different skill levels of Customer Service Agents

Sony’s Vaio X netbook attempts to reach a different class of customer than do most netbooks

Sony’s Vaio X netbook attempts to reach a different class of customer than do most netbooks

The iPad is designed as a mobile Internet machine. The integrated Safari browser runs impressively fast, even on complex Web sites. Put to the key web standards test Acid3, the iPad scored a perfect 100 points. That said, Apple has stubbornly refused to incorporate Adobe’s Flash technology, frequently used on the web for video playback, interactive graphics and online games.

Sony’s Vaio X netbook attempts to reach a different class of customer than do most netbooks, which are inexpensive and tend to underwhelm on performance. With a starting price of ,299, Sony is aiming the Vaio X at mobile professionals looking for an ultra-lightweight computer with a physical keyboard and a VGP-BPS2A battery that will last maybe half a workday without needing to be recharged. It’s a great machine if you have no problem with sticker shock in a category wherein many netbooks sell for 0.

The two new 13-inch MacBook Pros feature 2.4GHz and 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processors, up from 2.26GHz and 2.53GHz respectively, with 4GB RAM. While this speed increase can only be a good thing, we have to wonder why Apple is sticking with the Core 2 Duo instead of going for a Core i3 or even a low-end Core i5, taking the entire MacBook Pro range over to the new CPUs. Using a Core 2 Duo as the rest of the MacBook Pro range moves to the Core-i chips makes the 13-inch model look a little dated.

Netbook vendors seemed to have agreed on a certain set of solutions such as 1G memory, 100G+ hard drive, Intel Atom processor, embedded cameras, etc., but after that, the choices are many. It has taken me a while to get to this point, but if you were to buy a Netbook today, the minimum requirements should be.

The highly attractive Toshiba(Satellite A300 Battery) Mini NB305-N410BN is a 10.1-inch netbook that offers features and performance comparable to many other netbooks. Looks-wise, however, it is hard to beat. You can purchase the Mini NB305-N410BN for 9.99, and it comes with a one-year warranty as well as technical support online or via telephone.

Good battery life, design and ergonomics, plus a reasonable £256 exc VAT price, mean that HP ’s latest netbook immediately becomes one of our favourites. The Toshiba retains its A List crown thanks to a better trackpad and wireless, but it’s a close-run thing and the stylish HP is good enough to earn a Recommended award instead.

Several years ago, there was a debate about the safety of li-ion batteries after millions were recalled due to overheating and the potential to catch fire. Since then, the technology has been adapted to address many of those hazards, but li-ion batteries are still more volatile than other battery types.

One of the first things you notice with the 5310m is that it feels very solid—almost like a ThinkPad(ThinkPad T60 battery), though obviously it looks completely different. The magnesium alloy main body provides a firm foundation to build upon, and the LCD and cover are sturdy as well showing very little twist or flex. The keyboard is likewise free of flex and provides a comfortable typing surface. All told, build quality is definitely a highlight of the ProBook.

We performed ours standard bevy of tests on these new Apple MacBook Pro models, and compared them to the previous generation of 13in MacBook Pro, the new 2.4GHz 15in MacBook Pro and the 13in unibody MacBook.

The new entry-level MacBook Pro also proved to be faster than the previous “better” and “best” configurations in the 15-inch lineup, with 2.66GHz and 2.8GHz Core 2 Duo processors, respectively. Comparing the new 2.4GHz Core i5 MacBook Pro with the previous top of the line 2.8GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro, the new entry-level 15-inch was 5 percent faster in our Speedmark 6 testing, with 7 percent faster scores in our Photoshop test, 17 percent faster Cinebench CPU score, 16 percent faster MathematicaMark 7 score, and 19 percent faster Aperture score.

Related Adobe Apple Articles

CUSTOMER PROFILE & BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS

CUSTOMER PROFILE & BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS

CUSTOMER PROFILE & BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS

A STUDY AT SPENCER’S DAILY

 

* K.Logeshwari

** V.Ramadevi

ABSTRACT

India is being seen as a potential goldmine for retail investors from over the world and latest research has rated India as the top destination for retailers for an attractive emerging retail market. India’s vast middle class and its almost untapped retail industry are key attractions for global retail giants wanting to enter newer markets. Even though India has well over 5 million retail outlets, the country sorely lacks anything that can resemble a retailing industry in the modern sense of the term. This scenario has led to a transition from unorganized retailing to organized retailing. There exists a severe competition among the organized retailers to attract the customers. The study reveals that the top five factors that are expected by the consumers are price, quality, shelf arrangements, brand choice and availability of the products. The variables brand choice, availability, discounts, packing facilities and customer care meet the satisfaction level of the consumers of Spencer’s Daily. The findings would enable the marketing strategists to frame suitable strategies enhance the share of Spencer’s Daily in the retailing industry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

