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Transcript
Course No. 6
Marketing and Service Management
Prof. Dr. Charles Pahud de Mortanges
Bernd Michael
Prof. Dr. Bernd Günter
DBS/UMBS Joint MBA Program 2007
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
2
Course No. 6
„Marketing and Service Management“
Outline of Contents
1. Understanding marketing
2. Competitive Advantage and Customer Orientation
3. Elements of a Marketing Plan
3.1 The Role of Market Information and Customer Analysis
3.2 Marketing Objectives and Marketing Strategies
3.3 Market Segmentation
3.4 Branding
3.5 The Marketing Mix: 4 Traditional “Big” Instruments and Four “Small” Instruments
3.6 Developing & Managing Products and Services
3.7 Developing Price Strategies & Programs
3.8 Designing & Managing Marketing Channels
3.9 Marketing Communication
3.10 Managing The Sales Force
Note:
Teachers are
1 – 3.3
Prof. Dr. Bernd Günter (Feb 10, Feb 12, and Feb 13)
3.4 / 3.9 Bernd Michael, Strategic Advisor, Grey Global Group Middle Europe (Feb 26, Feb 27 )
3.5 – 3.10 Prof. Dr. Charles Pahud de Mortanges (Feb 24 double session in Maastricht; Mar 3)
All sessions to be held in Düsseldorf except February 24 in Maastricht.
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
3
Marketing is regarded
•
as an intra-organizational function of a company (organization). Within this
orientation it can be positioned either as a planning and merchandizing support
for sales department (“Marketing-Services”)
or as the total function of sales and distribution.
•
as a holistic management approach of a company (organization), which
focuses on creating and implementing competitive advantages through
customer orientation.
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
4
Marketing Triangle
customer
supplier
competitor
Source: Plinke, W. (2000): Grundkonzeption des industriellen Marketing-Managements, in:
Kleinaltenkamp, M./Plinke, W. (eds..): Technischer Vertrieb. Grundlagen, 2nd ed., Berlin., p. 44 and 56 (translated by Jörg Dauner/Bernd Günter).
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
5
Basic Elements of Marketing
business relationships, market share,
total customer equity
customer retention
customer satisfaction
competitive advantages
customer orientation / market orientation
Note: This slide is incomplete and will be completed during the session!
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
6
Marketing – Competitive Advantage - Customer Orientation
•
A company can only be successful if it achieves competitive advantages.
Therefore specialized skills have be to be transformed in customer advantages.
•
A competitive advantage can only be established if from a customer point of
view a company offers advantages compared to alternatives which have been
taken into consideration and are evaluated by customers.
Marketing aims for:
the identification, market implementation, and development of competitive
advantages.
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
7
Marketing – Competitive Advantage - Customer Orientation
Marketing Definition:
Marketing is an organizational function and a set of processes for creating,
communicating and delivering value to customers and for managing
customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its
stakeholders.
(Definition of the American Marketing Association, in: Marketing News, September 15, 2004, p. 1)
Marketing means management of competitive advantages through customer
orientation!
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
8
Aspects of Marketing
•
•
•
•
•
Marketing deals with decision problems (planning, implementation and
controlling).
Marketing is based on analyzing the company’s microenvironment (aspect of
information).
Marketing includes using marketing instruments (targeted influence of the
market; aspect of action).
Marketing has an external (e.g. towards sourcing and selling markets) and
internal orientation (intra-organizational coordination of market-oriented
activities).
Marketing means a consequent orientation of all company’s activities towards
the market (aspect of philosophy).
Marketing is a comprehensive corporate management approach.
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
9
Positioning, competitive advantage and USP
•
Competitive advantages…
… are real customer advantages from a subjective customer point of view or from the
perspective of whole target groups (market segments)
•
A USP (Unique Selling Proposition) …
… means competitive advantage taken from a selling company’s point of view. A USP
can be a possible position of uniqueness.
•
About „Value added“ …
… is spoken in combination with competitive advantage and/or USP, if additional
value/benefit is created for the customer through a superior position compared to
competitors.
•
Positioning …
…an offer and/or a company in the market competition indicates, where a company
together with its offers wants to be or has already been settled in the competitive
environment. Furthermore positioning includes the current setting especially from a
customers and competitors point of view.
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
10
Definition of Competitive Advantage (Plinke)
A company’s capability to be in a sustainable way …
•
more effective (to create more value/benefit for customers = customer
advantage)
and/or
•
more efficient (to have lower total production costs or to be faster = seller
advantage)
than its present or potential competitors.
