Tipos de presupuestos

According to Philip Kotler “Marketing Mix is the set of controllable variables that the firm can use to influence the buyer’s response” (Yelkur, 2000). The general framework of marketing mix has four elements closely related to support the development of a unique selling proposition, positioning of the brand, achieve enterprise objectives and how the company will face the development in the market: Product, Price, Place and Promotion. The framework

considers the needs and features of the target market (Yelkur, 2000); however, it varies from one organization to other specially when the final product is a service. A service is intangible process difficult to standardize and where the main input is the customer (Yelkur, 2000). The framework of the marketing mix needs to be adjusted to services industry including three additional factors:

physical evidence, participants and process (Yelkur, 2000). Knowing the seven element of marketing mix is essential to build an overall marketing mix strategy to ensure a synergy (Yelkur, 2000).

3.4.1 Product

In consulting services, the product is the service provided to the customers to satisfy their needs. The customer must perceive the value of the product therefore is important to define levels of product in order to develop the best offering for the customer (Yelkur, 2000). The hierarchy has five dimensions: a) Core benefit: represent the customer need in its most

fundamental level. It represents exactly the benefit of what the customer is acquiring b) Generic

Product: the level represents the core benefit transformed into a generic product c) Expected product: It represent the generic product with a set of minimum attributes and conditions that the customer expect, a lack of them cause dissatisfaction (Vashisht, 2006). d) Potential product: is the way that the company keep the loyalty of the customer, it represents the competitive advantage of the company (Dvoskin, 2004).

A key of successful is to link the potential product to the building of the brand. In the growing service sector, it has created more awareness of the development of the brand as a source of sustainable strategy (McDonald, Frow & Payne, 2011). Branding is one of the most important approaches in the services sector, the key is to build a corporate identity as strategy to achieve a well-stablish service in the target market (McDonald et al., 2011).

3.4.2 Price

A pricing strategy must be analyzed in detail because it can have an impact on revenues and influence in the demand (McDonald et al., 2011). The pricing levels in services, particularly consulting, can vary from one customer to other given the nature of the service (McDonald et al., 2011). The price in services can represent a signal of information about what customers will receive in terms on quality, time, scope and accuracy (McDonald et al., 2011). That is why is a sensitive point of analysis, it might consider prices in market, level of product differentiation, added product value and all the considerations as possible. The main pricing methods for services are a) Survival: in bad market conditions companies fixe a price focused only to keep competing in the market b) Profit maximization: Ensuring of maximization of profits c) Sales Maximization: Pricing to obtain market share d) Prestige: Companies use pricing to stablish as

exclusive service e) Return on Investment: Focused only to bring returns on investments (McDonald et al., 2011).

3.4.3 Place

The location and channel for services define how the service is going to be delivered and where is the adequate place. Both considerations must represent a competitive advantage because they mix level of service and the cost implied (McDonald et al., 2011). Locations are related to the nature of the service, it must define the interaction between provider and the customer. It may categorize in three cases a) Customer move to the service provider: the location turn to be an important feature, it represent a physical infrastructure and suggest costs considerations b) Provider moves to the customer: the location become less important, the provider must adapt to the customer requirements without discretions c) Transaction business at arm’s length: location is not important, it might ensure a suitable communication infrastructure, offerings through digital services. The channel strategy is as important as the location, it must be related to the customer needs and what do they prefer, what is the criteria of buying or how easy for them is one channel or other. Exist three main strategy for channels: a) Single channel: interaction is only in one-way b) Activity-based strategy: use different channels such for example internet, direct sales force and call center c) Segmentation channel strategy: offering through different channels for each different groups of customers (McDonald et al., 2011).

3.4.4 Promotion

Promotion represents all the activities that can be made by communication channel to persuade customer decisions (McDonald et al., 2011). It can be divided by interpersonal communications or face-to-face channels, both communications can use separately or together

depending on what information want to provide (McDonald et al., 2011). Each has their

advantages and disadvantages, for example, face-to -ace communication encourage the dialogue but can represent high costs (McDonald et al., 2011). The election of channel must be based in four main factors: Target audience, what customers need to know, what are the cost-benefit of the alternatives and if is it possible to make it (McDonald et al., 2011).

