What does the marketing mix consist of?
Price, Product, Place, Promotion
What is the advantage of using the buy one get one free method of sales promotion? Is there any disadvantage of using this method of sales promotion?
Advantages: People like a bargain Gives customers a spare / an extra item Disadvantages: People may not want two of the same product Costly / expensive to run
What is the advantage of using “offering a discount over a limited period of time” method of sales promotion?
Customers save money within a time period
How might a businessman use information communication technology to market his products?
Set up a website with detailed information about the products he is selling
Establish an easy / safe method of ordering online and accepting credit card payments
Make use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter
Keep the website up-to-date
Make use of pop-ups on popular websites
Provide an email facility for customers who have queries / require additional information
Advertise on popular websites or mobile apps
Why is packaging important?
Protects the product
Allows all parts of the product and instructions to be grouped together
Allows branding and information to be printed on the packaging and so aids / helps advertising
Aids in the display of the product if they can be stacked together
Assists in the transport of the product from the producer to the retailer
Helps to reduce shoplifting
What is the advantage of using the odd-even pricing technique?
Customers are more likely to buy the product as they think that they are paying a lower price than the next higher even-price.
What are the four stages of the selling process?
- Approaching customers
- Making a sales presentation
- Closing the sale
- Providing after-sales service (e.g. gift wrapping, follow up phone calls, free delivery, warranty)
Suggest three selling techniques a retail assistant might use when selling products to a customer.
- Greet the customer and show interest in the customer
- Offer to help the customer / discover the needs of the customer
- Suggest / Propose suitable products to suit the customer’s needs
- Listen to the customer’s questions and provide convincing answers
- Offer additional services, e.g. gift wrapping, free delivery
Suggest some ways of dealing with a customer’s complaint.
- Listen to the customer carefully
- Examine the item if it has been brought back
- Apologize
- Offer a replacement with additional items thrown in
- Offer a refund
- Check on any item in stock of the same kind
- Report the problem to the owner of the shop so that any necessary action may be taken.
What is the advantage of communicating through emails?
- Can send same message to multiple addresses
- Can give detailed information and attachments
- The communication needs to be in written form so that it can be referred to.
- Suitable for sending a message overseas
- Cheap to send to a number of businesses.
- Sender an include a reply link
- Quick processing of information if required
What is the advantage of communicating through the telephone?
- Most people carry a mobile phone
- Can make direct contact
- Suitable for sending an urgent message
- Can text a message
- Can discuss any action that needs to be taken
What is the advantage of communicating through writing a letter?
- Sent direct to people
- Reasonably cheap to send out a mail
- No urgency to get the word out
- Documentary evidence
Describe a fast food restaurant.
Tend to specialize in certain types of food items such as burgers, fries or chicken together with carbonated drinks, ice cream or other simple desserts. Preparation of food is generally broken into simple steps. Easily found in shopping malls or in any neighborhood. Speed of service is important. The staff are required to process a customer’s order quickly when it is placed at the service counter. Main customer groups are teenagers and young adults. Affordable prices and a convenient place to hang out are two pull factors for these customers. Also appeal to customers who do not have much time for meals.
Describe a coffee house.
specialize in coffee and tea but they also serve snacks such as pastries, cakes and sandwiches. Located at places where there is a lot of human traffic. Orders are processed quickly and served to the customers over the counter where possible. Customers go to coffee houses to socialize, read, write or simply relax.
What is AIDA the acronym for?
Attention
Interest
Desire
Action
Why is it important for a business to protect its brand?
- Because a brand can establish customer loyalty and help the business maintain its customer base
- Because it enables the business to differentiate itself from its competition and maintain / increase sales
- Because a brand is a promise of value
- Because a good brand is remembered by customers and this makes it more likely for customers to choose the brand’s products
- Because branding can add value to a product. Customers are willing to pay a higher price for their preferred brand.
List four ways a wait staff can give a good impression to the restaurant’s customers.
- Greet customer when they enter the restaurant
- Listen carefully to customers
- Take customer orders accurately
- Be attentive to the customers
- Smile and look pleasantly at customer
- Wear a clean uniform
Give three reasons why a wait staff should wear a uniform and why he should change his uniform everyday / daily.
- Can work efficiently – move easily between the tables
- Can be easily recognized by guests – makes him distinguishable from other guests
- Can be easily seen by other staff who may want assistance
- Hygiene factors – dealing with food so needs always to be clean
- Helps to promote the image of the hotel if the uniform is smart
State two duties of a bell hop / porter.
- Greet guests
- Handle luggage
- Give directions to guests
- Arrange taxis
- Accept parcels / deliveries
- Offer information
List some personal attributes / qualities welcomed by an employer.
- Punctuality
- Good attendance
- Good / positive work attitude
- Perseverance in completing tasks
- Sense of pride in carrying out tasks
- Self-discipline
- Ability to work independently
- Cooperation with colleagues
- Good communication with people
- Good grooming and personal appearance
- Good customer service
- Good manners
- Integrity / honesty
- 16 Habits of Mind
- Critical thinking skills
Describe a fine dining restaurant.
Interior decoration, setting and furnishings are grand, elegant and stylish. Exceptional ambience enhanced by well-chosen music or live performances. Found in most luxury hotels. Attentive table service, wait staff has good knowledge of food served in the restaurant. Customers are willing to spend more to enjoy the ambience and the exquisite food.