Source: Plinke, W. (2000): Grundlagen des Marktprozesses, in: Kleinaltenkamp, M./Plinke, W. (eds.): Technischer Vertrieb. Grundlagen,
2nd ed., Berlin, p. 89 (translated by Jörg Dauner/Bernd Günter).
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
11
4 Types of Competitive Advantages
(customer advantages; seen from a customer‘s point of view)
•
Value/Benefit from the product or service itself (“better”)
•
Cost advantage for the customer (“more economical”)
•
Time advantage (“faster”)
•
Reliability advantage (“Promises will be kept with a higher likelihood”;
“Verlässlichkeitsvorteil”)
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
12
The 4 Competitive Advantages (Customer Advantages)
contain following issues:
•
Competitive Advantage 1 (Value/Benefit from the product/service itself ):
The offering, the subject of contract and/or bartering object contain superior
qualitative attributes.
•
Competitive Advantage 2 (Total Cost of Ownership Advantage):
Customers benefit in return of the subject of contract and/or bartering object through:
• lower cost of development
• lower cost of purchase (incl. auxiliary cost of acquisition)
• lower current costs (maintenance, operation )
• lower disposal costs
•
Competitive Advantage 3 (Time Advantage):
The offer (subject of contract and/or bartering object ) is faster available for customers.
•
Competitive Advantage 4 (Reliability Advantage, “Verlässlichkeitsvorteil”):
Promises will be kept with a higher likelihood by the company compared to
competitors.
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
13
Requirements for Competitive Advantages
1. Seller company related capabilities or resources
2. Important for customers
3. Noticeable and distinguishable by customers
4. Superior compared to relevant competitors
5. Advantages have to be sustainable and defendable
Source: Plinke, W. (2000): Grundlagen des Marktprozesses, in: Kleinaltenkamp, M./Plinke, W. (eds.): Technischer Vertrieb. Grundlagen,
2nd ed., Berlin, pp. 90-91 (translated by Jörg Dauner/Bernd Günter).
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
14
Checklist for Potential Competitive Advantages
•
Are the assumed competitive advantages provable (true)?
•
Can the competitive advantages be measured (operationable)?
•
Have we agreed in our company about the important competitive advantages?
•
Relating to a competitive advantage – is our company no. 1 in the market?
•
Is our catalogue of competitive advantages completed ?
•
Maybe our list is too comprehensive and it is impossible to work through or therefore a
diffused company profile has been created?
•
Are the assumed advantages relevant competitive advantages?
•
The critical question: Is the proposed list of competitive advantages seen from the
customers’ point of view?
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
15
Customer Orientation of a Company
Customer orientation means targeting the management system on following
aspects, including a realization through division of labor in all functions of the
company:
• Early and complete perception of customers’ (conscious and/or unconscious)
expectations,
• realization and translation of expectations into a profile of program and
performance and
• fulfillment of customer expectations.
Source: Plinke, W. (2000): Grundlagen des Marktprozesses, in: Kleinaltenkamp, M./Plinke, W. (eds.): Technischer Vertrieb. Grundlagen,
2nd ed., Berlin, pp. 116-130 (translated by Jörg Dauner/Bernd Günter).
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
16
Customer Orientation of executives and employees
Customer orientation means an attitude of executives and employees within the
company towards
• their own work,
• the results of their work as well as
• towards the collaboration with other persons and departments within the
company,
which has to be completely orientated towards the fulfillment of customer
expectations.
Furthermore customer orientation includes an acceleration of a role, which is
assumed towards customers. This is a problem solution serving role (problem
solution as a service).
Source: Plinke, W. (2000): Grundlagen des Marktprozesses, in: Kleinaltenkamp, M./Plinke, W. (eds.): Technischer Vertrieb. Grundlagen,
2nd ed., Berlin, pp. 116-130 (translated by Jörg Dauner/Bernd Günter).
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
17
Examples for Different Definitions of Quality
“Quality is defined as the totally of features and characteristic of a product
or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs.”
Source: ISO Standard 8402.
“Quality is fitness for use.”
Source: Juran, J. (1974, ed.): Quality Control Handbook, New York, Section 2-2.
“Quality means meeting contracted requirements aiming at sustainable customer
satisfaction.”
Source: Zink, K. J. (1992): Total Quality Management, in: Zink, K. J. (ed.): Qualität als Managementaufgabe, Landsberg/Lech, p. 18 (translated by
Jörg Dauner/Bernd Günter).
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
18
Marketing means
to search for competitive advantages, to implement, to communicate, and to develop them.
Marketing includes
•
a mindset, which is been affected by a competitive advantage based thinking and customer
orientation,
•
the application of instruments (e.g. customer analysis, segmentation, advertising, etc.),
•
the intra-ogranizational coordination of all supplier involved parties to achieve
competitive advantages and customer satisfaction.
