About service marketing

Marketing is the process by which a company informs its target market about the things that it has to offer and persuades the market to buy those products. As a result, marketing is critical to any corporation since it determines the rate at which their items will move in the market and the income that an organization will generate as a result of the process (Lusch and Vargo 2014, p. 145). Service marketing refers to the sale of a service rather than a real commodity. Services market is often evident in the financial, travel, hospitality, telecommunications and health sectors (Lusch and Vargo 2014, p. 145). Often, the packaging, utility, and cost of such services often dictate the ability of the target market to buy and consume such products.

Brief to the agency

Ansible is one of the leading telecommunication firms that operate within Australia; the company is credited with the growth of mobile communication and offering mobile communication services within the country. Formerly, the company was named m.Net before it’s rebranding. The physical locations of the enterprise are in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide. Some of the services that the company offers to its target market include the provision of mobile strategy, mobile media planning and buying, and development of mobile based applications that can be used in marketing, mobile marketing analytics, and enterprise solutions. Many international firms often seek the services of the company in offering sustainable marketing solutions that could further serve to enhance the quality and visibility of their brands in the chosen target market. One of the significant milestones that have been effected by the company is the developer of Qantas QView App that enables those who fly the company’s airlines to have information of the entertainment and features news about the airlines including information about domestic flights that are offered by the firm. As such, Ansible revolutionizes service marketing in Australia and some international companies such as Coca-Cola, KIA, Johnson & Johnson, and Samsung.

Integrated Service marketing plan

Integrated service marketing plan incorporates the entire set of strategies that are put in place by an organization to ensure that the target consumers have a wider reach of information related to the products of an organization. The target audiences for the communication on the set of services that are offered by the organization are the multinational companies, particularly within the service industry such as the air travel companies. An important client of the company is Qantas airlines whom the company has served through the development of the Qantas QView App. What needs to be communicated is the provision of unique and practical technological solutions that would enhance the brand visibility of the products offered by the organization. Such should be transmitted through the online portals of the company, company profile and the social media accounts run by the communication team of the enterprise.

The essence of the integrated service marketing plan is to incorporate the various aspects of the business such as public relations, advertising, sales promotion and directing marketing. Through the integrated service marketing plan, the organization can quickly identify the media channels and marketing tactics that can be put in place to enhance the visibility of an organization’s brand (Bitner and Wang 2014, p. 221). Social media offers an additional avenue that an organization can use in increasing the value and visibility of its brand. Notably, the marketing channels that Ansible needs to choose to enhance the visibility of their brand include the mainstream media and the social media channels. The increased usage of internet services is increasingly making companies opt for social media channels owing to the wider markets that they can establish from such platforms.

Marketing mix

The marketing mix is often used to improve the vibrancy of the marketing techniques employed by a given organization. Often, a marketing mix comprises of products, price, promotion, place, people, processes and physical facilities being used by an organization (Kauppinen-Räisänen and Grönroos 2015, p. 351). Below is the marketing mix that applies in the context of Ansible Australia.

Product

The primary product that the organization offers to their clients is mobile advertising and mobile based company. As such, the company falls under the telecommunications category and also provides marketing services through the telecommunication infrastructure. The products that the company offers to their target market are majorly related to the developed of communication technologies and mobility, mobile marketing, mobile communication and formulation of communication strategies. Additionally, enabling the target customers to develop technological solutions that could be in the organization is crucial in enhancing the nature of relations that the organization could have with other agencies and businesses. The company has ventured into three major pillars through Strategy and Consulting which is a more dynamic field that is dwelling on helping customers achieve the communication objective at a more reasonable fee and convenience. The company products have been embraced since they are tailored to meet different segments of the market through tailored products that are responsive in nature. This helps the staffs who are working on each different thematic area to the opportunity to specialize, thus enhancing the quality of service delivery and efficiency.

Promotion

Promotion details the efficiency of the various marketing platforms in affirming the platform that the organization may use in passing its promotional messages to the target market (Chaston 2014, p. 419). The marketing messages on the new mobile based technologies that could be released by the organization need to be issued at least once monthly and issued to the target market through the internet, direct emails and the mainstream media. Television is an ideal platform in which the messages about the progress being made by an organization are passed. The individuals to whom the marketing messages of the Ansible needs to meet are the senior executives of firms to whom the targeted by the company. As such, the time that is ideal for the promotion is during late evening prime time movements when the executives are home and watching television. Additionally, the use of the direct e-mail enables ease of reach to the appropriate staff who contribute to the final decision making on purchasing and consumption of the services being used by the organization.

