Relationship Marketing Process

Discuss about the Relationship Marketing and Management.

Relationship marketing is used by the various business organisations to achieve the loyalty of the customers by direct interaction and also through the development of effective relationships with the customers. It has been observed that through the method of direct communication with the organisation a customer feels more familiar with the business organisation and it enable them to share their expectations and views to get satisfactory service. Therefore, in this report, the case study of Morrisons is going to be discussed to identify the process that influenced the organisation to develop their customer retention through relationship marketing practice. On the other hand, in the competitive environment of the retail market the comparison between the strategies of existing giant companies and the Morrisons will help to understand the effectiveness of relationship marketing process which in a significantly creative manner helped them to achieve the aim of the business by sustainable service and demand in the market.

Identification of the process of relationship management by an organisation helps them to earn the loyalty of the customers for effective business practice. A number of leading retail organisations in the market of UK uses this particular concept for eventually generating competitive advantage. However, product quality and price cannot take responsibility entirely to attract customers. In that context strategy implementation for customer retention helps to increase the scope of increasing potential customers. Morrisons is a super market that is serving the customers for over 100 years. This particular food seller of UK is now conducting its business from 450 stores and the loyalty rate of customers allow them to beat the competition with the leading supermarket chains such as Aldi, Tesco, Lidl etc. A variety of marketing processes are applied by the organisation to earn the customer loyalty. However, the implementation of relationship marketing through different aspects has helped the organisation to maintain their sustainability to promote the market environment that affected the rate of revenue. In this report the process of relationship marketing is going to be discussed along with the newly implemented “Much and More” loyalty program of Morrisons to increase the trust of the customers towards the brand.

In order to perform relationship marketing the organisation Morrisons focused on the customer satisfaction level. Customers feel satisfied to get freshness, quality, and reliable, efficient and personal service for the ultimate outcome collection from the relationship marketing plan. According to Khodakarami and Chan (2014) direct interaction with the customers is also included in the practice to ensure the repetition of the customers. It has been observed that Morrisons provides friendly and helpful assistance to the customers in their store. The exchange of smile and interaction initiation point helps to make the customer familiar with the store environment and behaviour to come back again. From the case study of the company it has been identified that for the relationship marketing Morrisons followed four effective factors such as specialist attention, information, convenience and after sales service. In this context Gummesson (2014) mentioned that regular attention on the customer needs and taking into consideration the different aspects of the customers has the potential to develop a healthy relationship between an organisation and customers. During the time of purchase special attention on the requirement of brand and quality of the products by a customer helps an organisation to meet up their expectation.

Four Effective Factors for Relationship Marketing

Moreover, affordability of a branded product to the customers in their daily living is also important to develop their image in front of the customers. On the other hand, Huang (2015) stated that sharing information on a regular basis such as different offers and new brands and available stocks and sales makes the customers remain connected with the organisational practice to fulfil their purchasing necessity. The process of sharing information may be social media or the store itself to send the message to the customers. Similarly if the customers have any query they can ask instantly which is effective to perform relationship marketing. Zhanget et al.(2016) stated that convenience towards the facility provision of customers such as giving parking area, position of the shop, and other CSR activities  encourages the customers to become loyal towards the brand and also to do more shopping. In most of the cases due to lack of partial facilities customers do not prefer to purchase from an organisation that cannot take care of their requirements apart from the products of the brand. Location of Morrisons and the huge number of stores all over UK allow the people to retain with the service and facilities of the brand at any place in the country. Buying behaviour is dependent on several factors and among them after sale service plays an important role. Morrisons provides their customer after sale support through exchange, refund, guarantee and packaging to generate a good buying experience of the customers. In the context Gummesson (2017) stated that in case of any issue with a product and exchange or refund of the product allow the customer to generate their loyalty level to maintain the sustainable relationship with the organisational practice.

The case study reflects that the HOT strategy of Morrisons is quite effective to bring the customers closer to the staffs of the company. “Hello, Offer and Thank you” are the three most effective terms which are implemented to complete a buying and selling practice in the organisation. On the other hand, Lancaster and Massingham (2017) stated that rewarding experience provision to the customers helps to generate an emotional bonding with the customers to get them for permanent profitability. Similarly the customer focus behaviour is also applied by the organisation in which followed by the psychology of the customer engagement with proper communication makes the environment effective to develop loyalty to develop the scope of customer orientation for the organisation. Identification of the benefits of the customers and considering them to serve as per the possible benefits makes them to secure their way for the particular shop. The huge number of stores in the market of Morrisons develops a habit of the customer to purchase goods followed by some behavioural specificity that satisfy them to return to the store to get their daily products.

