Office Depot Essay Example

Question one

The situation of the Haines shows that Office Depot creates value to its clients through employing the societal marketing concept. This is a marketing strategy established through identifying the targets of a good or service and proceeding to build positive relations with these persons. In reference to Rintamaki, Kuusela and Mitronen (2007), the creation of consumer value develops from the availability of appropriately designed customer experiences. Here, experience explains the impression generated by people following their encounter with a business, product or service. Therefore, in the case of Office Depot, their application of the society marketing approach aims at maintaining and improving value to the consumer and society as whole. In particular its value proposition stems from the structured communication system realizing consumer satisfaction (Rintamaki et al. 2007). An example in this case is the availability of a customer service support team to respond and assist the customer through fixing their problems and answering their queries. This client-employee linking realizes the customer expectation through a strategic deliver of superior value.

Question two

In reference to Office Depot, its target market consists of the suppliers, competitors, marketing intermediaries and the consumer. Important is the interdependencies of these individual elements, beginning with the suppliers who define the level of competition. There are also the marketing intermediaries who formulate the interaction between the company and the consumer through communicating or delivering the market offers. Lastly there is the consumer both current and potential.

1. Concerning the right customer for Office Depot, both Steve and Dana Haine qualify as they provide customer lifetime value through their satisfaction with the service. Furthermore, they assist the firm grow its share of customer through providing feedback on the quality of service received.
2. Steve order and delivery failed to provide customer satisfaction as the quality of the Office Depot service failed to match the client expectations.

Question three

According to Rintamaki et al. (2007), success in marketing entails the provision of quality service that provide client value, increased satisfaction and establishing loyalty. From the case study, it is evident that Office Depot engineered negative customer satisfaction in delivering an order to the Haine. In particular, there is the failure to deliver accordingly to the promise. Steve mention of three to five business day delivery included in the company’s website. Secondly, there is the absence in providing exceptional value and service to delight the client. At this point, it is evident that the firm fails to establish good customer relation by ignoring the delay in delivery and failure to apologize for the same. Furthermore, the behavior of the delivery man explain a poor working culture that with more concern on profit than meeting the customers’ needs and value.

The matter whereby Steve tries to report on the delivery incident contributes to the understanding of appropriate marketing practices. Specifically, the case begins by describing the delays in contacting a customer service representative. Here, the failure to promptly engage the client evokes a negative perception on the quality of service provided by the firm. Important is the role of the consumer in defining what is of value and their directing the value propositions (Rintamaki et al. 2007). Moreover, there is the loss of valuable time discouraging the client from engaging in a future transaction, becoming a loyalty, or contributing to the growth in share of customers. It is vital to consider the characteristic of the consumer and producer engagement described by Steve’s trouble in reaching a complaint customer service agent. This particular incident identifies with an absence of interactive customer relations generated through poorly structured communication system. Examining the response by Iris, it highlights the ineffective customer relationship management practiced by the firm. An example is her incredulous questioning on the actions of the delivery man as well as the absence of an apology to a client concerned with assisting the firm to avoid recurrence of the incident.

Question four

As the person in charge of the Office Depot customer service operation, I would consider employing some efficient measures that ensure the retaining of clients along maintains of value and satisfaction. To begin with, I would thank Steve for filing the complaint and apologizing for the incident. Secondly, I would request his assistance in following up the matter with a possibility of him receiving a follow up call from senior personnel in the firm. In addition, I would request his suggestion, ideas or opinion in how best to manage the situation. In this case, my idea is to show my valuing of the client and influence his loyalty to the company. Furthermore, as a marketing professor I would inquire his professional advice in managing and preventing future incidents. I would also inform him of my recording the call as part of evidence to the case.

In my effort to prevent the recurrence of the situation, I would proceed to call a meeting with the concern departments and directly caution the employees on similar behavior. I would proceed to make it a requirement that all employees to take courses in ethics and social responsibility as a strategy to establish meaningful consumer relationships. Consequently, I would revise the rules and performance policy to ensure workers understanding of the Office Depot operation standards. I also think it will profit the company to establish a direct complain line and channel accessible through the website where the client can promptly file a complaint and participate in reforming the operations of the business. Moreover, I would establish a social media page where I can engage the different target markets in reviewing our performance and customer relation skills. Through the reviews, I believe I will manage to learn of areas of weakness and initiate their progressively improvement. Important in this form of engagement is the availability of diverse and creative solutions for the various challenges.

Question five

As a customer, I appreciate the service I receive in making purchase through Amazon.com. In my experience, they provide a wide array of goods with product details and description enhancing my making of the right purchases. Domino’s is yet another example whereby I enjoy their timely delivery of orders and excellent customer service. Furthermore, I feel value by their upfront communication when introducing a new product in their menu as well as during promotions.

References

Rintamaki, T., Kuusela, H., & Mitronen, L. (2007). Identifying competitive customer value propositions in retailing. Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, 17(6), 621- 634.