Relationship.

CRM (Customer Relation Management) is a very sensitive management part of any company. It is important to retain, create and expand the customer segment of the company. Technology is very important factor these days for this specific management process because of its complex structure where many factors are involved. The very simple example of CRM is a web based registration of the product and the support from the company on the basis of the registration. Simply, without technological web pages, it is almost impossible to gain information about the customers and perceived difficulties too. By such technological means, companies can keep customer data-base, major problems perceived and also feedback from customer for further improvements. In the same way, many companies make their support for business and personal customer separately, which clearly indicates that they are more interested in the vital management of Customer relationship. By such ways the companies can support and retain their business and personal customers separately in different ways, which is crucial.

In present days, the most common examples of technological part of CRM include; interactive website, automated phone systems and customer agent support software. The main goal of such CRM is the far reaching perspectives of the company into the consumers’ mindset.

People as competitive tool.

As being a customer, the customer service refers to the service provided by the company or its subsidiaries to the final consumer regarding the product that the company has sold. The customer service may vary differently from selling to after sell-service. Guidelines support and instructions with availability and reliability are important issues in customer service. Support during selling is also important s it needs after-sell too. So, in my case, the service of the sales-personnel in the store and the service of the company for its product are both important customer service issues

Nicely available?

A marketing channel describes the movement of a product or service from the place of production to the place of consumption. It may include transportation, handling and storage, ownership transfers, processing, and distribution. My laptop was made in china, so definitely its marketing channel starts from china’s manufacturing facility. Perhaps it may have been brought to the European market by its manufacturer. I have bought in one of the chain electronic store of Scandinavia. I suppose that chain store directly bought the product from the Packard Company itself. As the size of the company is bigger and it also has wider market share in Scandinavia I think Packard Company has direct association with that retail store. So it included the transportation from the manufacturing unit to the European ware house of Packard-Bell and then transported to Finland along with the change in ownership from the company to the retail store. After arriving in the Finnish store, it is displayed for sell and where final consumers are subjected to see, test and buy this product.

In my opinion, the above mentioned marketing channel is similar to that, because of various stuffs. The first thing is that the software included was primarily in Finnish, but secondarily in English and Swedish. Also, the booklets included along with it were in only Finnish and Swedish. So, it generally proves that this specific product package is originally subjected to sell in Finland. As the booklets and operating system’s languages are in national languages of Finland, it describes itself the original process from the packaging time of this product

At any cost?

Pricing decisions are affected by various factors, such as: costs, competition, buyers’ perception, organizational and marketing objectives etc. The first base of any pricing is the cost involved in the manufacturing of that good or product. Then, the other essential company operating factors influence the pricing decision of the company. In case of my laptop, the primary factor of pricing is the cost covered in finalizing the product including all the materials and components involved till the final consumer packaging. Then, it is followed by the other marketing mix variables also, where marketing and research and development also covers cost for the product manufacturing. Such processes also cover costs and hence included in different ways in the final consumer price. In the other hand, competition in the market place doesn’t always allow to price the product as the company desires, because the competition hits the final consumer in terms of price. So, the final price requires setting carefully observing various competitive and manufacturing cost factors.

I was hit.

The Packard advertising is rare in Finland, At least in my case. I was not aware of any advertising related to my laptop brand in Finland before I bought it. But, of course I have read and heard of this brand much before. As advertising is the first factor of promotional mix, it didn’t affect my decision of purchase. But the second factor, which is personal selling, affected me highly for the purchase. Since, I was looking for the specific attributes in the laptop which I needed regardless of the brand, the sales personnel explained me lot and gave a brief overview of its benefits. Also the documents enclosed in the product were very much clear and understandable, which influenced me further to buy that product. Sales promotion was also an additional part of my purchase where it was offered in a reduced price than the available normal market price. The public relations factor is still to be judged, because I have not still faced any problem with my laptop and have not contacted the company for any after-sell support.

This is something I love.

Brand is an intangible asset of the company where it matters lot in macro and micro environment of the company. It is a part of the wider marketing mix concept, where it generates, establishes and continues the consumers’ belief towards the product itself. Only trying to sell is not enough to make any one to buy that product, instead it is more important to make that person to pursue the product himself. When the product makes a general level awareness in the public mind influenced by the various marketing tools, then the real branding process starts. So, the purchasing decision makes significant role in buying behavior. Packard is a well known brand in the computer market.

Targeting strategy.

