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  1. 1-1-the-nature-and-purpose-of-business
    3 主题
  2. 1-2-forms-of-business
    5 主题
  3. 1-3-the-external-environment
    5 主题
  4. 2-1-management-and-leadership
    3 主题
  5. 2-2-management-decision-making
    4 主题
  6. 2-3-the-role-and-importance-of-stakeholders
    3 主题
  7. 3-1-marketing-objectives
    1 主题
  8. 3-2-understanding-markets-and-customers
    5 主题
  9. 3-3-making-marketing-decisions
    2 主题
  10. 3-4-the-marketing-mix
    7 主题
  11. 4-1-operational-objectives
    2 主题
  12. 4-2-operational-performance
    1 主题
  13. 4-3-efficiency-and-productivity
    3 主题
  14. 4-4-quality
    1 主题
  15. 4-5-inventory-and-supply-chain-management
    3 主题
  16. 5-1-financial-objectives
    2 主题
  17. 5-2-financial-performance
    6 主题
  18. 5-3-sources-of-finance
    3 主题
  19. 5-4-cash-flow-and-profit
    1 主题
  20. 6-1-human-resource-objectives
    1 主题
  21. 6-2-human-resource-performance
    1 主题
  22. 6-3-organisational-design
    3 主题
  23. 6-4-human-resource-planning
    4 主题
  24. 6-5-motivation
    4 主题
  25. 6-6-improving-employer-employee-relations
    2 主题
  26. 7-1-mission-objectives-and-strategy
    4 主题
  27. 7-2-assessing-the-internal-position-of-a-business
    10 主题
  28. 7-3-changes-in-the-external-environment
    7 主题
  29. 7-4-the-competitive-environment
    1 主题
  30. 7-5-investment-appraisal
    2 主题
  31. 8-1-strategic-direction
    1 主题
  32. 8-2-strategic-positioning
    2 主题
  33. 9-1-changes-in-scale
    4 主题
  34. 9-2-innovation
    2 主题
  35. 9-3-globalisation-and-internationalisation
    4 主题
  36. 9-4-digital-technology
    1 主题
  37. 10-1-managing-change
    3 主题
  38. 10-2-organisational-culture
    2 主题
  39. 10-3-implementing-strategy
    2 主题
  40. 10-4-strategic-failure
    2 主题
  1. Business_A-level_Aqa
  2. 3-4-the-marketing-mix
  3. people-process-and-the-physical-environment
课 10, 主题 6
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people-process-and-the-physical-environment

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  • People play a crucial role in the marketing mix, as they are responsible for designing and carrying out marketing activities, interacting with customers, selling products and delivering a positive customer experience

  • People can also provide valuable feedback and propose innovative marketing solutions

  • Careful recruitment and training of workers, especially those in customer-facing roles, is increasingly recognised as the key determinant of marketing success

Five diverse individuals labelled with skills: customer interaction, brand ambassadors, customer service, innovation and feedback and sales and persuasion.
People deliver customer interactions, are important brand ambassadors and provide customer service and sales

The importance of people in the marketing mix

Reason

Explanation

Customer interactions

  • Salespeople, customer service representatives or employees in a retail outlet have direct contact with customers 

  • These interactions can influence customer perceptions, build relationships and shape the overall customer experience

Brand ambassadors

  • Employees’ knowledge, enthusiasm and passion for the brand can have a significant impact on how customers perceive and connect with the brand

  • Positive interactions with knowledgeable and helpful employees can enhance brand loyalty

Customer service

  • Skilled customer service employees can address customer inquiries, resolve issues and provide personalised support

  • Positive customer experiences contribute to customer satisfaction, repeat business and positive word-of-mouth recommendations

Innovation and feedback

  • Employees’ observations and feedback can help identify emerging trends, customer preferences and areas for improvement

  • This information is crucial for refining marketing strategies, developing new products and enhancing the overall customer experience

Sales and persuasion

  • Skilled sales employees can understand customer needs, provide tailored solutions and effectively communicate the benefits of a product or service

  • Their ability to build relationships, address objections and close sales is essential in achieving marketing objectives

  • Businesses need to foster a culture of unity, particularly amongst customer-facing employees and take steps to ensure that they are motivated

