Basic Marketing: A Global Managerial Approach

Perreault−McCarthy: Basic
Marketing: A
Global−Managerial
Approach, 14/e

19. Implementing and
    Controlling Marketing
    Plans: Evolution and
    Revolution

Text © The McGraw−Hill

Companies, 2002

Implementing and Controlling Marketing Plans: Evolution and Revolution 551

Whether implementation decisions and activities are internal or external, they

all must be consistent with the objectives of the overall strategy and with the other

details of the plan. However, there are also three general objectives that apply to

all implementation efforts. Other things equal, the manager wants to get each imple-

mentation job done:

Better, so customers really get superior value as planned.

Faster, to avoid delays that cause customers problems.

At lower cost, without wasting money on things that don’t add value for the

customer.

The ideal of doing things better, faster, and at lower cost is easy to accept. But

in practice implementation is often complicated by trade-offs among the three

objectives. For example, doing a job better may take longer or cost more.

So just as a marketing manager should constantly look for new strategy oppor-

tunities, it’s important to be creative in looking for better solutions to implementation

problems. That may require finding ways to better coordinate the efforts of the dif-

ferent people involved, setting up standard operating procedures to deal with

recurring problems, or juggling priorities to deal with the unexpected. When the

Hertz bus driver is sick, someone still has to be there to pick up the customers and

deliver them to their cars.

Sometimes the implementation effort can be improved by approaching the task

in a new or different way. Exhibit 19-1 shows some of the ways that firms are using

information technology to improve specific implementation jobs. Note that some of

the examples in Exhibit 19-1 focus on internal matters and some on external,

customer-oriented matters.

While finding new approaches helps with some implementation problems, get-

ting better implementation often depends on being vigilant in improving what the

firm and its people are already doing. So let’s take a closer look at some important

ways that managers can improve the quality of their implementation efforts.^4

Exhibit 19-1 Examples of Approaches to Overcome Specific Marketing Implementation Problems

Marketing Mix

Decision Area Operational Problem Implementation Approach

Product Develop design of a new product as rapidly Use 3-D computer-aided design software

as possible without errors

Pretest consumer response to different Prepare sample labels with PC graphics

versions of a label software and test on Internet

Place Coordinate inventory levels with middlemen Use bar code scanner, EDI, and

to avoid stock-outs computerized reorder system

Get franchisee’s inputs and cooperation on Set up a televideo conference

a new program

Promotion Quickly distribute TV ad to local stations in Distribute final video version of the ad via

many different markets satellite link

Answer final consumers’ questions about Put a toll-free telephone number and

how to use a product website address on product label

Price Identify frequent customers for a quantity Create a “favored customer” club with an

discount ID card

Figure out if price sensitivity impacts Show unit prices (for example, per oz.) on

demand for a product; make it easier for shelf markers; set different prices in

customers to compare prices similar markets and track sales, including

sales of competing products

Implementation

requires innovation too

Implementation has

its own objectives