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
19
The intra-oganizational Integration Task of Marketing
supplier
customer
Market-oriented corporate management
Procurement
R&D
Operations
Sales
External
orientation:
What
satisfies
customers?
Intra-organizational collaboration and orientation:
How we can satisfy customers?
Source: Plinke, W. (2000): Grundlagen des Marktprozesses, in: Kleinaltenkamp, M./Plinke, W. (eds.): Technischer Vertrieb. Grundlagen,
2nd ed., Berlin, pp. 156-158 (translated by Jörg Dauner/Bernd Günter).
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
20
Elements of a Marketing Plan (I)
definition of the relevant market and
corporate mission
information collecting and
analysis of the situation
analysis of strengths and weaknesses
identification of
competitive advantages
(positioning)
differentiation of competitive advantages through target groups
(market segmentation)
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
21
Elements of a Marketing Plan (II)
strategy development
decisions of/agreement on objectives
planning the application of
marketing instruments (marketing mix)
preparation of realization
(cooperation, profitability analysis, tests)
realization (implementation)
feedback
(monitoring and adaptation/further development)
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
22
Fundamental Information for Sales Strategic Decisions
Fundamental information for sales strategic decisions includes:
•
market information
= customer acceptance
= behavior of competitors
= development of environment
as well as
•
internal information about the company
= objectives
= development of costs
= R&D, operation, sales & distribution
= pricing and conditions
= (planned) activities
= human resource management.
Internal information has to be communicated to sales and distribution and maybe to
customers. External information has to be distributed to the relevant functional areas within
the company (filtering problem).
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
23
Market Research
internal data
secondary research
external data
market research
interview
external data
observation
experiment
primary research
interview
internal data
observation
experiment
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
24
Customer Analysis
Contents of customer information systems in business-to-business-Marketing
•
quantitative data:
-
•
current customer data
potential customer data
customer contribution margin
customer lifetime value
qualitative data:
-
DBS UMBS 2007
buying motives
requirements of customers
information on buying phase and buyclass (buying situation)
promotors / opponents
behavior based interaction of participants: information behavior, communication
flow, reliance, negotiation behavior
procurement specific characteristics of the buying organization
„rules of the game” for procurement and delivery within a company
environment based influences
qualitative parameters of customer value
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
25
Defining the Business
customer function
customer groups
alternative
technologies
Source: Abell, D. F. (1980): Defining the Business, Englewood Cliffs, p. 30.
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
26
Basic Positioning in the Clothing Market
(exemplary demonstration)
price/quality
high
C1
C3
product design
timeless
C2
product design
trendy
C4
C5
price/quality
low
Unique position
(meanwhile successfully
taken by H&M, Zara)
A1 - A5 = company (brands) 1 – 5
Note: The figure concerns a market segment of the clothing market. It can be segmented more specifically for example in
special target groups (sex, age, income and/or customer attitude, lifestyle, etc.)
Source: Becker, J. (2006): Marketing-Konzeption, 8th ed., München, p. 249 (translated by Jörg Dauner/Bernd Günter).
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
27
Strategy
Strategies define the relevant framework and path („How we can get there?“) to
ensure that all operative (tactical) instruments are used for fitting the objectives.
Marketing Strategies
•
•
•
•
•
•
consist of a package of measures,
are target-oriented (achievement of aspired market position),
include a well-defined direction of impact,
determine principles of behavior for those involved,
have a predominant long term character,
and have a strong customer, competitor, and (micro) environment orientation
beside focusing on objectives.
Source: Becker, J. (2006): Marketing-Konzeption, 8th ed., München, pp. 140-142 (translated by Jörg Dauner/Bernd Günter).
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
28
Relations between Marketing Objectives,
Marketing Strategies, and Marketing Mix
In general objectives describe preferred destinations or states. Which leads to the question of
“What we want to do?” and/or “Where we want to go?”. The question of “How?” determines
the path we have to follow according to our strategy.
The marketing mix determines the means of transportation following a defined path to reach
the preferred destinations. Whereas strategies structure the framework of activities, the mix
determines the process of activities. Therefore the marketing mix can be understood as a
tactical element of strategy and/or as their operationalization.
1.
2.
3.
Marketing Objectives
Marketing Strategies
Marketing Mix
preferred destinations
path
means of transportation
timetable in terms of operational instructions
(= Marketing Plan)
Source: Becker, J. (2006): Marketing-Konzeption, 8th ed., München, p. 147 (translated by Jörg Dauner/Bernd Günter).
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
29
Marketing Strategy Grid (Becker et al.)