I belong to the main targeted segment of the above mentioned laptop computer market. Since, it has a specific design, which is slim, small, light weight and portable. AS being a student I prefer to carry on my laptop on daily basis to my school, or even to my work place. There are many big sized models in the market with more facilities and benefits, but mobility and portability was the main factor that I was looking for, hence I bought that. The same brand also has bigger screened laptops cheaper than mine, but I made decision to buy the small one due to my preferences. Hence, I can say that the model which I bought is targeted and designed to the customer segment like me, who prefers portability and lightness. Also, the software included was suitable for the students like me, so it was also a additional factor for the target segment which I belong to. They have other models also for other segments which has different attributes and facilities than the one I bought.

The different models with different software and programs included are the major proof that they are targeting different segments with different targeting strategy.

This is what I am.

As a customer I am a very time-consuming consumer. I made much more than one store visit before I make real purchase for goods other than daily consumable food items. Such goods include clothing, gift-items, and interior decorative items. Personally I wish to pay reasonable for the fair product. I am not really always willing to buy the best product in the market but wish to buy something that makes me feel suitable for myself. I think this is my personal factor that affects more in my buying behavior. Socially I am a middle class citizen, so obviously my budget and target remains closer to not-high price goods. So it means that I also seek for the cautious for the products lower than my class-preference.

A good example of my buying behavior is the real buying-process occurred during my laptop computer purchase. I was in a need of a portable computer due to my mobility. As we know we all seek to get more standard products if it comes to the high-tech electronic products. Also my budget was not that much; I was really investing time on searching online stores and departmental stores for a suitable one. Psychologically I was trying to get an easy operating system, so that my computer skill is enough. Similarly, I was also aware of my social status so that the laptop I buy will not hinder my existing image among friends. So, with all these simple factors involved I found it really difficult to make decision concerning each of the factors.

Micro Environment

2.1.Political Environment

Politics is a very complex issue differing from state by state. Politics also directly affects many of the business operations by change of the government, change in legal system, amendment in law etc. In case of coke it is very sensitive to follow the political issue, since the setting of production facilities, keeping the ingredients secret, trade-union issues are related to the political environment. So, to operate in different countries with such a secret formula of production it is a challenge for coca-cola company to run its business in different countries.

2.2.Legal Environment

Legal systems are different in many countries due to their cultural and ethnical backgrounds. Some legal systems may be modern but some could be conservative too, so it also proves the versatile fact of the legal system around the globe. Law and regulations is the base of the judiciary system of any nation, so its decisions and directions are subjected to be mandatory for any company operating inside that country. So, understanding legal system and acknowledging it before and after the company’s operation is essential.

2.3.Economic Environment

There are many countries which has very weak economic status, with people living under the very basic living-standard. Since coca-cola is not a primary need of the mankind, hence it is important to estimate the purchasing capacity of the people where it is targeting its business. Also, economic growth rate may also hint the potentiality of the market in future too.

2.4.Competition

As mentioned earlier the main rival of the coca-cola is he Pepsi-cola, almost identical in colour and look. Perhaps, the market presence is very similar to both of these products. Since cultural aspect governs the buying decision of the buyer, there are little modifications apart from the basic standard ingredient, like: sugar, gas, bottling. So, as the main competition remains the same, the local level competition is also present market by market.

Marketing environment

COCA-COLA (Coke)

Coca-Cola is an international company producing carbonated soft drinks. It has a long history of producing cola products since late 1880s. There are similar competitive products in the market around the globe called Pepsi-cola too. Since both of the products are global and close competitors, customers pursue differently for each of them for consumption.

Marketing from my viewpoint

“Marketing is the social process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging products and value with others”, this is what defined by the veteran marketing author Philip Kotler from the Northwestern University (NU). By the definition it is clear that the main goal of the marketing is to create, buy and sell products for the human need completed by the exchange of values. Simply, in our practical daily life also we buy needed goods for our life with the exchange of money. But before we buy products we are very much wish and deserve certain least characteristics and properties of the goods which we are going to buy. So, in such situations marketing fills the gap between the producer and the buyer by various informative means and ways. So, marketing is a part of our daily life, not only the part of any business operation.

As mentioned earlier, I am also affected by the marketing since it is a part of my daily life. Perhaps it was different case in early days of trading or bartering. Marketing is becoming more and more complex and advanced these days due to the rising demand or need of product information by the customers day by day.