The firm needs more attention to a solid marketing effort including a website design and website launch and it needs to find alternate means of financing beyond its current sources. In 2003 and 2004, more than 52% and 60% of the customers felt that they paid more for the merchandise that the merchandise was worth. Kudler Fine Foods will employee a generic strategy of focus. Kudler Fine Foods will serve their niche market that is the gourmet chef and people that appreciate and are willing to pay for high quality, specialty, organic and locally grown foods. “A firm pursuing a focus strategy is willing to service isolated geographic areas; to satisfy the needs of customers with special financing, inventory, or servicing problems; or to tailor the product to the somewhat unique demands of the small- to medium-sized customer” (Pearce and Robinson, 2009, p.205).
The creation of a roadmap to a strategic plan should be followed up with a scorecard of the business. The scorecard will allow the business to see if the roadmap is work or not and allow some adjustments to the plan where needed. As a small bakery it is important that my strategic plan helps to drive consumers and generate revenue. Small businesses needs to monitor their plan on a daily bases to stay ahead of the competition. Small business will need to think outside of the normal circumstances in marketing their product.
Mrs. Kudler recognizes the importance of word of mouth promotion, which re-enforces the idea of in store gatherings and cooking classes. Over time, the organization will increase profitability if these events are positive and properly promoted. This is best done when attempting to increase the customer’s value chain. Catering and the Local Growers Both the catering service and direct buying from local growers will potentially increase profit for Kudler Fine Foods. Making good use of real estate (using the in store kitchen for catering cooking) and improving efficiency/lowering cost (agile inventory system) gives the organization a competitive advantage in the gourmet food industry.
Kudler is a well established name in the gourmet food market, but Kathy and her marketing research team needs to use the best strategies they can to stay ahead of their competition and to provide items that they customers are in need of and that they want. Using public information is part of competitive intelligence it is legal and it helps a business identify the next move of the competitor as well what they are introducing new to the market. The competitive intelligence and analysis will let the organization determine marketing strategies and opportunities that they can take advantage of to make there business a
You have plenty of locations and if you firmly believe in your company culture, than those who come work for you will stay. Overstaffing vs. understaffing Being a retail chain of stores I believe that during down season it would be better to be understaffed since you are not as large as other retailers and cannot afford to waste money. However, during high season you should overstaff since you want to maintain that great and comfortable experience for your customers that you are well known for. This is another reason for having a flexible workforce. Short vs. long-term focus In the case of short or long term focus when it comes to employment, it is my opinion that it depends on what you are looking for.
Again, as I stated before, main goal is to improve customer service. The best way to do it is to have the best employees. Active or Passive Diversity This is a little difficult question for me. Our world right now has a diversity of expertise, values, and languages. It might be better to use passive diversity for Tanglewood, because they want their employees to share close relationship between each other.
If the company wants to be successful, the store must decide what market the product will thrive in, what the competition is and how to market the product given the retailer’s available resources (Marketing considerations for small-scale specialty food producers, 2007). With Kudler Fine Foods’ emphasis on gourmet items, they have created a niche market for their products. Niche marketing allows companies to target a very specific audience and to give them exactly what they want or need (Levinson & Lautenslager, 2005). By conducting market research, Kudler Fine Foods can narrow in on the wants and needs of its customers. Market research is not something a company should do on its own.
In addition to the marketing surveys the company performs, they could also employ secret shoppers, build a stronger online presence, monitor forums and scope out their competitors (Armstrong, 2011). Better understanding of their customer needs and what the competition offers of which Kudler may not is likely to increase Kudler’s understanding of marketing and customer loyalty. Competitors in the local area of Kudler Fine Foods should not be the only competitors considered in the company’s search for a better marketing strategy. Viewing online and worldwide competitors as a threat should be researched to see what each company brings to the market. Kudler would do well in forming a marketing research team and employing a marketing information system to help improve their company’s
They also ask customers about what they would like to see in their stores or any other items that the company can improve on to make their business more enjoyable. In order for Kudler Fine Foods to keep a competitive edge they need to strengthen their marketing research. The company knows what consumers want know and what they like about their company at the current moment, but the company needs to do some research on business trends and forecasting. Kudler Fine Foods need to use secondary data in order to find this information out. The company needs to see how other companies similar to Kudler Fine Foods did throughout the years.
Marketing is the most important key to business success. Kudler Fine Foods should review the strategic plan viewing in on the budget and marketing surveys. Advertising increases that the Kudler Fine Food has what the market wants and needs and by the customers satisfaction survey it will gain knowledge to the company on what they need to continue