Levels of Strategies
Content of Strategic Decisions
Basic Strategy Options
1. Market Activity Strategies
Design of product / market
combinations
Present and new products in
present or new markets
(Ansoff matrix)
2. Branding Strategies
Design of brand appearance
Branding or no name
3. Market Stimulating Strategies
Design of the way of stimulating
demand
Quality competition or price
competition
4. Market Covering Strategies
Determining type and degree of
marketing differentiation
Undifferentiated (mass market) or
differentiated marketing (market
segmentation)
5. Market Area Strategies
Determining geographic area of
marketing activities
National or international sales
policy
6. Network / Cooperation
Strategies
Defining form and direction of
cooperation or single-company
strategy
Single-company strategies or
cooperation (network) strategies
7. Customer Strategies
Treatment of customer and
transaction
Relationship strategies (customer
retention) or transaction strategies
Source: Becker, J. (2006): Marketing-Konzeption, 8th ed., München, p. 148 (Level 2, 6, 7 added by B. Günter; translated by Jörg Dauner/Bernd Günter).
.
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
30
The Ansoff Matrix
Market
present
new
present
Market
Penetration
Market
Development
new
Product
Development
Diversification
Product/
Service
Source: Ansoff, H. I. (1966): Managementstrategie, München, p. 132 (translated by Jörg Dauner/Bernd Günter).
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
31
Market Stimulating Strategies – Basic Options
Preference Strategy
All marketing activities have to be orientated towards the effort of increasing
offer-related benefits for customers. The quality of the products/services has to be
increased and sustainable customer preferences have to be built up by using
mainly non-price-related marketing instruments.
Price Quantity Strategy
All activities have to be concentrated towards the effort of offering an especially
low priced product/service expecting enlarged selling quantities. Therefore the
reduction of costs have to be an ongoing and sustainable process.
Source: Becker, J. (2006): Marketing-Konzeption, 8th ed., München, pp. 179-181 (translated by Jörg Dauner/Bernd Günter).
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
32
Market Differentiation Strategies
Level of
Differentiation
undifferentiated
differentiated
1
undifferentiated
Marketing
3
differentiated
Marketing
2
concentrated
Marketing
4
differentiated
Marketing
(single segments)
Market Coverage
completely
partly
Source: Meffert, H. (2000): Marketing, 9th ed., Wiesbaden, p. 217 (translated by Jörg Dauner/Bernd Günter).
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
33
Market Covering Strategies – a Comparison
evaluation of
Mass Market Strategy
(“shotgun approach“)
Segmentation Strategy
(“sniper approach“)
advantages
• cost advantage through mass production
• coverage of a wide variety of potential
customers
• standardized marketing mix
• marketing related organizational effort is
lower
• fulfillment of target group differentiated
customer preferences
• development of an above-average price range
• possibility of controlling market segments
according to target group oriented aspects
• possibility to replace partly price
competition by quality competition
disadvantage
• maybe customer preferences are not totally
met according to market conditions
• limited price range („monopolistic area” is
comparatively low)
• limited possibilities of targeted market
supervision
• risk of price competition
• increased complicatedness (increase in cost)
of marketing instruments used
• if necessary: abandonment of mass
production (and corresponding cost
advantages)
• partly limited stability of market segments
• high requirement of marketing know-how and
appropriate marketing organization
final
evaluation
ROI depends on a low cost position
primarily due to the price
competition
ROI depends on above-average prices primarily
due to a target group specific satisfaction
Source: Becker, J. (2006): Marketing-Konzeption, 8th ed., München, p. 290 (translated by Jörg Dauner/Bernd Günter).
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
34
Market Segmentation – Definition and Objectives
•
•
•
aspect of information:
– Market segmentation means to cut a given or imagined market up into
different buying groups who respond to selling activities more
homogenous than the entire market, …
aspect of decision:
– ...the following selection of market segments which have to be targeted
and ...
aspect of action:
– the orientation of the marketing mix towards the particular market
segments.
The overall objective of using a market segmentation strategy is
to develop for (a) selected (group of) buyers targeted offers in
order to create customer preferences and realize competitive
advantages (customer advantages).
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
35
Advantages of Market Segmentation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Special target group preference effects can be utilized.
Stronger customer loyalty can be achieved in the long term.
Autonomous areas of pricing can be enlarged.
An increase in turnover may be realized.
Segmentation combined with a focused market coverage can reduce costs
compared to standardization.
6. Advertisement can be more customer-focused.
7. It is easier to deepen distinctiveness and to achieve brand recognition in the
market
8. Lower risk of market entry of competitors into a specialized market
segments compared to the entire market.
