Customer orientation is the focus of this paper. The primary purpose of the underlying study is to measure the customer focus of real estate agents. The Narver and Slater -1990 scale was made operational to fit the situation of the real estate agents in order to translate customer focus into specific activities designed to increase business performance. The ultimate purpose of the study is to determine the strength of the relationship between business performance and customer focus. This paper presents the research results and discusses the appropriateness of the customer focus element of the Narver and Slater -1990 scale in a services context.
The communication is questioning the role of the New Information and Communication Tools in the development of inter-organizational buyer-seller cooperative relationships. Based on an integration of information systems and marketing theories, this paper's objective is to show that new information technologies have a structuring effect on buyer-seller relationships. A cross-section multi-activities study among 151 purchasing managers, all members of the French Buying Association (C.D.A.F.), has been undertaken. Results confirm that structural dimensions of complexity and formalization are positively influenced by New Information and Communication Tools. But the hypothesis of a decentralizing effect is not supported. The restrictive operationalization of New Information Technologies as a set of information and communication tools allows a specification of the structuring effect as function of the nature and type of tools adopted.
In customer satisfaction research, analysis methods are needed that can provide a clear insight into the complex relationships among satisfaction ratings and various performance attributes. The purpose of such an analysis is to identify the areas (processes, attributes) that need improvement and that most significantly enhance the business relationship with the customer. This paper describes a novel method to examine customer satisfaction survey data. The method includes a refinement in assessing attribute importance, by differentiating between value enhancing and decreasing attributes, satisfiers and dissatisfiers. Information gain measures and statistical tests are used for this purpose. The refined relevance measures result in a modified importance-performance chart that is used to suggest a suitable strategy for the attributes under investigation. The method is demonstrated for a sample of 2504 customers of retail banking services.
This paper presents an exploratory qualitative investigation which aims to clarify the types of relationships consumers have with familiar products and brands and the extent to which this familiar "brandscape" can arouse attachment behaviour. The study, based on in-depth interviews and focus groups mainly seeks to understand what type of expectations consumers have in relation to familiar brands. Using a semiotic approach, consumers may be typologised depending on their expectations and attitudes towards familiar brands. Next the study focusses on one peculiar type of consumer-brand relationship which is brand attachment. Two types of attachment relationships to brands are analysed: an instrumental type of attachment based on a rational and utilitarian approach to goods, and an existential type of attachment based on an emotional and experiential approach. The study's main interests are -1 to provide an insightful approach to market segmentation -2 to relate consumption choices and decisions to deeply held expectations and principles of life and -3 to give conceptual and managerial insights into a particular type of consumer-brand relationship which is the brand attachment phenomenon.
The purpose of this paper is to show the importance of understanding consumer behaviour through research, in two main areas of the telecommunications market place. Firstly, it will discuss the importance of considering the consumer within the broader context of the macro-economic and social environment. It will then present findings of attitudinal research identifying major factors which impact the way in which consumers think about and ultimately acquire new technology-based products and services - the thesis being that supply- side and technologically deterministic approaches are too simplistic. The paper will then discuss how companies - such as telecom operators - need to extend this understanding of the consumer in their approach to the marketing communications of their products and services and also to how they maintain customer relationships. As competition in the telecom environment takes hold, this will be critical to the success of any operator or equipment provider.
This paper examines the challenges and opportunities facing financial service brands against a background of structural insecurity in Europe, and explores the most profitable ways of using total communications. It examines the key consumer or customer priorities, discusses the implications for financial brands and proposes a model for optimizing the brand relationship with the consumer. The broader implications of the interactive consumer are explored and the paper concludes with a five point programme for improving brand communications.
This paper describes how research was used to help Shell UK to develop a strategy to understand and build relationships with consumers in a market which has become increasingly competitive: the UK petrol/ diesel market The paper demonstrates the need to identify different market segments and understand key motivators within the segments, in order to target and refine marketing activity. The findings show that, even in a market characterised by low involvement, it is possible to measure levels of brand commitment and identify those consumers for whom brand building remains a relevant course. The findings also show that it is possible to establish the relevance and relative importance of other aspects of the marketing mix to target segments and the implications of this for marketing strategy.
The paper reports the results of a detailed study of the cardiovascular marketplace in Russia. This was a diary study executed among 97 generalists and 50 specialists working in polyclinics across Russia. The study covered all aspects of 2,367 patient visits, including comprehensive patient details, risk factors, symptomatology, condition[s] treated and the drug or drugs started, switched and/or continued. Further, details of the doctors treating each patient were also collected so that data could be cross-analysed by doctor characteristics. Key findings included the very young age of the cardiovascular patients, a high diagnosing level of ischaemic heart disease (IHD), a low frequency of cholesterol testing and the high usage of very old drugs (notably reserpine) at the expense of expensive, newer products. These results, where appropriate, are also compared with findings from analogous studies in other countries. Finally, and in order to give some insight into the workings of front-line medicine in Russia, general information about how the patient-doctor relationship works in Russia also forms an important part of this paper.
