MARKETING MANAGEMENT

University of Cebu – Graduate School

FINAL EXAMINATION – Graduate School

MARKETING MANAGEMENT

Test I. Answer briefly.

• What guidelines would you give to a sales manager wishing to recruit and train

members of a sales force to achieve the results desired?

Answer: Members of the sales force are the revenue-generating team of the

company. The best of people should be in this team to generate higher revenue.As a sales manager, he should look for the following characteristics of a person

to hire as a member of the sales force: (1) good listener – the reason why

customers buy a certain product is because they need or want it; a good salesperson should know how to listen what the prospect is saying so that he can highlight on the features of the product that would satisfy the customer’s need or want, (2) excellent networking ability – a good network is a good source of potential clients; people coming from this group can also refer other individuals to try the product, and 3) confidence and enthusiastic – a salesperson who knows the product very well can market it in the best way possible to every prospect; enthusiastic salespeople are always motivated and ready to make a sale.

• What factors must be considered by an organization wishing to establish a level

of customer service which is appropriate to its markets? Show how such a service level can be employed to gain competitive advantage.Answer: Level of customer service refers to the ability of the company to provide the customer’s needs and wants in a cost-effective and timely manner. The factors to be considered to make sure that the company can achieve the highest level of customer service include reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and tangibles. Reliability is the ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately. Responsiveness is the willingness to help customers and to provide prompt service. Assurance is the knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to convey trust and confidence. Empathy is the provision of caring, individualized attention to customers. Tangibles refer to the appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials. When the company provides high level of customer service, it will be likely preferred by customers over other companies in the market.

• Direct marketing has been one of the fastest growing areas of distribution over

the past 30 years. Describe what is meant by direct marketing and account for its success.

Answer: Direct marketing is the use of consumer-direct channels to teach and

deliver goods and services to customers without using middlemen. Direct marketing channels include kiosks, direct mails, television, telemarketing, mobile devices, and catalogs/websites. Direct marketing helps build relationship with

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new customers and provide customers compelling content about the product or service that they may share with their family/friends.

• What do you understand by the term ‘marketing information system’? How does

it differ from ‘marketing research’?

Answer: Marketing information system analyzes and assesses marketing

information gathered continuously from sources inside and outside the organization. Marketing research, on the other hand, is a scientific process of making a marketing decision after market research, product research, and consumer research is made. The main purpose of marketing research is to find a real need and fulfill it in a most cost effective and timely manner while marketing information system optimizes all the data available to provide basis for decisions such as product development, pricing, packaging, distribution, media selection, and promotion.

• Marketing strategy and planning are of little value without a system of control.

What control procedures can be employed by marketing management?Answer: Marketing strategy and planning would really be of no help if there is no system of control. Even though marketing strategy and planning are carefully formulated, without guidelines that defines the scope and measures of success would render them useless. In implementing a marketing strategy and plan, there should be a pre-determined criterion to measure the actual output of these strategies compare to the expected output. Knowing the gap would help in making necessary adjustments.

• By regarding the multi-national as a final stage, explain how a company may

develop as it becomes increasingly committed to exporting activities.

Answer: Exporting is one of the many channels of going global. When the

company focuses on exporting activities and that the products it exports have superior quality, more potential buyers from international markets may demand for the product. As long as the company can continue to provide the demanded quantity at the lowest possible cost and in a timely manner, its international buyers would definitely grow in number. As international buyers increase, the company can either decide to collaborate with the local companies in the international market for potential joint venture or strategic alliance. Or, in cases where the exporting company can financially afford to build an office/plant in foreign lands, then it can just go global right away rather than collaborating first with other companies.

• Why it is considered that application of relationship marketing principles are

particularly important to firms involved with services marketing? In your answer suggest how it is possible to evaluate and measure success in delivering service quality to customer?

Answer: In a service industry, wherein there is no tangible product that the

customer can hold and bring home, the interaction is mostly between the customer and the service-provide (employee). Say for example, a massage therapist can proactively talk to the customer while she performs her job. Building rapport is essential in this case. The customer’s judgment of the quality of service

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is dependent on the employee and not on any other physical item. Building relationships with the customers is integral in doing business as a whole; it is much more needed in provide intangible service. I believe that customer surveys would be the most practical option to measure the quality of service provided to the customer. Open-ended surveys would allow the customers to write down all that they want to say, including recommendations for improvement or what they appreciate most about the delivery of service.