The communications process plays an important role to capture a customer and to keep its loyalty (McDonald et al., 2011). It is a complicated process that can be achieved in different ways depending on the nature of the service (McDonald et al., 2011). It must ensure a clear understanding of the service, what to expect and at the same time be attractive (McDonald et al., 2011). Currently, exists easier access of tones of information in advertisements, therefore

customizing has become a tool of success specially in services where is relevant to create strong relationships. Most of the companies work towards having integrated view of the customer, in consulting for example, the process of relationship can be identified by steps of customer interaction to customize each channel used in each stage (McDonald et al., 2011). For example, stages might be “recognize opportunity”, “make contact”, “initiate offering”, “exchange of information”, etc. In each stage of sales process, the communication must turn different, while more advance in the stages stronger and more customized must be the offering (McDonald et al., 2011).

3.4.5 Participants

One of the main concerns of company services is to ensure a standardize quality services in every delivery (McDonald et al., 2011). Maintaining high standards during the pre-sales, the delivery of the service and the post-service depends mostly of the work force in the company

(McDonald et al., 2011). The use of people is the main differentiation between delivering a physical product or a service (McDonald et al., 2011). The work force of the company is the key of success in every services company, is very important to have a carefully analysis on how the people is selected, which trainings are taking, and how they are motivated (McDonald et al., 2011). Its main asset can be a critical factor of success. People can be categorized in four roles:

a) Contractors: people that is the face of the company, usually involved in sales, delivering and customer services positions. They represent a key role of marketing and brand awareness in the company since how they interact with the customer, how they dress, how they speak, etc. every aspect is analyzed by the customer to create a stereotype of the company (McDonald et al., 2011). They must be well-trained frequently and recruited based on special skills to achieve customer satisfaction b) Modifiers: people that are not directly involved with the customer but has a little contact such receptionist, credit and collection departments, etc. They also must be aligned with the marketing strategy of the company and have skills to be responsive to customer’s needs c) Influencers: they usually do not have contact with the customers but as every person in the organization have an important role to accomplish the marketing strategy.

They must be people with high potential of customer responsiveness. d) Isolated: people with no contact with the customer either related to marketing activities. As a support team, they must be aligned to the overall marketing strategy, know what the objective of the company is and how their functions can contribute on the strategy (McDonald et al., 2011).

3.4.6 Process

The service process is a relevant factor in the marketing mix because it represents how the customer perceive the delivery system. A process is a sequence of activities where the input is the customer who pass for each stage and at the end the output is the satisfied customer

(McDonald et al., 2011). In the same way that people play an important role in services, the performance of the overall service also represents a key of successful, if the service runs well the company get a competitive advantage. Every activity, task or procedure must be really analyzed to offer a good service, also it must consider schedules and management of times. In order to analyze in detail a process, it has been divided in three steps: a) Disaggregate a process in

activities and tasks considering sequence b) Identify critical activities and its complexity. What is the consequence if something goes wrong, delays and choices c) Set a slack and tolerance

possible, alternatives solution or implement prevent activities to ensure the activity done (McDonald et al., 2011).

Employees frequently apologize when a service delivery has failure or delay for some reasons, however in services there is not second opportunities, it might have a negative impact om the image of the company (Yelkur, 2000).

3.4.7 Physical evidence

As the nature of the service is intangible, the customer has less resources to deal with it, that is why they are careful in acquiring a service, especially when it is from a remote

distribution channel for example sales by digital platforms. In order to overcome this problem, companies have to give a physical evidence to improve the trust gap (Srinivasan, 2014). The role of evidence in service marketing shape the first impression, generate trust, facilitate quality service, improve branding, provide sensorial stimulations, etc. (Rao, 2009). Tangible evidence refers to external and internal features, and this, for example, can be a business card, billing statements, reports, and employee appearance (Srinivasan, 2014).