  • A satisfied workforce is more likely to provide excellent customer service, work hard to close sales and act as brand ambassadors

  • Processes refer to the activities, procedures and systems a company employs to deliver a product or service to its customers and create a competitive advantage

  • Businesses develop a set of processes that allow for a product or service to be delivered effectively to their customers

    • E.g. from the moment P&O Cruises passengers book their trip, a series of processes are engaged

      • Online booking and customer service processes provide for smooth organisation and preparation for the trip

      • When they arrive at the dockside, customers are greeted; their baggage is taken to their assigned cabin

      • Two weeks of services from restaurants and evening entertainment, casinos and shopping are organised and provided

      • Specialist services and facilities are available to those with particular needs

      • When customers arrive at their destination, baggage is delivered to them and onwards transportation arranged

A diagram with the decisions related to effective processes in the marketing mix represented as gears. The decisions are good customer experience, consistency in messaging, efficiency, adaptability and alignment with business goals.
Decisions related to effective processes relate to customer experience, consistency and efficiency

The importance of processes in the marketing mix

Reason

Explanation

Example

Customer experience

  • Processes directly impact the overall customer experience

    • They include everything from how customers discover a product to how they make a purchase, receive support and interact with the brand

  • Well-designed processes provide a seamless and positive customer journey, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty

  • L’Oréal uses artificial intelligence to improve customer experience

  • Face-scanning sensors measure the customer’s skin so that appropriate skincare products can be recommended

Efficiency

  • Effective processes improve efficiency, streamlining operations and reducing costs

  • By carefully designing and planning marketing processes, businesses can improve the use of resources such as staff and cash

  • Airbnb hosts are encouraged to provide self-check-in facilities, removing the need for the host to be present when guests arrive at their property

Consistency

  • Processes help to maintain consistency because they provide a framework for delivering consistent messages, branding and experiences

  • Consistency builds trust, reinforces brand identity and helps develop long-term relationships with customers

  • The Economist consistently uses its established brand “tone of voice” across all of its social media channels

  • Posts are informative and factual, and the language is brief, clear and uses everyday speech

Adaptability

  • Marketing processes need to be flexible and adaptable to changing customer preferences

  • By continuously monitoring processes, businesses can identify areas for improvement and respond to emerging trends and challenges

  • Passengers travelling with the airline Lufthansa no longer need a boarding pass or passport from Miami to Munich following the opening of America’s first all-biometric terminal, reducing check-in time to less than two seconds 

Alignment

  • Processes help different departments work together effectively to meet objectives

  • Teams that work together within defined processes have better communication and coordination

  • At HubSpot, a leading business software company, cross-functional teams use collaboration tools that allow rapid approval of promotional activities

  • It also keeps a timeline of task completion so that anyone involved in the project can instantly see its progress

  • The physical environment refers to the tangible and visible signs of a product with which customers interact and perceive during their buying experience

Visible and tangible signs

Elements of physical evidence in the marketing mix represented as boxes. The elements include ambience, packaging, signage and displays, digital presence, staff appearance and behaviour, equipment and facilities and marketing materials.
The physical environment can take many forms, such as ambience, signage and displays and staff appearance, in the extended marketing mix

  • The physical environment is a particularly important element of services, as it shapes customer perceptions and helps build trust in a process where what they are buying cannot be viewed or touched

    • Businesses use these physical aspects to delight customers and set themselves apart from competitors

Aspects and examples of the physical environment

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Aspect

Explanation

Example

Store/office ambience

  • The physical environment in which a business operates greatly impacts customer perceptions

  • This includes factors such as store layout, interior design, lighting, colours, music and overall ambience

  • Celine‘s high-end fashion boutique in London uses elegant decor, soft lighting and soothing music to create a luxurious and exclusive atmosphere

Packaging

  • The design, quality and functionality of packaging contribute to the impression customers have of a brand

  • Packaging should be visually appealing, informative and aligned with the brand identity to differentiate a product from competitors

  • Each product sold by beauty retailer Lush displays its simple logo prominently on the front

  • In line with its corporate social responsibility (CSR) concerns, all pots and bottles are made from BPA-free 100% recycled plastic, and all containers are recyclable via an in-store programme