——————————————–

* Lecturer, Department of management studies and Research, Karpagam University  , Coimbatore – 641021 ,Tamilnadu

* * Lecturer, Department of management studies and Research, Karpagam University  , Coimbatore – 641021, Tamilnadu

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The India Retail Industry is the largest among all the industries, accounting for over 10 percent of the country’s GDP and around 8 percent of the employment. The Retail Industry in India has come forth as one of the most dynamic and fast paced industries with several players entering the market. But all of them have yet tasted success because of the heavy initial investments that are required to break even with its way towards becoming the next boom industry. Against this background the study was conducted to understand the profile and buying behavior of the consumers of Spencer’s daily.

 

 

Further the study attempts to identify the influence of demographic variables on the level of expectation and satisfaction and also highlights the gap between the expectation and satisfaction level. It also analyses the key factors that influence the shopping and aims to understand the level of expectation and satisfaction The study assumes the characteristic of descriptive research. A sample of hundred and twenty five customers in Coimbatore city is selected on convenience basis and data are collected through specially questionnaire.

 

            The total concept and idea of shopping has undergone an attention drawing change in terms of format and consumer buying behavior, ushering in a revolution in shopping in India. Modern retailing has entered into the Retail market in India as is observed in the form of bustling shopping centers, multi-storied malls and the huge complexes that offer shopping, entertainment and food all under one roof.

 

            A large young working population with median age of 24 years, nuclear families in urban areas, along with increasing working women population and emerging opportunities in the services sector are going to be the key factors in the growth of the organized sector in India.

 

            In India the vast middle class and its almost untapped retail industry are the key attractive forces for global retail giants wanting to enter into newer markets, which in turn will help the India Retail Industry to grow faster. Indian retail is expected to grow 25 per cent annually. Modern retail in India could be worth US$ 175-200 billion by 2016. The Food Retail Industry in India dominates the shopping basket. The Mobile phone Retail Industry in India is already a US$ 16.7 billion business, growing at over 20 per cent per year. The future of the India Retail Industry looks promising with the growing of the market, with the government policies becoming more favorable and the emerging technologies facilitating operations.

 

The study mainly deals with the customer’s perception towards Spencer’s daily which is a retail store. Retailing is one of the important factors in buying and selling of the products. There are different types of retail outlet through which the store can have very intimate relationship with transactions made on a face-to-face, first name basis. At the other end of the scale, goods may be retailed across the globe, with no physical contact being made at all. The different types of retail stores are as follows,

Department store Door-to-door retailing Distance retailing Chain retailing Party retailing Single independent non-franchised store Super market Van retailing Ware house club

 

Until the introduction of the self service stores, the customers were buying goods by simply asking the shopkeeper for their goods. There was a personal one-to-one relationship between the customer and the shop keeper.The first self service store was started in the year 1915 by Albert Gerard in Los Angeles. In these stores the groceries were stacked on shelves allowing the customers to walk around and browse, collecting their requirements by themselves and the shop keeper would only need to calculate the final bill at the end of the process and receive payment.

 

            This new type of shopping was more efficient and many customers preferred it. There has been a steady rise in the global amount of self service stores ever since it started. Even though India has well over 5 million retail outlets of all sizes and styles, the country sorely lacks anything that can resemble a retailing industry in the modern sense of the term. This presents international retailing specialists with the great opportunity. Retailing in India is thoroughly unorganized. There is no supply chain management perspective.

 

            According to a survey by AT Kearney, an overwhelming proportion of the Rs.400000 crore retail markets are unorganized. In fact, only a Rs.20000 crore segment of the market is organized. Just over 8 per cent of India’s population is engaged in retailing. The first challenge facing the organized retail industry in India is competition from the unorganized sector. Traditional retailing has established in India for some centuries. It is a low cost structure mostly own operated and it runs for generations.

 

            In contrast, players in the organized sector have big expenses to meet and yet have to keep prices to low enough to be able to compete with the traditional sector. High cost for the organized sector arises from higher labour cost, social security to employees, high quality and other comfort facilities.

 

            These drawbacks present opportunity to International and/or professionally managed Indian Corporations to pioneer a modern retailing industry in India and benefit from it.

Statement of the problem:

Indian retail sector is undergoing a buoyant transition from unorganized to organized retailing. This has given raise to severe competition among the organized retail sector. Understanding the customers in terms of their profile, buying behavior, expectation and satisfaction is important. This is identified as the problem area and the study has attempted to address the above said issues with respect to Spencer’s Daily.

