Basic Marketing: A Global Managerial Approach

Perreault−McCarthy: Basic

Marketing: A

Global−Managerial

Approach, 14/e

14. Promotion −
    Introduction to Integrated
    Marketing
    Communications

Text © The McGraw−Hill

Companies, 2002

406 Chapter 14

usually feature an archive of existing messages on a number of topics. There may be

many available topics—even millions.

In the next step, the consumer selects one specific topic on which to receive a

message. Selecting a topic might be done in one of a variety of ways, depending on

the message channel. The most typical approaches involve using a mouse, remote

control device, or keypad to highlight a selection from an initial list (like a table

of contents or index). Of course, other approaches are common. For example, many

dial-up telephone systems are using voice-recognition systems. Or, in the case of the

Internet, you might enter a word or phrase and have the computer search for a list

of topics that include it.

Once a specific topic is selected, the message for that topic is displayed. Typically,

the message is brief. But it may include a simple way to get more detailed informa-

tion, select another related topic, return to the original selection process, or quit the

search. Thus, after each message the consumer can decide whether to search further

(say, to get more detail on an initial topic or to broaden the search to other topics).

This interactive approach makes it easy for the consumer to conveniently get as

much or little information as desired and to spend as much time searching as seems

worthwhile. However, noise may still be a problem. For example, a consumer who

wants information about a specific product may waste a lot of time and still not

find what is needed—because it is not available on the message channel or it is too

hard to find. So some firms offer consumers a website choice that establishes com-

munication with a real person at a 24-hour-a-day service center. Some of these

systems use instant messaging so that the consumer and a customer service person

can chat online. With other systems, like AT&T’s “Interactive Answers” approach,

a person at the calling center telephones the customer and provides the precise prod-

uct information or help needed. Other firms are using variations of this approach,

including live teleconferencing over the Internet. Many personal computers now

come equipped with everything needed for this type of Internet teleconferencing.

Even without a voice link to a live salesperson, the action required to make a

purchase by interactive media is usually very fast and easy—because one of the top-

ics available for the customer to select is “how to buy.” At many Internet sites, for

example, a consumer can click on a selected item to place it in a virtual shopping

cart, charge it to a credit card, and arrange for shipping by a service like UPS.

Receiver

(Customer)

Search

Message

channel

Source’s

Message

Select a

topic

Noise

Exhibit 14-7
A Model of Customer-
Initiated Interactive
Communication

Consumer decides how
much information
to get

Action—including
purchase—may be
immediate