Management of Marketing: People

Section 1: Identifying the ‘People’ in Marketing

In the extended Marketing Mix, ‘People’ refers to everyone who is involved in the product or service. It includes employees, management, and the sales force.
It’s crucial to have a team that is customer-focused and understands the importance of delivering quality service.

Section 2: Importance of ‘People’ in Marketing

Everyone involved in production, sales, and service delivery can influence the customer’s buying decision, underlining the importance of the ‘People’ aspect.
Providing adequate training and development opportunities to ensure a high level of customer service is essential.

Section 3: Role of Management in Marketing

It is the responsibility of management to instil a strong service culture in the organisation.
This encompasses everything from hiring the right people, to setting service standards and ensuring these are met.

Section 4: Impact of ‘People’ on Product Perception

The interaction between customers and employees or the company can significantly impact the customer’s perception of the product or service.
An excellent customer service experience can create a positive image of the business, fostering customer loyalty and repeat purchases.

Section 5: Linking ‘People’ with Other Elements of the Marketing Mix

‘People’ can significantly impact other aspects of the marketing mix like ‘Product,’ ‘Promotion,’ and ‘Place’.
For example, skilled salespeople can enhance the promotion of a product, while trained staff add value to the ‘Place’ where the product or service is delivered.

Section 6: Managing ‘People’ in the Marketing Mix

It’s important to constantly monitor and manage ‘People’ to ensure that the business remains competitive.
This could involve performance reviews and feedback mechanisms to identify areas of improvement.
Implementing changes based on feedback and staying proactive in training and development can help optimise the ‘People’ aspect of the Marketing Mix.

Section 7: Measuring ‘People’ Performance

Metrics for measuring the performance of ‘People’ might include customer satisfaction scores, service delivery times, or sales targets.
Regular monitoring can help identify any issues quickly and result in timely interventions to maintain high levels of customer satisfaction.