 

Objectives:

n      To understand the Profile & Buying behavior of Spencer’s Daily consumers.

n      To analyze the key factors influencing shopping at Spencer’s Daily.

n      To understand the level of expectation and satisfaction of Spencer’s Daily consumers.

n      To study the influence of Demographic variables on expectation and satisfaction level.

n      To analyze the gap between the level of expectation and satisfaction

Scope of the study:

          This research gives a broad frame work of the Spencer’s daily customers and an analysis of their profile and buying behavior. This can be used as a guideline in the future business plans and making changes in the current activities. It gives an idea of the areas, which need emphasis and development.

            This study has been conducted in Coimbatore city covering all the areas falling within the Coimbatore zone with a sample size of 125 respondents. All classes of customers were met and their views were analyzed.

 

 Methodology:

a)      Type of Study:

                The type of the study is descriptive in nature since it describes the perception of the customer’s on Spencer’s daily.

 

b)      Sampling Design:

                  The sampling design consists of sampling method and sample size. The sampling method used is convenient method of sampling since the population is infinite. The sample size is 125 respondents from the customers of Spencer’s daily in the Coimbatore city.

       

 

 c) Method of Data Collection:

                  The method used to collect primary data is through questionnaires. Secondary data is collected through company manuals, records, magazines and web sites.

d) Tools for Analysis:

      The statistical tools used for analysis are     

Percentage analysis Chi – square analysis Mean score analysis Paired sample ‘t’ test

Percentage analysis:

                 Percentage analysis is used to describe the profile of respondents and buying behavior of the customers of Spencer’s Daily.

Chi –square analysis:

                  Chi – square analysis is used when two variables are to be compared. In this study, chi-square analysis is used to make a comparison between the level of expectation and satisfaction of customers of Spencer’s daily.

Mean score analysis:

In this study mean value is used to identify and rank the factors which influence the level of expectation and satisfaction of the consumers.

Paired sample‘t’ test:

This test is used to find out the significant difference between the two variables. In this study t-test is performed to find the gap between the level of expectation and satisfaction.

 

 

 

 

 

Mean score analysis on the level of expectation and satisfaction of the respondents on various factors

 Level of expectation `

Table 1 – The ranking of the Expectation factors

Factors

Percentage

MEANSCORE

 

 

SCORE

RANKS

VI

I

N

LI

NI

Price

44

81

0

0

0

1.26

1

Quality

54

71

0

0

0

1.52

2

Location

29

74

22

0

0

1.944

13

Brand image

41

72

12

0

0

1.768

9

Brand choice

54

70

0

1

0

1.584

4

Availability

49

76

0

0

0

1.608

5

Shelf arrangements

55

70

0

0

0

1.56

3

Crowd management

51

68

5

1

0

1.648

6

Assistance provided

26

71

28

0

0

2.016

14

Customer care

54

41

28

2

0

1.824

11

Ambience

41

71

8

0

0

1.696

7

Discounts

60

40

25

0

0

1.72

8

Billing

49

39

36

1

0

1.912

12

Packing facilities

50

48

27

0

0

1.816

10

Parking facilities

36

59

22

44

0

2.048

15

VI – Very much important,  I – Important,        N – Neutral, LI – Less Important,          

NI – Not Important

 

From the above table, it can be inferred that the price factor is felt very important by the respondents, the next factors as the order is quality, shelf arrangements, brand choice, availability, crowd management, ambience, discounts, brand image, packing facilities, customer care, billing ,location assistance provided and parking facilities.

 Level of satisfaction

Table 2 – The ranking of the Satisfaction factors

Factors

Percentage

MEANSCORE

 

 

SCORE

RANKS

VMS

S

N

D

VDS

Price

11

78

35

1

0

1.26

1

Quality

24

64

36

1

0

1.52

2

Location

25

59

32

9

0

1.944

13

Brand image

29

62

29

5

0

1.768

9

Brand choice

51

70

4

0

0

1.584

4

Availability

54

55

16

0

0

1.608

5

Shelf arrangements

32

71

22

0

0

1.56

3

Crowd management

28

77

19

1

0

1.648

6

Assistance provided

43

46

36

0

0

2.016

14

Customer care

45

54

26

0

0

1.824

11

Ambience

28

58

38

1

0

1.696

7

Discounts

57

48

20

0

0

1.72

8

Billing

28

63

33

1

0

1.912

12

Packing facilities

51

52

22

0

0

1.816

10

Parking facilities

7

16

30

39

33

2.048

15

VMS-Very much satisfied, S- Satisfied, N- Neutral, D- Dissatisfied, VDS- Very much satisfied.

