Using the Marketing mix

Question 1

What are the 7 Ps?

Answer 1

People, process, physical environment/evidence, product, place, price, promotion

Question 2

People

Answer 2

Includes customer-facing staff e.g. customer service assistants and the employees involved in a transaction when a customer purchases a product or service.
For example, Marks & Spencer prides itself on the quality of its customer service, suggesting that the ‘People’ factor of the marketing mix is valued by M&S customers

Question 3

Process

Answer 3

Includes the systems in place to support the transaction which the customer must deal with to complete the transaction successfully.
For example, some doctor’s surgeries have now introduced on-line booking systems which suggests that the ‘Process’ factor of the marketing mix is valued by the customers wishing to visit the surgery.

Question 4

Physical environment/evidence

Answer 4

Includes physical premises, the design, and layout of premises and the condition and placement of products within a store.

Question 5

Changing the marketing mix

Answer 5

As market conditions and customer tastes and preferences change, a business may update its marketing mix.
For example, Morrisons used to emphasise the importance of its physical stores, which relates to ‘Physical evidence’, but now offers online shopping, which suggests it has re-focussed some of its effort on the importance of ‘Process’.

Question 6

State all factors influencing the marketing mix

Answer 6

Availability
Product information
Luxury products

Question 7

Factors influencing the marketing mix: Availability

Answer 7

Convenience items, such as basic groceries, need to be accessed quickly by customers so businesses may focus on marketing mix factors related to speed and availability

Question 8

Factors influencing the marketing mix: Product information

Answer 8

Shopping items, such as computer tablets and clothes, may be considered for purchase by customers for a longer period so a business may focus on the customer service ‘people’ factor so that customers can access product information easily

Question 9

Factors influencing the marketing mix: Luxury products

Answer 9

Specialty products, such as cars and jewellery are luxury purchases for customers. Consumers who buy luxury goods may expect sophisticated stores and customer service processes to support the transaction. Businesses operating in luxury or specialty goods is likely to focus on processes & physical evidence, whilst making sure the other Ps are consistent with their brand.