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
36
Disadvantages of Market Segmentation
1. Market segmentation can be an expensive strategy.
2. Market segmentation requires informational and methodically specialized
know-how and skills.
3. Market segmentation can cause an increased factor inflexibility (production
of specialized goods).
4. Some market segments are not sustainable enough, i.e. demand volume is
too low.
5. Segments can move or shift over time and specific preferences of buyer
groups can change faster than preferences of the entire market. Therefore a
continuous monitoring of market segments is necessary.
6. Higher risk of losing a specialized market segment if a competitor enters
the market compared to the entire market.
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
37
8 Marketing Instruments – The Marketing Mix
Product, Service,
and Program
Policy
Timing
Financing
the Customer
Distribution
Channel
Decisions
Contracting
Pricing
Quantity
Decisions
Marketing
Communication
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
38
Contracting
In a marketing and selling perspective, contracting decisions include all instruments
and activities of a company aimed at reaching marketing objectives by designing
and offering terms of contracts, clauses, types of contracts and agreements
in a selling and buying context.
Major issues of contracting decisions are:
- Which type of contract should be drafted?
- Should a standard contract or an individualized agreement be used?
- How flexible or rigid should a contract/agreement be designed?
- Which elements must be included in a contract (e.g. due to legal obligations); which
terms are voluntary elements?
- How does the contract/agreement deal with risks?
Contracting (“Kontrahierungspolitik”; “Vertragspolitik”) can be regarded as a marketing
instrument as it is suitable for attracting customers or for keeping them at distance.
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
39
Financing the Customer
•
Financing the customer (“Absatzfinanzierungspolitik”) includes every activity of a company to
stimulate demand by offering non-cash terms and dates of payment, purchase on credit (given by or
arranged by the supplier), or leasing.
•
Objective of financing the customer is to increase the sales volume by attracting new customers and
intensifying demand by customer retention.
•
A supplier's credit to the customer may be connected with the purchase of goods and services from
that vendor company or independent from that.
•
In the case of a leasing the customer does not pay the purchase price of a product but just a down
payment and a monthly leasing instalment, usually over a period of several years. At the end of the
leasing period there might be the possibility to return the leasing object or to buy it.
•
Financing the Customer is a most common marketing instrument e.g. in selling cars. It is supposed to
be a decisive marketing instrument in marketing large projects internationally.
•
Financing the customer can be regarded as a marketing instrument as it is suitable for attracting
customers or to keep them at distance.
Source: Meffert, H.(2000): Marketing, 9th ed., Wiesbaden, pp. 589-590 (translated and enlarged by Bernd Günter).
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
40
Quantity Decisions (I)
In a marketing and selling context quantity decisions (“Mengenpolitik”) include all activities
and measures a company takes that aim at reaching marketing goals by controlling
(increasing, maintaining, decreasing) the quantity offered and to be sold, with respect to a
sales unit or the entire quantity to be sold.
Controlling quantities of products and services offered is strongly interdependent with
product/program policy, pricing, and timing decisions.
Decisions concerning total quantity to be (produced and) offered during a period depend e.g.
from marketing strategies, segment volume, capacities etc.
Decisions on a sales unit quantity are strongly interdependent with program policy and
especially with pricing, but also with the interests of distribution channels.
Quantity decisions can be regarded as a marketing instrument as they are suitable for
attracting customers or to keep them at distance.
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
41
Quantity Decisions (II)
Major issues in of quantity decisions (volume decisions; “Mengenpolitik”) are:
- Which quantity should be treated as a sales unit (lot)?
- Which quantity should be offered per period, e.g. per month, year, or campaign?
- Which quantity should be offered or contracted per order/contract?
- Which quantity should be offered per customer, group of customers, segment?
- Should there be a maximum or minimum quantity or quota?
- Are offered quantities produced /sold by the company alone or on a collaborative
basis with cooperation partners?
- What could be the range of volumes/quantities offered and/or demanded,
and how should risks be handled stemming from deviations of planning?
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter
42
Timing
In a marketing and selling context, timing decisions include all instruments and activities
of a company aimed at reaching marketing objectives by planning and designing the
time element of potentials/facilities, processes and products/performances.
Major issues of timing decisions are:
- At which time should a (new) product/service be introduced to the market?
- When should a company approach a customer, negotiate, contract with him?
- Product delivery time(s)
- At what time should a service be offered and delivered?
- When should a product or a service be replaced by a follow-up?
Timing (“Zeitpolitik”) can be regarded as a marketing instrument as it is suitable for
attracting customers or for keeping them at distance.
DBS UMBS 2007
Marketing and Service Management
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Günter