From the above table, it can be inferred that Brand choice is the factor which is felt very much satisfied by the respondents, the next factors as the order is availability, discounts, packing facilities, customer care,  arrangements, assistance provided, crowd management, brand image, billing, ambience, quality, location, price and parking facilities.

 

Gap analysis between the Level of Expectation and Satisfaction

            To study the gap between expectation and satisfaction Paired Sample t- test is used. For this purpose the following hypothesis is formulated.

Ho: There is no significant gap between the expectation and satisfaction regarding the various factors.

The above hypothesis is subjected using paired sample t-test and the findings are summarized below.

Table3- Gap analysis: Expectation Vs Satisfaction

Factors

T value

P value

Significance

Price

15.561

.000

S

Quality

           7.761

.000

S

Location

2.988

.003

S

Brand image

3.345

.001

S

Brand choice

.649

.517

NS

Availability

           1.210

.229

NS

Shelf arrangements

5.182

.000

S

Crowd management

3.927

.000

S

Assistance provided

             .797

.427

S

Customer care

.248

.804

NS

Ambience

5.136

.000

S

Discounts

.171

.865

NS

Billing

1.518

.131

S

Packing facilities

.492

.624

NS

Parking facilities

11.654

.000

S

 

S-Significant; NS- Not significant;

From the above table it can be seen that there is significant gap between the level of expectation and satisfaction with respect to price, quality, location, brand image,

Shelf arrangements, crowd management, assistance provided, ambience, billing and parking facilities.

Further it can be seen that there is no significant gap between brand choices, availability,

Customer care, discounts and packing facilities.

Chart 1 – Expectation Vs Satisfaction

 

 

 Influence of demographic variables on Expectation.

            In order to understand the influence of demographic variables on the level of expectation, the chi-square test is performed at 5% significant level. The demographic variables selected are age, gender, education, occupation and income level the findings are presented below.

H0:  Age does not have a significant influence on the level of expectation. The above hypothesis is tested and the findings are presented below.

Table 4- Influence of the Age on the expectation factors

Factors

sss

Age  

 

X 2

P value

Price

.354

.950

Quality

            2.594

         .458

 

Location

3.313

.769

Brand image

           3.851

.697

Brand choice

4.088

.665

Availability

           5.243

.155

Shelf arrangements

1.167

.761

Crowd management

            7.774

.557

Assistance provided

           10.236

.115

   Customer care

 9.933

.356

Ambience

15.370

.018

Discounts

2.764

.838

Billing

8.352

.499

Packing facilities

13.306

.038

Parking facilities

8.352

.582

From above table it can be seen that the demographic variable age does not have a significant influence on the expectation factors.

H0:  Gender does not have a significant influence on the level of expectation. The above hypothesis is tested and the findings are presented below.

Table 5- Influence of the Gender on the expectation factors

Factors

Gender   

 

X 2

P value

Price

226.402

.000

Quality

225.332

.000

Location

225.971

.000

Brand image

226.107

.000

Brand choice

224.047

.000

Availability

223.241

.000

Shelf arrangements

225.614

.000

Crowd management

225.237

.000

Assistance provided

223.940

.000

Customer care

232.762

.000

Ambience

224.208

.000

Discounts

226.288

.000

Billing

226.606

.000

Packing facilities

229.536

.000

Parking facilities

224.512

.000

From above table it can be seen that the demographic variable gender has a significant influence on all the expectation factors.

 

 

 

 

H0:  Educational Qualification does not have a significant influence on the level of expectation. The above hypothesis is tested and the findings are presented below.

Table 6- Influence of the Educational qualification on the expectation factors

Factors

Educational Qualification    

 

X 2

P value

Price

40.328

.000

Quality

0.200

.655

Location

38.224

.000

Brand image

43.216

.000

Brand choice

62.608

.000

Availability

5.832

.016

Shelf arrangements

1.800

.180

Crowd management

107.032

.000

Assistance provided

31.024

.000

Customer care

47.320

.000

Ambience

48.304

.000

Discounts

14.800

.000

Billing

42.008

.020

Packing facilities

7.792

.000

Parking facilities

86.720

.000

 

From above table it can be seen that the demographic variable educational qualification has a significant influence on the expectation factors price, location, brand image, brand choice, crowd management, assistance provided, and customer care, and ambience, discounts, packing facilities and parking facilities.

 

 

H0: Occupation does not have a significant influence on the level of expectation. The above hypothesis is tested and the findings are presented below.