Price

The price that the organization needs to charge their clients’ needs to be reasonable and further offer real value for money to those intending to buy such products. As such the consultancy firm that Ansible needs to charge their clients must be realistic compared to the benefits that the clients are set to earn from the implementation of the products by the company. Therefore, the choice of price has to be dependent on the product specifications of the clients and the duration that the customer needs to involve the company. Additionally, the company needs to ensure that their prices are within the range or slightly lower than that which is offered by the competitors. Proper pricing techniques would enable the company to take the needs of the regular clients compensated.

The price of goods and services that Ansible is offering is one that is in line with the company products. The pricing is not fluctuated but involves careful considerations of various factors such as the cost of production, the profit margin, the overhead costs involved to produce the products. This is done carefully while factoring in what the company’s competitors are offering. With quality being the utmost goal of the company, the profit margin often keeps on rising due to continuous market coverage that comes with more customer base (Julian, Julian, Robertson and Lin 2014, p. 17). This has seen the company’s asset base increase rapidly due to market share. The price elasticity that is determined by factors such as demand and supply plays key roles for the company.

People

Understanding the people process is one sure way by which the company can lace its right foot in ensuring that there is the uptake of the products and services of Ansible Telecommunications. The process of coming up with the right products and services for the market always starts with employing qualified staff in all cadres within the company structure. As we all know, Ansible Company is just a name, the people who work in the background are the ones who helps the company to have a distinguished name that it enjoys in the market. The teams starting from the juniors, managements, the call centers who offer customer services, the technical team such as quality assurance, finance, marketing, and management have dedicated their time and effort to enable the company to stay afloat in the wake-up to completion from the company’s competitors.

Through constant market analysis and taking into consideration the customer’s responses, the team is able to craft new products and services that responds to customer needs. The investment in Research and Development has enabled the company to maintain the market lead in the Telecommunication industry in Australia, courtesy of the qualified staff who have the right drive for the work they are doing. To make the company to achieve maximum output, there is a reward scheme that the company has deployed to ensure that outstanding performance is rewarded (Kushwaha and Agrawal 2015, p. 88). This comes in term of recognition, promotion based on merits, monetary and holiday packages, just to mention a few ways of ensuring that the company has a dedicated team to help its operations to grow. This is part of a people management style that Ansible Telecoms has been using to ensure that those charged with responsibility work to the utmost of their ability in order to deliver quality after quality.

Process

The process deployed by the company is one that entails understanding the customers’ needs while coming up with products. The process involves fluidity of communication with the right channels being deployed to help see the company achieve its goals. Being a service oriented company, it is wiser that the company has streamlined its process of handling customers’ needs satisfactorily through the dedicated call center which offers tall free services, with an aim of ensuring that any issue that may arise is dealt with accordingly. The process of segregating the business units after re-branding in 2013 to three distinct unit, that looks at various key components of the market has helped in creating fluidity in the operations of the company, with each major department having clear spelt out responsibilities to help in effective of business operations through specialization and continuous process development.

Through a detailed trained team, the company is able to provide quality services across the 18 offices, meaning the Ansible products and service delivery is streamlined. This helps where company who is a client may be international to have offices in other countries that the company has its offices, it helps in streamlining business operations. The reduction in costs are also another greater part that the company enjoys through increasing efficiency in operations and customer responses.

Physical Evidence

Investing in physical evidence is key in giving customers the confidence required for trust and creating a lasting memory. The physical evidence can be viewed from the perspective of the company’s buildings and structures, the reading materials given to customers when they visit the company premises. The physical evidence is a moving testimony about Ansible Company that helps in convincing the customer that it tis the right company that it is dealing with, as it helps cushion on queries that would otherwise mount to suspicion of investing in the company. With over many years of its existence, the company boasts of a wide array of physical presence in most of the Australian towns, through its outlets, thus helping in cementing its place in the telecommunications industry. The company’s physical evidence ensures that apart from the service that the company is getting, there is something to take home along the way upon visiting its premises. The take-home helps in creating a sense of belonging- which is a much-needed marketing tool for the company (Ndubisi 2013, p. 28).

Through having common dress-code for the company’s staff, it has gone a long way in ensuring that Ansible, as a brand is well recognized with employees creating a sense of belonging to customers. The uniforms act as the major recognition hence one can easily feel comfortable to seek for advice on issues pertaining products that your company may be offering, apart from the uniform also acting as a marketing tool to the company through publicity.

