Marketing Channel Strategy
tải về 5.39 Mb. Chế độ xem pdf
|
| process perspective
, there are three general steps to segmenting end-users by service outputs. First, it is essential to generate a comprehensive list of all the potential service outputs desired by each end-user for the products being offered. This list can be derived from qualitative focus groups or exploratory interviews, designed to generate unbiased summaries of all the service outputs that apply to the particular product and market in question. 29 Such research pro- vides a set of service outputs that might be demanded by some or all groups of end-users in the market. Second, using this list of possible service outputs, the actual segmentation of the market can proceed in multiple ways. The market might be divided into a priori segments (e.g., those often used in product or advertising decisions), then analyzed to determine whether those segments share common purchas- ing preferences. Alternatively, research might be designed and conducted to define channel segments that best describe end-users’ service output needs and purchasing patterns. This latter path is preferable, because end-users’ preferred shopping and buying habits rarely correlate with their preferences for product features, media habits, lifestyles, or other traits that management and adver- tising agencies usually employ in their segmentation strategies. In general, channel segmentation should be designed to produce groups of buyers who (1) are maximally similar within a group; (2) are maximally different between groups; and (3) differ on dimensions that matter for building a distribution system. Traditional marketing research techniques such as cluster analysis and constant-sum scales can identify groups of end-users with similar service output needs. It is not enough to ask respondents about their preferences for various service outputs though. With completely free choices, most people naturally prefer more of all the service outputs. To obtain information that is ultimately useful for designing marketing channels that can meet the key needs of target END-USER ANALYSIS 332 segments, it is essential to understand how end-users actually behave in the marketplace, by asking respondents to trade off one attribute of the channel for another (e.g., locational convenience versus low price; extensive product vari- ety versus expert sales assistance). In Sidebar 10.2, we look at the end-user needs of the customer base of a true omni-channel pioneer, 1-800-Flowers. SIDEBAR 10.2 1-800-Flowers, an Omni-Channel Pioneer Jim McCann opened a flower shop in 1976 on the Upper East Side of New York City, 30 but more notably, he has been a true pioneer of multi-channel shopping. Quick to spot the potential of telephone-based commerce, he plunged into the market for telephone orders of floral arrange- ments with 1-800-Flowers, investing heavily in call centers and staff who could provide excellent service and support. Through partnerships with independent brick-and-mortar florists, the com- pany also could promise same-day delivery of floral arrangements nationwide. Next, McCann realized the promise of e-commerce before nearly anyone else. The com- pany launched its first online store (on compuserve) in 1991, had a presence on AOL, and debuted on the Web in 1995. 31 Continuing the tradition, it embraced social media immediately, becoming the first company to sell physical products via Facebook. Largely as a result of these market-sensing moves, 1-800-Flowers enjoys a 30.2 percent market share of the online floral business. 32 This positioning bodes well for the future, because even as brick-and-mortar floral shops struggle, floral sales are increasing in general, mainly through online options. 33 An implicit element of this success story is the company’s recognition that different end-users buy differently. Some need same-day delivery; others have specific assortment preferences and will wait for the particular flowers to be ready, shipped straight from growers. In addition, their preferences might extend beyond flowers, so 1-800-Flowers includes a variety of plants, gift bas- kets, and edible treats in its assortment, in collaboration with sibling companies such as Harry & David, Simply Chocolate, and the Popcorn Factory. In the modern global world, people send flowers to loved ones in other countries, so a florist that operates internationally is critical. If they don’t quite know what to send, consumers might prefer to solicit advice from a friendly, sympa- thetic service representative, who will talk to them over the telephone about the best options. If they have a clear sense of their needs, they might instead order through a mobile app, and they likely want one-click capacities so they can quickly send off flowers (and receive reminders) each year in time for Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day. 34 Third, when the overall market has been segmented into similar groups of end-users, according to their preferred channel service outputs, price sensitivity, or other product-specific factors, the channel manager should name each segment to capture its identifying characteristics. Naming each segment facilitates internal communication and organizational alignment, which is helpful in executing an effective channel strategy. END-USER ANALYSIS 333 Table 10.1 shows how constant-sum scales can be used to segment end-users in the business marketplace for a new high-technology product. The service outputs (references and credentials, financial stability and longevity, product demonstra- tions and trials), along with price sensitivity, are listed along the left-hand side; the columns represent the segments (lowest total cost, responsive support, full-service, and references and credentials) that emerge according to respondents’ preferences. The names assigned to the segments derive from the strength of their preferences for specific service outputs. For example, the lowest total cost segment assigned 32 out of 100 points to the service output “lowest price” but only 8 points to “responsive problem solving after sale” output; in contrast, the responsive support segment flipped its allocations (29 points to responsive problem solving after sale, but 8 points to lowest price). Finally, the percentage of respondents in each segment appears at the bottom of each column; the majority of respondents (and thus of the population of customers at large, assuming the sample is representative) are in tải về 5.39 Mb. Chia sẻ với bạn bè của bạn:
|