Table 7- Influence of the Occupation on the expectation factors

Factors

Occupation     

 

X 2

P value

Price

223.911

.000

Quality

237.582

.000

Location

232.485

.000

Brand image

237.168

.000

Brand choice

229.844

.000

Availability

232.374

.000

Shelf arrangements

233.561

.000

Crowd management

242.965

.000

Assistance provided

254.669

.000

Customer care

237.965

.000

Ambience

250.236

.000

Discounts

242.312

.000

Billing

233.348

.000

Packing facilities

242.245

.000

Parking facilities

242.148

.000

From above table it can be seen that the demographic variable occupation has a significant influence on all the expectation factors.

 

 

 

H0:  Income does not have a significant influence on the level of expectation. The above hypothesis is tested and the findings are presented below.

Table 8 – Influence of the Monthly income on the expectation factors

Factors

Monthly income

 

X 2

P value

Price

2.619

.454

Quality

4.042

.257

Location

8.797

.185

Brand image

2.651

.851

Brand choice

1.745

.942

Availability

1.290

.732

Shelf arrangements

1.651

.648

Crowd management

22.573

.007

Assistance provided

5.786

.448

Customer care

6.488

.690

Ambience

2.428

.876

Discounts

5.806

.445

Billing

8.839

.452

Packing facilities

6.228

.398

Parking facilities

17.873

.120

From above table it can be seen that the demographic variable monthly income does not significant influence on all the expectation factors.

 

 

 

 

 

 Influence of demographic variables on Satisfaction Factors.

            In order to understand the influence of demographic variables on the level of  satisfaction, the chi-square test is performed at 5% significant level the demographic variables selected are age, gender, education, occupation and income level the findings are presented below.

H0: Age does not have a significant influence on the level of satisfaction. The above hypothesis is tested and the findings are presented below.

Table 9- Influence of the Age on the satisfaction factors

Factors

sss

Age  

 

X 2

P value

Price

4.745

0.856

Quality

3.778

0.925

Location

7.208

0.615

Brand image

8.985

0.439

Brand choice

8.096

0.231

Availability

13.220

0.040

Shelf arrangements

5.474

0.485

Crowd management

7.428

0.593

Assistance provided

9.654

0.140

Customer care

2.935

0.817

Ambience

6.799

0.658

Discounts

4.960

0.549

Billing

7.004

0.637

Packing facilities

4.546

0.603

Parking facilities

11.314

0.502

From above table it can be seen that the demographic variable age does not have a significant influence on the level of satisfaction.

H0:  Gender does not have a significant influence on the satisfaction factors. The above hypothesis is tested and the findings are presented below.

Table 10- Influence of the Gender on the satisfaction factors

Factors

sss

Gender   

 

X 2

P value

Price

227.153

.000

Quality

224.524

.000

Location

226.014

.000

Brand image

233.537

.000

Brand choice

227.390

.000

Availability

228.355

.000

Shelf arrangements

223.513

.000

Crowd management

229.262

.000

Assistance provided

227.303

.000

Customer care

225.804

.000

Ambience

225.329

.000

Discounts

223.741

.000

Billing

222.393

.000

Packing facilities

224.870

.000

Parking facilities

240.827

.000

From above table it can be seen that the demographic variable gender has a significant influence on all the satisfaction factors.

 

 

 

 

H0:  Educational qualification does not have a significant influence on the satisfaction factors. The above hypothesis is tested and the findings are presented below.

Table 11 – Influence of the Educational qualification on the satisfaction factors

Factors

sss

Educational qualification    

 

X 2

P value

Price

238.949

.000

Quality

233.323

.000

Location

232.164

.000

Brand image

248.992

.000

Brand choice

224.988

.000

Availability

236.773

.000

Shelf arrangements

234.54

.000

Crowd management

232.934

.000

Assistance provided

233.699

.000

Customer care

240.444

.000

Ambience

239.449

.000

Discounts

231.286

.000

Billing

233.251

.000

Packing facilities

229.861

.000

Parking facilities

236.500

.000

From above table it can be seen that the demographic variable educational qualification has a significant influence on all the satisfaction factors.

 

 

 

 

H0:  Occupation does not have a significant influence on the satisfaction factors. The above hypothesis is tested and the findings are presented below.

