Marketing Oman Air (Essay Sample)

Name of Writer Date of Submission Oman Air Study Introduction Oman Air is the national carrier of Oman which has been operating for decades. The airline has been successful because of its commitment towards meeting safety, reliability, and efficiency for its customers. It has developed a strategic direction with the aim of focusing on increasing its market presence, identifying new customer segments, and finding new markets. Simultaneously, the airline has been striving to focus on achieving its sustained growth by incremental investments in various areas to support its operations and management. The airline continues to grow as it seeks to achieve its strategic objectives while seeking to reduce the problems. Oman Air has to undertake strategic analysis so that it can identify challenges and opportunities that would lead to sustained growth. Problem Statement There is a need to study the views and perceptions of customers regarding Oman Air’s services and products. Various dimensions of service quality need to be understood so that analysis can be undertaken of the airline to find its strengths and weaknesses. Another problem is the need to identify the segmentation, sales, and promotional strategies employed by the airline to achieve its strategic goals. The aim of this paper is to identify and conduct analysis through primary and secondary methods. It will seek to derive valid inferences through the use of appropriate data sources. Methodology Research is defined as the systematic and integrated process undertaken in any discipline to increase the body of knowledge for the benefit of society. It is concerned with discovery, interpretation, and analysis of information (Taylor et al, 2015). Additionally, the research process can be undertaken with the aim of updating existing information, finding new conclusions, and reaffirming prior research. The process must be undertaken systematically with the use of clear and precise goals to achieve long-term success. The method used to gather data on Oman Air has been through primary and secondary methods. The primary research method involved a survey emailed to 20 individuals that include five employees of the airline and fifteen customers. The advantages of survey method are that high representativeness as the views and opinions of people can be collected easily and efficiently (Taylor et al, 2015). It is easy to collect and analyze the information by using an integrated strategy for success. The disadvantages of surveys are that respondents might not properly answer the questions (Taylor et al, 2015). They might be reluctant to answer some parts due to confidential information. Secondary data involves selecting the annual company report of Oman Air as the basis for making inferences. The source of data is from primary and secondary sources which have been undertaken with the aim of ensuring that valid and reliable inferences can be made. Consequently, having a consistent and reliable methodology helps to derive valid inferences. It ensures that the results can be properly interpreted and applied to solve the problem statements (Taylor et al, 2015). Data Presentation Table 1 consists of customers’ perceptions about the product and service quality offered by Oman Air. Service Quality Some 60% of the respondents described the service quality of Oman Air to be excellent and robust. Some 20% of the respondents stated that they were moderately satisfied with the service quality. Value for money Some 70% of the respondents stated that the flight services offered by Oman Air provide value for money. In-Flight services Some 50% of the respondents argued that the airline provides good in-flight services. Support Services Some 80% of the respondents argued that the supplementary services are good by Oman Air. Table 2 represents the views of the employees about the sales, segmentation, and promotional activities undertaken by Oman Air to ensure that it can meet the needs of its customers. Sales strategies Majority of respondents stated that Oman Air has a long-term sales strategy that is measured by changing trends in the industry and customers’ needs. Segmentation Majority of respondents stated that the airline divides its segments according to their income, travel history, and other demographic variables. Promotional activities The majority of respondents stated that Internet and online marketing is effective in achieving the goals of the airline. The others stated that conventional advertising helps the airline to achieve its targets. The following shows the financial performance of Oman Air in 2017. The figures indicate robust growth and development of the airline as it has been able to achieve its targets while providing excellent services to the customer segments. Source: https://www.omanair.com/sites/default/files/content/about_us/pdf/2017annualreport_eng.pdf The following graph shows the revenues of Oman Air increased significantly in contrast to previous years. The results are that the airline has been able to achieve its critical goals through operational efficiency and excellence while being committed to the needs of customer segments: Source: https://www.omanair.com/sites/default/files/content/about_us/pdf/2017annualreport_eng.pdf The following table shows that passengers increased significantly as compared with previous years. Customers are satisfied with the services and quality levels of the airline. Source: https://www.omanair.com/sites/default/files/content/about_us/pdf/2017annualreport_eng.pdf Data Analysis The data analysis suggests that Oman Air has been pursuing a flexible and integrated strategy to market its services to the customer segments. The firm has been striving to use a goal oriented approach so that it can successfully adapt to changes in the aviation industry (Oman Air, 2017). Furthermore, the airline has sought to develop a long-term branding strategy based on meeting the needs and requirements of its customer segments. The results are consistent with findings from studies that argue that airlines must be committed to safe, reliable, and profitable air transport services for passengers (Albers et al, 2017). Having a strong business presence has facilitated the growth of Oman Air while it has used its professional attitude, punctuality, and service excellence to achieve robust growth. The rapid growth of the airline can be seen through the analysis of its financial statistics and increased numbers of passengers using it for traveling to different destinations (Rhoades, 2016). A distinct identity and customer base have assisted Oman Air for various regional and international destinations (Flouris & Oswald, 2016). It was well-trained employees that are able to provide high levels of service excellence to meet the needs of its customer segments (Rhoades, 2016). Change and consolidation are part of Oman Air’s drive to achieve operational excellence and efficiency. The airline has introduced new aircraft while striving to enhance the quality of its products and services (Wensveen, 2018). It has invested in training and partnerships to enhance experience for customers and improve profitability. The data shows that the airline has long-term sales and segmentation strategy which has strived to increase number of passengers. Promotio...