3.0 VODAFONE’S MARKETING MIX
A longer term marketing strategy is underpinned by careful planning and a successful marketing mix. The marketing mix is a combination of many features that can be represented by the four Ps.
- product - features and benefits of a good or service
- place - where the good or service can be bought
- price - the cost of a good or service
- Promotion - how customers are made aware of a good or service.
3.1 Product:
A product with many different features provides customers with opportunities to chat, play games, send and receive pictures, change ring tones, receive information about travel and sporting events, obtain billing information - and soon view video clips and send video messages. Vodafone live. Provides on-the-move information services. Vodafone products are prized to ensuring your customers will continue to buy from your company. Vodafone products are higher priced, but Vodafone has done a great job of driving the perceived value of their products over the years through multi-product branding. Consumers can find everything from Mobile phones to broadband services with the Vodafone brand.
Vodafone has a higher level of consumers and top quality of services because they sponsors formula on drivers and this help Vodafone to promote their ales and also used famous drivers in TV adverts as well to help Vodafone promote their sales. Vodafone is the third largest telecommunication in the world and this means that Vodafone has being offering top quality of services to their customers in recent years in order to stay top over their competitors.
3.2 Place
- Vodafone UK operates over 300 of its own stores.
- It also sells through independent retailers e.g. Carphone warehouse.
- Customers are able to see and handle products they are considering buying.
- People are on hand to ensure customers’ needs are matched with the right product and to explain the different options available.
3.3 Price
- Vodafone wants to make its services accessible to as many people as possible: from the young, through apprentices and high powered business executives, to the more mature users.
- It offers various pricing structures to suit different customer groups.
- Monthly price plans are available as well as prepay options. Phone users can top up their phone on line.
- Vodafone UK gives NECTAR reward points for every £1 spent on calls, text messages, picture messages and ring tones.
3.4 Promotion
Vodafone works with icons such as David Beckham to communicate its brand values.
- Advertising on TV, on billboards, in magazines and in other media outlets reaches large audiences and spreads the brand image and the message very effectively. This is known as above the line promotion.
- Stores have special offers, promotions and point of sale posters to attract those inside the stores to buy.
- Vodafone’s stores, its products and its staff all project the brand image.
- Vodafone actively develops good public relations by sending press releases to national newspapers and magazines to explain new products and ideas.
3.5Vodafone Products
Brand
Vodafone brand are logos seen on the products they provide. Their broadband services, phones and laptops that they sell online and in-store they all have Vodafone logo on it. Vodafone has made development in the recent years by sponsoring formula 1 racing and that helps Vodafone to also repeat business. Vodafone brand also repeat business through the use of advertising that has Vodafone logos on every aspect of the advert that helps to repeats business. Vodafone logo is red and the aim is “power to you” and Vodafone has achieved their objectives through branding which helps Vodafone to gain market leadership and raising customer’s awareness.
Market Research
Vodafone helps businesses to make critical decisions and understanding the dynamics of its market. Vodafone does research by finding out more about customers, competitors and overall marketing environment. For example Vodafone does primary research by designing a questionnaire about their customer’s interest and then go into secondary research when they make surveys about what customers think about their services and what they would recommend in certain areas that needs improvement. This research helps Vodafone and reduces the chances of making wrong decisions.
Vodafone branding
Vodafone brand name is a logo on their product and has an important role to play in the success of the business. The brand name helps to attract customers because they have been worldwide known and has branches and stores all around the world. Vodafone brand name stands for power to you and it means that they will give their customer the best quality of services as possible. Vodafone have used their brand name to promote their products and the effect of this was the sale turnover that goes up year after year. They also sponsor formula 1 driver (Lewis Hamilton) and they make money from sponsoring sports teams as well.
Vodafone ANSOFF matrix
The Ansoff matrix presents the product and market choices available to Vodafone. Markets may be defined as customers, and products as items sold to customers. The Ansoff matrix is also referred to as the market/product matrix in some texts. Some texts refer to the market options matrix, which involves examining the options available to the from a broader perspective. Ansoff matrix is a useful framework for looking at possible to reduce the gap between where Vodafone may be without a change in .
Relationship with marketing
Vodafone communicate with their customers in various ways they use SMS text to contact their customer and also through emails and telephone and they use this to promote their services also by sending out questions about what their customers think about their services.
“Second business Unison”
Marketing techniques for unison
Unison is one of the biggest plc in the public sector and has more than 1.3 million members. They have different district in places like south Wales and another one in Northern Ireland. They have their headquarters in London also have over 1,300 branches with 1200 staff.
Unison has different roles for its members. Their members are mainly from the public sector and they include local authorities, NHS, colleges and schools transport and also the voluntary sector. It symbolizes workers in utility companies like gas and water.
Unison focuses on the workplace environment to be greener by
- Unison having by speaking with their staff and talk about the impact of the business could have on the environment as their main priority by adding it as one of their responsibilities. Unison informs their worker to keep the working environment greener and give their staff more support by adding it in their plans.
- Unison have spoken t their members of the parliament about environment issues around the workplace to enable promote the idea a maintained environment.
Unison has aims and objectives and they are
- To contribute voices in public debate about tackling climate change
- They do their best to find out the needs for change in the workplace to enable them undertake the change.
To enable Unison to provide and offer a good quality of service to their customers they set future plans and objectives and try to achieve it. Unison also set aims to be greener to set up itself as an environmentally friendly organization.
http://www.unison.org.uk/healthcare/
Unison’s ANSOFF Matrix
The Ansoff matrix presents the products and market choices available to Unison. Ansoff matrix is a useful tool framework for looking at possible techniques to reduce the gap between where Unison may be without a change.
Branding
Unison is a big brand and they sponsor people who are sacked and out of job and they help fight for their members. The brand name is easily recognizable with the blue color and they are also targeting to use the brand name that has been a major part of the success to become the new NHS according to their website http://www.unison.org.uk/ they are targeting and still prompting their services by advertising new jobs every day.
Relationship with marketing
Unison communicate with their customers through direct mail to the members and also through the telephone whereby they can contact their members and also use it to promote their service by sending out 1 minute survey on emails.
Conclusion
In conclusion I think Vodafone is one the top telecommunication and have being offering their customers a good quality of service. They always make the use of questionnaire in store when an item is bought to find out their customers views and opinions to help improve their service. I also talk about Unison a big charity for green problems.