Table 12- Influence of the Occupation on the satisfaction factors

Factors

sss

Occupation    

 

X 2

P value

Price

243.527

.000

Quality

247.872

.000

Location

237.861

.000

Brand image

254.694

.000

Brand choice

227.260

.000

Availability

248.990

.000

Shelf arrangements

234.207

.000

Crowd management

243.625

.000

Assistance provided

232.494

.000

Customer care

238.576

.000

Ambience

244.765

.000

Discounts

230.430

.000

Billing

241.540

.000

Packing facilities

234.957

.000

Parking facilities

248.510

.000

From above table it can be seen that the demographic variable occupation has a significant influence on all the satisfaction factors.

 

 

 

H0:  Monthly income does not have a significant influence on the satisfaction factors. The above hypothesis is tested and the findings are presented below.

Table 13 – Influence of the Monthly income on the satisfaction factors

Factors

sss

Monthly income    

 

X 2

P value

Price

27.867

.001

Quality

7.798

.555

Location

4.999

.834

Brand image

8.387

.496

Brand choice

10.054

.122

Availability

2.505

.868

Shelf arrangements

1.845

.933

Crowd management

9.253

.414

Assistance provided

6.443

.375

Customer care

7.987

.239

Ambience

6.093

.731

Discounts

5.209

.517

Billing

7.673

.567

Packing facilities

1.768

.940

Parking facilities

4.835

.963

From above table it can be seen that the demographic variable monthly income has a significant influence on the level of satisfaction regarding price. In all others the hypothesis is rejected.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

            Profile of the respondents

Most of the respondents belong to the age group of 31 – 40, (i.e. 44%), 27.2% of the respondents are between the age group of 20-30,23.2% of the respondents belong to the age group of  above 40,and 5.6% of the respondents belong to the age category of less than 20. Majority (63.2%) of the respondents is female and 36.8 % are male. Majority (30.4%) of the respondents are home makers.27.2% of the respondents are employed,22.4% of the respondents belong to the professional category, the percentage of business people is 13.6% and students 6.4% Majorities (56.8%) of the respondents are graduates, 32.8% are post graduates, and 8.8% of the respondents are people of school level education. Majority (45.6%) of the respondents have income level between Rs.10001-20000,42.4% of the respondents have income level between Rs.20001-30000,4% of the respondents have an income level above Rs.30000 and 1.6% of the respondents have an income level below 10000.

Buying Behavior of the Consumers

Majority (69.6%) of the respondents have come to know Spencer’s through friends & relatives, 16% through advertisements, and 13.6% through magazines & newspapers. Majority (47.2%) of the respondents visit the store between 15 – 30 days, 35.2% of the respondents between 31 – 45 days, 9.6 % above 45 days and 8%, once in 15 days. Majority of the respondents (47.2%) spend between Rs.1001 – 3000, 35.2% of the respondents spend between Rs.3001 – 4000, 9.6% of the respondents spend above Rs.4000 and 8% of the respondents spend less than 1000. Majority (45.6%) of the respondents feel that Kannan departmental store is a close competitor of Spencer’s, 32% of them feel Nilgiris as the close competitor, and 20 % of them feel big bazaar as the close competitor. Majority (45.6%) of the respondents feel that Kannan departmental store is a close competitor of Spencer’s, 32% of them feel Nilgiris as the close competitor, and 20 % of them feel big bazaar as the close competitor.

 Level of expectation and satisfaction

The price factor is felt very important by the respondents, the next factors as the order is quality, shelf arrangements, brand choice, availability, crowd management, ambience, discounts, brand image, packing facilities, customer care, billing ,location assistance provided and parking facilities.  Brand choice is the factor which is felt very much satisfied by the respondents, followed by availability, discounts, packing facilities, customer care,  arrangements, assistance provided, crowd management, brand image, billing, ambience, quality, location, price and parking facilities.

 Level of Expectation Vs Satisfaction: Gap analysis

There is significant gap between the level of expectation and satisfaction with respect to price, quality, location, brand image, Shelf arrangements, crowd management, assistance provided, and ambience, billing and parking facilities.

            Further it can be seen that there is no significant gap between brand choices,

             availability, Customer care, discounts and packing facilities.

 

 Influence of demographic variables on the level of expectation

The variables gender, educational qualification, and occupation have a significant influence over the level of expectation and the variables age and monthly income does not have an influence on the level of expectation.

 

 

 Influence of demographic variables on the level of satisfaction

The variables gender, educational qualification, occupation have a significant influence over the level of satisfaction and the variables age and monthly income does not have an influence on the level of satisfaction.