Place

Ansible as a company, is also positioned at various outlets that are accessible to its clients. These are 18 offices major outlets drawn across 11 countries that offer walk-in options instead of driving in the outskirts of town to seek the service of the company. Understanding that the company has made it its business to provide mobility to its clients, since it forms part of the everyday lives, the company has embarked on ways and means of ensuring that this dream is within reach of its clients. The fact that the operations of the company is not only limited to individuals but cuts across even corporations, the need to be at strategic position is not a choice, but a must. This helps in providing rapid response to needs to the clients, whose business may be affected due to communication barriers, hence the place is one way that the company has ensured that it invests in to give more assurance of service delivery (Allred and Addams 2013, p. 199).

The place is key for customers to walk in and purchase a product in telecommunication, apart from getting to hear the kind of service on offer. Through well-regulated and balanced branding of products, then the pace should be ideal to ensure that customer interaction is conducive for the client. The company’s premises are well branded, clearly lit with a designated customer waiting area which is equipped with other social amenities and reading materials to make the customer feel comfortable in doing business with the company.

Mock Up

The following is mock-up for the mobile application that can be used in marketing by any company:

The above app can be used for any kind of project; it offers various forms of background that can fit the description of any product. The development of a mobile based application that can be used in mobile marketing is crucial in enabling the target customers to have knowledge of the products offered by an organization and get additional news on most recent developments of a product. The new information could incorporate discounts, additional product features and new services that the organization offers. The development of the prototype uses the wireframing tool. Mockplus is also an interactive tool that can be utilized in coming up with the prototype of choice of the mobile based apps to be used by the company in service marketing.

Self-Reflection

Service marketing requires the understanding of a given market and how a given service could solve the issues that the target customers seem to be having. Studying of the elements of employment marketing further enables one to have a better understanding of service marketing and how it could be placed into practical use. The essential elements of service marketing include products, place, specialization, people, problem-solving patterns, knowledge, relationships and the value that the clients could draw from the service. A place defined the target market. A business needs to be located close to its target market to be able to sell effectively (Rust and Huang 2014, p. 79). Second, the service providers are essential in creating healthy relationships with the customer base. Many customers tend to establish their image of a company or organization based on how they have treated with the staff and the response that the organization may have with the set of operations that they run the company. Efficient service marketing further requires a unique understanding of the customer and market needs that would enable the customers to make proper decisions on the products that they wish to a consumer. The marketing staff working in line with the service marketing also needs to have high-quality expertise in the field in which they are engaging in to enable the services of the company to sell. Service based companies majorly rely on the expertise of their stuff since they do not offer any tangible product to their clients. The staff working in the company need to have the required skills and specialize in the lie of production that the business intends to undertake. The solutions that the firm also offers to the client base also have to related to the needs of the given business and enhance efficiency to the set of services that are provided by the organization.

Conclusion

Service market requires the involvement of highly qualified staff in developing the quality products to be offered by the organization to its target clients. Ansible is a notable telecommunication company in Australia that provides technology solutions and mobile communication services to Australians and the international firms. As such, the aspects of service marketing that the company needs to put into consideration include products, place, specialization, people, problem-solving patterns, knowledge, relationships and the value that the customers would establish from such brand (Grönroos and Grönroos 2016, p. 131). Concisely, the elements of service market can be used by the management of an organization in deciding over the communication plan and marketing strategy that would be used to increase the visibility of any given brand.

References

Allred, A.T. and Addams, H.L., 2013. Service quality at banks and credit unions: what do their customers say?. International Journal of Bank Marketing.

Bitner, M.J. and Wang, H.S., 2014. 11. Service encounters in service marketing research. Handbook of service marketing research, p.221.

Chaston, I., 2014. Small business marketing. Palgrave Macmillan.

Grönroos, C. and Grönroos, C., 2016. Internationalization strategies for services: a retrospective. Journal of Services Marketing, 30(2), pp.129-132.

Julian, A., Julian, S., Robertson, J. and Lin, D., 2014. System and method for self service marketing research. U.S. Patent 8,712,824.

Kauppinen-Räisänen, H. and Grönroos, C., 2015. Are service marketing models really used in modern practice?. Journal of Service Management, 26(3), pp.346-371.

Kushwaha, G.S. and Agrawal, S.R., 2015. An Indian customer surrounding 7P׳ s of service marketing. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 22, pp.85-95.

Lusch, R.F. and Vargo, S.L., 2014. The service-dominant logic of marketing: Dialog, debate, and directions. Routledge.

Ndubisi, N.O., 2013. Role of gender in conflict handling in the context of outsourcing service marketing. Psychology & Marketing, 30(1), pp.26-35.

Rust, R.T. and Huang, M.H. eds., 2014. Handbook of service marketing research. Edward Elgar Publishing.