HOT Strategy

In order to perform relationship marketing training and development has also been conducted by Morrisons to present their valuable service to the customers. Kang and Kim (2017) stated that for the good bonding of relationship one team approach is a very effective measure that makes sequence among a number of functions within an organisation. Morrison is a supermarket firm and to conduct their business they need to be dependent on the supply chain. Supply chain is also a significant process regulation which helps an organisation to meet the demand of the customers. Regular feedback collection and monitoring of the necessity of the customers insists an organisation to develop proper setup of their supply chain to fill the inventory of the supermarket with effective goods. In this context Bilgihan and Bujisic (2015) stated that availability of the goods and services at any time in a specific company increases the potentiality to achieve the loyalty of customers. In the fuel pump of Morrisons the relationship marketing is also performed by the supermarket by sharing “Much and More card”. Offer on purchasing fuel is also effective for the customers as it attracts them to return to the particular brand to avail the offer of the card delivered by Morrisons.

Target market analysis by the organisation and ability of assessment helps Morrisons to implement various strategies for making difference between the existing organisational customer regulation and the personal process. Tzokas et al.(2015) affirmed that in order to deal with competition difference and innovation in relationship marketing needs to be performed by an organisation to make their place. However, the potential intervention of the organisation to accept the relationship marketing in the social media and digital media also helps the organisations to retain the customers with the organisational practice. Seasonal offers by Morrisons and other offers shared through the social and digital media helps the organisation to remain connected with the potential customers. It allows them to prevent the customer loss from the organisation to the other rivals. Moreover, Verma et al.(2016) opined that interaction and sharing of the views over the social media helps the customers to know and become loyal towards the practice of the organisation. Offers are also required to be made as per the expectations of the customers to meet up their desired level and also to improve the environmental toughness by retaining valuable customers. Every organisation performs marketing and wants to develop a positive image in the market. Innovation in the marketing strategy significantly provides an organisation the ultimate potentiality to obtain high effectiveness from the relationship marketing. In this context Khodakarami and Chan (2014) mentioned that consideration of the ideology and its evidence of the strategic implementation helps an organisation to obtain success in a bid to achieve consumer buying habit towards the thought process of the management of the organisation. Identification of the acceptance of the customer dealing habit and evolution of the organisation by applying such practice in the practical environment of the store is quite critical before getting the ultimate result. As per the general marketing mix strategy promotion of the organisational product or service is somewhat dependent on the price, product and place. Thus such strategic implementation of relationship marketing induces Morrisons to retain their customers in the competitive environment.

Training and Development

Marketing automation is an advance technology that enhances the relationship marketing practice in different business organisations. In order to obtain sustainable customer loyalty Morrisons introduced much and more loyalty program card which is completely an instrument of automation marketing practice. Siau and Yang (2017) stated that marketing process allow an organisation to increase its opportunity for sustainable business practice. The swip card Much and More offers to the customers of Morrisons on their purchase helps them in comparing the price of products with the other leading brand like Aldi and Lidl. If the price found in those brands is lower than the brand Morrisons offers to the customer then the customers get points in their loyalty card to redeem it later. The concept of Much and More card is to offer low cost quality product than the other companies to make them happier and satisfied. On the other hand collection of points on the high value goods makes them feel profitable than the practice of other brands such as Tesco, Aldi and Lidl to return to the shop. In this context Lindahl (2017) stated that implementation of marketing automation is quite effective for the marketers to develop a platform that helps to conduct dynamic marketing offline and online without any issue. According to the opinion of Todor (2016) automation marketing software has three different categories such as the marketing intelligence, marketing automation and advanced workflow automation. Most of all these software effectively regulates the cross sell and up sell, relationship marketing, lead nurturing and lead scoring as well as ROI measurement of marketing. The three software of marketing automation provides various marketing opportunities to get the expected outcome by an organisation. In this context Koski (2016) mentioned that activities of marketing among a target circle of customer helps them by messaging and nurturing their willingness for the accomplishment of sales.

Such process develops longer sales cycle with the customers by regular deposition of points and such deposition induces them to redeem those for the ultimate satisfaction in purchase. It has been identified from the case study that the retail shop of Morrisons offers the fuel to the customers and the much and more card is also applicable in the fuel station to get the fuel at a discounted rate. £5 on every 5000 points enhances the customers to get the facility of the card from the company. On the other hand on every litre of patrol achievement of 10p also increases the regular relationship between the customer and the company to fulfil their expectations. As per the view of Heimbach et al.(2015) with the advancement of technology automation helps in the development of the internet based marketing practice which is regulated by an organisation and customers can understand the deposition rate of points. In case of marketing intelligence behaviour the customers can be tracked by an organisation to serve them as per their necessity. Utilisation of social media group and websites influence the customers to access the offers provided by an organisation to be in touch with loyalty program.