 

 Recommendations

            The recommendations given to the organization are as follows

From the profile of the consumers, it can be seen that most of the respondents belong to 31-40 and earn an income of 10001-20000; Spencer’s daily can develop new marketing strategies to concentrate on the other age group and income group of people. Findings show that most of the respondents purchase groceries, and other products need to be properly positioned to attract more consumers. The important factors highlighted by the customers are the price, quality, shelf arrangements, brand choice, availability, crowd management, ambience, discounts, brand image, packing facilities, customer care, billing ,location, assistance provided and parking facilities, these aspects should be given priority to formulate the strategy. The factors of satisfaction such as parking facilities, price, location etc are felt less satisfied or neutral by the consumers, due care should be taken in upgrading those factors in order to retain the consumers. Efforts should be taken to reduce the gap between expectation and satisfaction level in case of factors like price, quality, location, brand image etc. This will lead

to arrest the customer attrition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

          The Retail market in India is highly competitive due to increase in the number of consumers belonging to middle and higher income class, change in consumption pattern and opening up of economy due to liberalization, privatization and globalization. Against this background the study is attempted to analyze the profile and buying behavior of the consumers and the factors influencing the level of expectation and satisfaction level of the consumers. The findings would enable the organization to frame suitable strategies and enhance the market share.

 

Books referred:

 

 

Kothari, C. R. (1990). ‘Research Methodology Methods and Techniques’, Wishawa Publishers; Second edition.

 

Philip Kotler and Kevin Lane Keller (2006). ‘Marketing Management’ , Prentice Hall of India Pvt Ltd, Twelfth edition

 

 Stephen Robbins, (1996). ‘ Organizational Behaviors’ Prentice Hall of India Pvt Ltd., Third edition

 

Dr. D. D. Sharma (2005). ‘Marketing Research’ , Sultan Chand & Sons, Third edition

Websites referred:

 

            www.google.com

            web.ebscohost.com

            www.spencersretail.com

            www.fibre2fashion.com

            www.rpgretail.com

            www.retailing.com

            www.market.com

More Demographics Articles

Retail Marketing to Effectively Understand your Customer

Retail Marketing to Effectively Understand your Customer

The traditional perception of retail marketing is getting people in your store and increasing the time spent in the store. That equals increased sales. Is it working? Can your retail marketing be more effective, efficient, and innovating, while focusing on understanding your customer’s needs and saving them time?

If we focus on our customer and his needs, we can cut a lot of unwanted flab from our retail operations, in turn saving on cost and providing the customer what he needs, when he needs and how he needs it, in a more efficient way.

Do you understand your customers buying process?
Does your marketing mirror that process?
Do you have specific marketing messages that your customer receives at critical points in that process?
If you did, would your marketing be more effective?

Have you ever wondered why the marketing process rarely considered what stages a customer went through to buy their product or service? Customers usually have a fairly regimented way they purchase. Your sales people already probably know it. Now sit back and document that process, even create a sales funnel or hour glass on this process. As you go through it step by step, pick critical points and review what you type of marketing materials or experience you would like them to have in their hand as they reach those points. Maybe even think about reaching them just right before they reach a critical point. If you do this, it will create an entire different way of looking at your marketing. From the customers point of view!

Your marketing must meet the customer’s needs at both a specific time and be delivered with the required message. The thousands of mundane and sophisticated things that marketers do to deliver a message are generally of little interest to customers. To view value from the eyes of the customer requires needless messages to be reduced. Having identified your ideal customer is to understand all the activities required to explain the benefits of a specific product and optimize the whole marketing process from the view of the customer.

Marketing is not an event – it is a process, and a mindset. A consistently high quality marketing effort cannot be produced by a faulty process. You must have products or services in place to meet your customer expectations. Look at each step and mirror your customer’s process and be able to pick your marketing reaction as quickly as you could turn a faucet. Wash your hands of a sloppy process and give the customer exactly what he wants, when he wants it and how he wants it. Balancing the process will soon become as easy as adjusting the water for the right temperature. But to do so, make sure you look in the mirror each step of the way.

Many marketers need to critically evaluate their processes to determine their effectiveness in bringing maximum value to customers. Today’s techniques are creating more efficient methods to deliver targeted messages in the particular manner that customers wish to receive. As stated earlier, lean marketing is a system focused on and driven by customers. Optimizing the value stream from their eyes and in an efficient process takes marketing to a level not experienced before. So is your marketing giving you a sustainable advantage over your competition?

Related Marketing Process Articles

Increase Web Site Traffic and Revenues Through a Targeted Traffic Campaign Buy Targeted Traffic to Capture the Customer and Get a Lead on the Competit

Increase Web Site Traffic and Revenues Through a Targeted Traffic Campaign Buy Targeted Traffic to Capture the Customer and Get a Lead on the Competit

 

Targeted traffic is more likely to respond to your website promotions. Without a targeted traffic campaign, you are limited to reaching your audience through search engine results. Recent statistics from Nielsen rating show that internet users return to a visited website where a purchase was made around 60% of the time. When you buy targeted traffic through a quality traffic service company, that 60% increase can be yours.

