Basics,Marketing Mix,Consumer Behavior, Branding & Poduct Life-Cycle (Coursework Sample)

MARKETING
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Date
Question 1. Basics
Sparky Cleaning Agency ventures in home cleaning services. Hence knowing the needs of the customer is pertinent to the functionality and liability of the company in the market. Both the marketing and selling concepts vividly relate to the business and the firms performance in terms of profit. The selling concept is product-centered thus the concentration of the entity goes to the volume of the sales made and the profits. On the other hand, the marketing concept aims at meeting the satisfaction of the customer. The marketing concept greatly characterizes my company in the sense that connecting with customers and meeting their demands contributes to the company’s existence. In the cleaning industry, what matters most is the going concern of the firm. Sales do flow through references that arises from the satisfaction of the consumer by our services. In this case, knowing and understanding our target market and meeting with our consumers is key to company operationalization. Contrary to marketing, the selling concept focuses on products in existence. The concept fails to evaluate the consumer’s requirement or needs. Through the marketing concept, the company gets to hear the customer’s views that enable us to improve our services and customize our brand to meet customer expectations.
The company’s segmentation cuts across diverse variables whereby the region of operation is across the city. Majorly, the individuals after our services are working class who are concentrated within the cities. The affluent and the middle-class people desire quality over the cost considering their busy schedule with most not having household workers. Trust is a valuable commodity to earn from a customer upon which they pay a premium over a 100% trust and professionalism. Hence, the household age composition is around 30 to 60-year-olds. The segment takes into account the single and dual income earners in the homesteads. Furthermore, these families opt for a cleaning service over an opportunity cost to clean the homes as this may be a time-wasting exercise.
Despite the differentiated market set of our target market, the consumers exhibit homogenous needs. The income level and social status of these people are different, however, they both appreciate a reliable agent. Therefore, the company will reach this niche through referrals, brochure distribution and holding of promotional events around estates and parks. Nonetheless, the potential prospects are conversant with the cleaning industry but quality has been their greatest fear. Standing out as the best company in the market offering the services through gaining customer’s trust and being keen to detail. Stiff competition exists in this industry due to the high demand of cleaning services and existence of well-established large commercial entities. Considerably, the market share of such firms is high with them offering lower firms compared to the emerging companies.
Quality plays as the key to my firm penetrating, expanding and maintaining customers against the commercial janitorial service firms. In attaining the desired position in the market, the firm requires a great investment in human capital and financial capital. Further, giving offers to customers and training employees will yield desirable results towards being the top cleaning company in the city and beyond. The firm is to charge a premium for the work but maintains high-quality standards that the client will demand our services over the low pricing firms in the industry. Price competitiveness and minimal barriers to entry in the janitorial industry has led to the collapse of several firms. Being in the residential sector is not safer as the quantity of work is less compared to the commercial sector. Nevertheless, our differentiation mechanism from the rest will enable us to surpass our competitors.
Question 2. Marketing Mix
The firm aims at staying relevant to the customer need thus making a profit based on met customer values. Hence, the emphasis will not be on the service provision but the customer preference that directs the type of service rendered. The marketing concept used by our firm enables concentrates on the consumer instead of the product and the end result (profit) through the volume of sales like the selling concept. Thus, the buyer has been prioritized over the seller in the marketing scenario. Thus, customer solution underlies the first marketing mix employed by the firm. In customer solution, the company recognizes that providing value to the customer and being the problem solver is key to success in the janitorial service industry. The employees will be well equipped in uniform and work to efficiently represent the company’s values in the market. Also, they will offer relevant information on customer wants as they work in their homes. The company’s market analysis will closely draw from the employees who frequently come into contact with the targeted group of people. However, diverse views and wants of the clients would be a challenge to the firm to have a standard form of operation. This would mean frequent adjustments to meet consumer needs.
Secondly, a considerable customer cost will be drawn that meets the company’s pricing system and the client’s affordability. The cost charge applies on a standard rate based on the type of service, hours spent on the project and the complexity of the service being offered. However, the firm will package it’s costing in a strategic manner to attract customers. Promotions will be pertinent to the firm’s operation whereby subsidized services will be given for the referrals the company acquires. Obtaining new customers through word of mouth would be advantageous as it reflects on the quality of the services the company offers. Unfortunately, frequent promotions and subsidized costs would lower our profit margin. Operating in a zero balance or loss would mean a closure of the firm within few years in the market.
Thirdly, communication is the part that sells the firm. Communication with the customer creates visibility of the firm in the market. In the marketing concept, communication would be direct, advertising, branding, packaging, sales representative, and trade show appearance. The firm will have an online platform where customers can request for services, pay and offer comments on the credibility of the services. The platform will give an overview of the firm’s performance and the level of customer satisfaction achieved. Also, sales representatives positioned across various residential places will market the firm and listen to customers’ views. Our communication strategy will enhance our visibility in the target market. However, customers may be unwilling to cooperate or give undeserving comments on the online platform that will damage the company’s reputation.
Fourthly, the firm will be strategically located within 20 miles of the residential places in the city making it convenient for the clients to access our services. Further, the online platform will be an easy, quick and convenient way of the clients reaching us. Lastly, customers demand skillfulness and met expectations upon requested product. Thus, working in residential places requires sensitivity to customer needs. Standing out in the client’s mind amidst other competitive firms would mean having well-trained cleaners doing the cleaning extraordinary. The challenge would be that not all consumers appreciate the quality. Some critics would still exist.
Question 3. Consumer Buying Behavior
Behavioral attribute characterizes each individual differently. Moreover, each person has own unique needs and satisfaction derived from the solved problem varies across people. Also, monetary versus quantity and quality is a factor of consideration among many buyers across industries. Nonetheless, need recognition underlies the initial stage in the buyer’s decision-making process. A problem needs to exist for the need on how to solve it to arise. Evidently, without a problem, there would be no buyer or seller since demand and supply initiate the existence of a market. In the cleaning industry, many people know how to clean their homes. However, they are not able to clean all areas and items may be due to lack of expertise or constrained time for such activities. The need to have the house clean is undeniable thus, the buyer either looks for the cleaning service providers to solve their problem or thinks of hiring a domestic worker.
After need identification, the buyer begins to search for information on the services available in order to mark out the one that best suits the need. The search would be on print media, social media, company websites or personal sources like family and friends. In most cases, buyers in the janit...