Social and Digital Media

Interest of the customers and capturing the interest from different aspects are effectively controlled by the organisation Morrisons by the loyalty program. Implementation of marketing automation is the reflection of the advancement acceptance of technology. Morrisons has a number of shops in all over UK hence, such process of customer loyalty program help a customer to purchase or redeem their points from any of the shop in UK by swiping the card. In this context Järvinen and Taiminen (2016) stated that large option of utilisation induces the customers to avail the facility from a specific brand. Hence, such effectiveness generates opportunity to expand market of the organisation not only in UK but also in the other country to make the customer utilise the facility and include other customers to get the same chance. Competitive environment assessment and performance as per the environmental condition can be effectively done by the utilisation of marketing automation.

Marketing automation tools are related with the entire process which is responsible for developing opportunity to attract customers. It has been observed several times that referral process induces the customer to remain connected with the achievement of points. According to Sinisalo et al.(2015) there are four crucial task which is performed by an organisation through marketing automation practice. Marketing campaign and buying behaviour of the customer development is effectively formulated by the application of the advance technology. Customers have their own choice of product hence regular campaign of different types of product helps to develop their buying attitude to go for innovative and newly featured items. Cost effective new and quality product utilisation is a major requirement of a customer to set their buying behaviour. Hence, by the application of marketing automation an organisation can catch the psychology of the customers through their website and social media. On the other hand, management and control of the marketing can be effectively done by market automation. After the implementation of marketing strategy monitoring of it for resolving the existing complication helps to gain highest level of effectiveness. In this context Awanis and Daryanto (2017) argued that not only the observation of the technological aid but also the compatibility between the technology and operation needs to be monitored to make it more fluent in accessibility. Similarly change of the technology as per the improvement or implementation of new software of technology helps to maintain the culture of the program.

Marketing Automation

Morrisons is very much customer oriented and tech savvy company and it conducts its business by the acceptance of different technological support. Therefore, it will generate the opportunity for the organisation to occupy the leading position in the market by their potentiality. Morrison preserves the points regarding data in the system and links it with the magnetic code of the card so that it can show the information with every swipe. Therefore the specification of customer oriented data helps to support in a professional manner. Multi utilisation of the card in the petrol pump as well as the retail shop remains linked and the collected points are added so that the customer can enjoy the benefit of purchasing through the practice of automation. Marketing is performed by an organisation to reach their voice and offers to the customers to build up a strong relationship. In this context Ong et al.(2015) stated that each relationship has some link of necessity that helps to connect two people. The provisions of the Much and More loyalty card enables Morrisons to catch the customers to get them back for regular shopping. Generation after generation loyalty towards an organisation can also be performed through the marketing automation that saves the points and serve on next purchase. Reputation build up process along with the development of customer orientation influence the dynamic marketing practice by an organisation.

Contact moving facilities from leads to customers make an organisation to enhance the enthusiastic to perform purchase from the particular organisation. Sharing of the idea and information through word of mouth insists other customers to get into the touch of an organisation. Morrisons perform their marketing practice by the implementation of customer loyalty card that provides huge efficiency of buying goods to win competitive advantages. Brand name makes a customer satisfied and with the comparison of the marketing practice of Tesco, Aldi andf Lidl which is another opportunity to gain the customer loyalty and shift the existing customers from that supermarket to their own. A number of software developers provide such service to make the marketing process advance in the supermarket chain. Therefore, the loyalty program of Morrisons through the Much and More card impact on the current marketing process to turn it into the automation technology.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that Morrisons has been able to perform effective customer relationship marketing to enhance the business in different places of UK. Marketing is very much effective to maintain the customer retention and the sustainability of a brand for a long time. On the other hand implementation of marketing automation system such as Much and More card to engage customers with the flow of purchase and deposition of points that makes them to collect the point by regular purchase. Identification of the necessity and providing of help the customers through the presence of the good behaviour, purchasing support and after sale service fulfil the motto of the company to increase their business. In order to get the international market planning of relationship, marketing provides a major opportunity. Hence, from the entire case study it has been understood that with the comparison of the other companies Morrisons can develop their scope in an effective way to achieve their ultimate goal.

Conclusion

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