 

Increased web site traffic is possible with a targeted traffic campaign. An effective targeted traffic campaign will increase your web site traffic from first time visitors that are likely to buy. It is up to you to keep your increased web site traffic intrigued enough with your website to stay. The staying power of a website is the website’s “stickiness.” Having a well-developed profile of your targeted audience during website development and when you buy targeted traffic will build stickiness – and revenue.

 

The longer new visitors stay, the more likely they are to opt-in on your promotions or return to your website to buy. In order to create valuable content to increase web site traffic, you must be able to define what your targeted traffic considers valuable. Saturn, a General Motors car, learned this first hand. Originally, the Saturn website contained content that flattered their cars, boasted of the company’s reputation, and provided a list of dealers. Their website traffic found little reason to stay unless they had already decided to buy a Saturn car, or were in the decision making process of deciding which car to buy. Additionally, the behaviors of their customers were not considered. Their stickiness rate was poor. Repeat visitors were few. Saturn revamped their website, filled it with interactive content more valuable to their users – and their website traffic tripled. Their website traffic has now increased to account for over 80% of their buying leads.

 

A company with such heavy branding must also invest money and buy search engine optimisation services to increase web site traffic. For a smaller company however, it is cost effective to buy targeted traffic to increase web site traffic. Search engine competition is high, and when you buy targeted traffic it will give you a significant advantage over your competitors. You will have the means to capture that first time customer and turn them into a returning customer. Once your increase in web site traffic is satisfied with your product or service, they won’t be searching for your competitors.

 

To increase web site traffic from your targeted traffic market, making the choice to buy targeted traffic gives you the first opportunity to capture the customer for good. A company to buy traffic from must offer you the choice to buy targeted traffic that will be interested in your well-developed content. Website stickiness can turn into sales when you choose to buy targeted traffic services. A targeted customer is likely to be a returning customer. Returns build revenues. The targeted website traffic you buy will increase your sales, your reputation, and even your word-of-mouth advertising. Your increase in web site traffic from your strategy to buy website traffic will increase future direct visits to your website – and won’t increase the future traffic to your competitors.

 

 

More Target Audience Articles

How to Achieve Customer Driven Collaboration Marketing

How to Achieve Customer Driven Collaboration Marketing

The emergence of collaboration marketing is due to the astronomical rise and success of Internet businesses and the marketing techniques that have grown from the expansion of the World Wide Web. Many Internet marketing techniques mimic traditional print marketing techniques and follow the design set forth by these established techniques, but the innovation of the Internet domain demands that these traditional techniques be modified and expanded.

One of the biggest shifts in Internet marketing is from a platform that is more customer driven and focused. Internet era customers are more empowered and connected, which subtly shifts the balance of power towards the customer and effects how businesses must approach and relate to their clients.

Collaboration marketing is a type of marketing that has become the product of the Internet era business. Customer driven collaboration marketing understands and embraces the new role that customers have in driving marketing techniques, and seeks to work with customers and clients to maximize their input. This recognition of power the customer holds means that they become co-creators in the marketing process, and there is a reciprocal relationship between businesses and customers.

The shift towards customer driven marketing is subtle, yet powerful. The Internet has created a shift in marketing practices, where the focus is more on relational exchanges than transactional exchanges. Historically, marketing has been the business of getting customers to buy your product, convincing consumers that they need your product or that your product is superior to other similar products in the marketplace.

As the Internet has developed and marketing techniques become more savvy, in turn so has the customer. With ease they search for what they need, and have it delivered directly to them. The customer is no longer limited to what can be found in their neighborhood or area. This empowers the customer to be choosier with items they seek to purchase.

Marketing has typically existed on a platform in which you try to find customers for the product or services your company sells. This is straightforward and seems to make sense. But customer driven marketing is about finding products to suit your customers, rather than finding customers for your products, which is a subtle but vastly important shift in thinking.

This is not to suggest that you abandon your existing marketing techniques, particularly if they are successful for your business. However: customer driven marketing is a shift in thinking that allows customers to be more involved in the products they are able to purchase from you. Perhaps you offer a customer a chosen menu of services rather than a standard package that is the same for each customer. The ways in which customer driven collaboration marketing is manifested will differ for each business, but it starts with a shift in your company’s thinking. A shift to thinking about customers and markets in terms of inside out, rather than outside in.