International Marketing: Text and Cases, Essay Example

Company Background

Star Market is an England’s chain of supermarket firm located in Greater Boston under the ownership of Mugar family (Paul, 2008). The company started in 1918 by Sarkis Mugar but was later bought by The Jewels Company in 1964. Later the company was bought by Investcorp, a company that later sold it to Shaw’s Supermarkets. The company boasts of international brands such as Osco Drug, Home Life, Culinary Circle, and Market Fresh. In 2011, the company, under the management of Shaw’s Supermarket, renamed all its brands to “Essentials Everyday.” The company was planning to phase out its domestic products to ensure that their new names had an international appeal (Sletten, 2008). This would enable the company to sale its products worldwide after which the sales will increase leading to higher profits. The company will have alternative markets in case the local market fails the products will be sold internationally. Changing brand names will enable the company’s products to be recognized internationally and not only locally under the usual names. The adverts will reach all people worldwide since internet is used as a mode of advertising that enables the customer to access the advertised products anywhere.

CRM – Customer Relationship Marketing Strategy

Star Market’s marketing campaign focuses on the entire population since its products sweeps across all age groups. Online advertising is the best method of advertising because technology is frequently changing, and the world has been transformed to the digital era. In this era, every transaction is done online from production, marketing, communication, and supply of the products. The company features wild harvest departments that offer preservative-free and organic foods (Sletten, 2008). As a new customer to the supermarket, I have enrolled to the company’s database for online requisition of products. I have received short message on new products in the market as well as those products with discount incentives (Paul, 2008). These services are open to any of the company’s ninety locations, both locally and internationally. Additionally, the company proposes its own brands such as Happy Tails, Esquiline, and Home Life to registered customers since they represent the company’s prestige.

From the text, the company needs to retain the contacts of the customers like email, postal address, and phone numbers. The contacts will enable the company to be in contact with the customer frequently for updates in case of any changes in the products or their prices. In addition, the communication will motivate the customer since the customer will feel that he/she is part of the company as he is updated on any change in the company. The customer will be retained in the company, and more customers will be attracted since he/she will tell other about the quality services and considerations in the company.

Social Media

Under the new management of Shaw’s supermarket, Star Market has extended its marketing strategies in social sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Social media is the current and updated method of advertising. Many people both the adults and young are registered on the social media. The company will reach many customers at once without spending more funds on advertising as other methods like media stations of face-to-face advertising. In this case, the marketers will not move to different places so long they are connected to the internet. This will enable the company to save on travelling and communication expenses as social media enable direct communication with the customer.

The social media has enabled the organization to be in touch with other people and organizations worldwide. For instance, the company has well over eighty thousand likes (Paul, 2008). The company provides real-time updates on its products and responds to issues raised by its members. Positive feedbacks improve the company’s reputation, which in turn, increases both its competitive capacity as well as its marketability. Negative feedbacks are also important since they enlighten the company on its weak points. As a result, the company is compelled to improve on its service delivery in order to improve on its market scope.

Proposal

According to the text, it may be a surprise that time spent on mobile apps has surpassed time spent on the traditional Internet (Roberts, Mary-Lou & Debra Zahay, 2013). The company should develop a QR, Quality Response, code that is based on cloud computing to improve on its service delivery. A QR code is scanned using mobile phones such as smartphones without complications. This application is easy to put into place since it requires the interested party to download a reader, which is later installed into a system. This technology is deemed to replace the idea of dropping business cards in fishbowls during events. This technology is a new way of adding “likes” in Facebook. The importance of this system is that it reduces the time spent during real sales lead since the QR code is easily scanned through a computing device. The QR code will be essential for Star Market since it will increase the company’s competitive ability through social media (Littleton, 2010). Reasonably, the company will have more “likers” than other similar companies, and consequently, it will stand out in the competition.

Star Market will influence more customers through this application because the customer can access the service using a mobile phone. The application enables the company to maintain the contacts of the customers who likes or leaves a comment on the social media. It will be easier for the company instead of waiting for the customer to send a request or visit the company for the contacts to be made available. It will be beneficial for the customer since he/she will receive all the updates or changes made on the products.

Conclusion

From the discussion above, it is necessary for the company to increase on its online customers. This is important in implementing the four strategies for CRM. Increasing online customers increases the international appeal for Star Market. Many customers are registered online on the social media web pages. The customers are frequently visiting the social media, youtube, and other websites where Star Back can reach them easily. Additionally, QR code will increase the quantity of “likers” in social media to increase the market scope of the company. QR code will save the company from spending more time and funds moving to different places dropping their business cards and other identification documents. Customers will get all the updates and information about the company through the QR code. The company will increase its “likers,” and at the same time increase cumulative quantity of sales.

References

Littleton. (2010). Shaw’s Supermarket with Osco Pharmacy. Accessed on July 2, 2014 Retrieved from http://www.munters.us/upload/External%20website/Commercial%20Products%20rev%2001/Shaws%20Case%20Study.pdf

Paul, J. (2008). International Marketing: Text and Cases. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited.

Roberts, Mary Lou & Debra Zahay. (2013, 3/e) Internet Marketing: Integrating Online and Offline Strategies. Cengage Learning.

Sletten, T. (2008). The Impact of Price Advertising on Store Choice and Retail Competition. Miami: ProQuest LLC.