CASEAPPLICATION 9 9
DiscussionQuestions
1.Discussstveralreasonswhymarketerscontinuetohavea hardtimeunderstanding,predicting,
andexplainingconsumerbehavior.
2.Basedonyourunderstandingofmotives,developsomegeneralguidelinesordirectivesforprac-
ticingmarketing.
3.Howcanmarketersinfluencea person'smotivationtotakeaction?Howcantheyfacilitate
learning?
4.Definean attitude. Discussthecomponentsofanattitude. Whataretheimplicationsfor
marketing?
S.Distinguishbetweenhigh-involvementandlow-involvementdecisionmaking.
6.Presenta diagramoftheconsumerdecisionprocess. Whatis theroleofmarketingineachstage
ofthisprocess')
7.Whatarethedifferencesbetweentheconsumerdecision-makingprocessandorganizationaldeci-
sion-makingprocess?
8.Assumethatyouare traininga salespersontosellindustrialproducts.Althoughthissalesperson
hasastrongtrackrecord,shehasbeensellingconsumerproducts.Whatwouldyouemphasize
duringtraining?
9.Explainhowcomplexityoftheproductinfluencesthebuyingdecisionprocess.
10.Whyareopinionleaderssoimportanttomarketers')Discusshowmarketerscouldusethistype
ofindividualinpromptinga decision.
Project
Locateanindividualwhohaspurchaseda newautomobileduringthelastyear. Usingthesix-step
decision-makingprocess, askthispersontoindicatehowheorsheaccomplishedeachstep.
CASEA PPLICATION
CUSTOMERSATISFACTIONSTILL MATTERS
TomanyAmericantravelers,airlinequalityisanoxymoron.TedJ.Kredir,directorofhobbysales
forDallas-basedtradingcardcompany,PinnacleBrands, Inc.,complainsoffrequentflightcancel-
lations,latearrivals,andlousyfood.Tothesurpriseofskepticalpassengers,thegripesaren'tfalling
ondeafears.Afteryearsoffocusingonparingexpenses,suchmajorairlinesasAmerican,Delta,and
Continentalaresteppinguptheirqualityefforts.Cost-cutting"divertedourattentionfromthenuts
andboltsofoutbusiness," concedesAmericanAirlinesChiefExecutiveRobertL.Crandall."Our
customershavenoticed."
A.merican,wh.ichoncedubbeditselfthe"on-timemachine;'placeda dismalninthamong 10
carriersinon-timerankings forthethirdquarterof1996.SoCrandalltoldmanagersatthenextmeet-
ingthatleadingallindustry-qualityratingsistheirtopjobfor1997.AnAmericanspokespersonwon' t
providespecifics,butsays:"We'retalkingabouta lotofoperationalthingslike customercomfort
onboardairplanes."
AtDeltaAirLines,Inc.,customercomplaintshavenearlydoubledsince1994;CEORonald
W.Allenblamesthepursuitoflowercosts."Insomecaseswedidcuttoodeeply,"hesays.Trans
WorldAirlines,Inc.,nowinthecellarforon-timeandcustomercomplaintrankingsbytheTransportation
