Having submitted the first deliverable for our team last week-end, this week was spent working on the Fashion Channel case. Alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) to Fashion Channels (FC), there sure is a difference in the industry requirements. But what I have come to realize is, when thinking about new marketing initiatives in an existing space, one is faced with similar questions, why segmentation, why target a particular segment, does this strategy capitalize on our strengths well, will this strategy fetch us the biggest bang for our buck (ROI), is this the best strategy given our competitive landscape?
Alongside working on the Fashion Channel case, I read Chapter 5 of the text. Quite honestly, first I was not sure if we will be covering this chapter, because in the lessons breakdown on Angel, there is no mention for Chapter 5. After Lessons 2 when we move to Lessons 3, Chapter 5 somehow is not mentioned in either place unless I missed something. Anyhow, I decided to read the chapter as next week is a busy week at work, so decided to get my bases covered. I am glad I read the chapter, because I enjoyed understanding about the three key marketing objective categories, Marketing, Financial and Societal. I liked what I read in the marketing support section. There is no denial that customer service is one of the key areas that companies need to focus on when evaluating their marketing support plans. Without good customer service infrastructure, all marketing efforts can soon become worthless. But alongside the customer service focus, internal marketing is an equally important piece to make the marketing efforts successful. If the internal parties are not on board the marketing initiatives, the results will be sub-par or not achieved at all.
Lastly, I cannot go without sharing an example of poor customer service that was a key topic of discussion in our household this week. Marketing efforts are of no value if they are not followed through as promised. We bought our first lawnmower from Sears a year and half back. It is within manufacturer warranty till August 2012. We use it only 7-8 months in a year, during non-winter months. Since the time we have bought the mower, we have had to take it back to Sears 5 times for repair. The repair takes minimum 2 weeks. In the past five times, the repair seems to be have been some adhoc arrangement, we should not be returning back to the repair shop so often. As we speak, our mower is again at the repair shop of Sears. Our lawn is on a flat service, we are not big gardeners so don't do much beyond the minimum mowing, keep the mower clean, use the suggested grade fuel and oil it as often as the manual suggests. At every repair visit, we have asked the Sears store folks, are we doing anything to make it stop so often, the answer is always ‘No you guys are fine’. So this time, my husband decided to call the Sears customer service and give our feedback with as much details as we could recollect on all the prior repair trips. The feedback was returned by an apology and nothing else, no option for a temporary mower, or suggestion to return the repair tax charges (how so ever small they are) or a confirmation/assurance that the next repair will be permanent. We are seriously thinking of getting a new mower (and not from Sears) after this Fall! Customer service is key to keeping customers happy. No wonder Sears is shutting down 20% of its stores country wide.
Lawnmower's importance is really felt in Spring when grass grows at an exponential rate :)!
Don't worry Sear's will be going bankrupt in the next couple of year's and you can laugh.
ReplyDelete