In 1993 Girobank decided to embark upon a mystery shopper exercise to provide information as input to its Total Quality management system. Girobank had already undertaken regular monitoring of its customer service through continuous customer surveys for several years, however, it was felt that these were not providing the complete picture that was required. In particular there was the need for an exercise that was essentially objective in nature and did not rely on the subjective perception of customers of a service that was distanced from them at the time of completing a survey. In addition mystery shopping would allow specific service aspects to be measured at key points in time. It would not be reliant upon individual customers' usage of service and the vagaries of human behaviour. Girobank's method of operation as a centralised bank with an agency relationship through the Post Office precluded any participation in syndicated mystery shopping exercises designed to evaluate retail branch banking per se. Key also to the evaluation of the service was the need to hold a Girobank account i.e. to be an existing Girobank customer. Girobank services are linked through a core customer relationship via the current account. Consequently we took the decision to utilise existing customers and invite them to participate in an ongoing exercise of service evaluation. This had a number of advantages: customers already knew Girobank and its method of operation - there was no need for them to undergo a learning curve on the service and the way it operates; accounts would not need to be opened or pre-funded - a consequent saving in costs, both in funds and administration time; existing customers would be invisible to customer service staff as 'mystery shoppers'; there would be no clue in their account details that they were a member of an evaluation panel, to all intents and purposes their behaviour would appear as natural; their calls would be indistinguishable from the thousands of calls received by Girobank daily. In addition, we could, within reason, pre-select customers on the basis of their existing account behaviour and product holding to better focus on those service aspects which we wished to evaluate.
The paper criticises the widespread speculation following "Marlboro Friday" in 1993 that consumers have turned against brands and are increasingly motivated by price alone. Retailer power is a real phenomenon, but many of the other claims made about the "nineties consumer" are at best speculative. What did happen in the eighties, however, was that too many brand owners behaved as if a brand name alone could guarantee continuous success and endless price rises. But a successful brand has to keep its promises, and consumers are not so easily deceived. Brands will survive because they offer important levels of reassurance and meaning to consumers. This will remain TRUE despite the changes taking place in the market. Successful brands need a sense of vision and purpose to direct their relationship with the consumer. The paper describes a framework for defining brand identity called Brand Foundations, developed and used within DDB Needham.
This paper focuses on customer relationships in retail banking. Understanding customer relationships and especially the profitability of them requires the development of new concepts and tools. The paper discusses some concepts and tools available to support profitability analysis on a customer base level and on a relationship level. A tool in this context is the relationship configuration matrix, which enables us to investigate distinct relationships and segments of the customer base and develop products and pricing mechanisms in order to fully utilize the business potential of the particular customer or segment. The tools are illustrated by a case. Swedbank, the largest bank in Scandinavia, has carried out a comprehensive customer base analysis in which MIS data about 97.000 customers and market research data about 3226 customers was used. The aim was to calculate customer relationship profitability and develop strategies for ensuring the loyalty of profitable customers and enhancing profitability of the large number of unprofitable customers. Profitability was found to be a function of customers' interaction behavior and thus a pricing strategy was launched. The successful strategy was the first comprehensive and congruent pricing strategy in the Swedish market and has created a fair amount of debate.
This paper describes how Unilever's Personal Products Companies in Europe used a Customer Satisfaction Survey to improve their relationship with their customers in the retail trade. It does not present a revolutionary approach to the methodology of research as part of a TQ programme. However, there is always a danger that the best research can be useless if the client is not prepared to act on the results. How the research is organised plays an important role in ensuring the results are used. In this paper, therefore, we would like to concentrate on describing the process of executing, analysing, reporting and using such a survey. The research was international on a wide scale; it asked key retailers in 17 countries in Europe for their assessment of the importance of customer service factors and Unilevers' performance on these factors. Moreover, there was a need not only to get a consistent European overview, but in-depth local results. To avoid this, we were careful to establish the survey as a centrally co-ordinated programme of local surveys, harmonised to a common methodology, to retain local ownership of results. It was clear from the size and scope of the survey that good co-operation through a strong network was necessary to make it work effectively. This was as TRUE of the client side as of the agencies and the interface between the two. We shall show the value of integrating the client-company network into the research process at all stages from design to reporting. This widens ownership of the survey, increases confidence in the results and commitment to act on them. Indeed, results have been used at a high level in Unilever's formal reporting and planning system. The existence of the network also aided the reporting process, so that the lessons learnt cascaded down from a European overview at the top, to quite detailed and specific messages for individual Account Managers, (enabling them to take specific actions with their retailers). The findings of the survey were not imposed on account managers; rather, they were seen as ways in which to improve performance. Communicating the results was also aided by keeping the analysis straightforward and appropriate to the needs of the businesses.