Marketing Essentials Report: Boots Pharmacy Case Study

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Marketing Essentials
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Table of Contents
Introduction...................................................................................................................... 3
LO1.................................................................................................................................. 4
LO2.................................................................................................................................. 7
LO3................................................................................................................................ 11
Conclusion..................................................................................................................... 19
Reference List................................................................................................................ 20
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Introduction
The marketing of products or services assists the venture to build a strong relationship
between customers. As the marketing agents of the venture communicate with the
customers, they are able to know customers’ needs. Thus, appropriate marketing of
products or services helps to generate the revenue as well as income of the venture as
they develop products by meeting the consumers’ requirements. The aim of the study is
to provide an understanding on the major marketing functions and activities, undertaken
by the Boots, a pharmacy-led health and beauty chain in the UK.
It is a subsidiary company and has its operations based in Ireland and Thailand. The
company during its initial stages was trading as Boots the Chemist in the United
Kingdom. The company has its parent organisations termed as Boots Company Plc. It
was established in the year 1849 in Nottingham United Kingdom and is the largest
beauty retailer in the UK (Boots-uk.com, 2019). Therefore, the study will take into
account an understanding of the marketing plan and make a contrast and comparison
with other organisations to provide an account of their marketing styles and techniques.
However, the study will also provide an understanding on the concepts, which are
important for creation of effective marketing strategies.
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LO1
P1 Explain the key roles and responsibilities of the marketing function.
Marketing is defined as the process of critical evaluation and the understanding of
consumer needs while promoting and making the sale of products and services.
Marketing plays an important role in the promotion and the distribution of the products
as per the needs and requirements of organisational objectives and mission of the
company. The mission Boots Pharmacy UK is ‘to be the first choice of pharmacy,
health and beauty-caring for people, customers and communities everywhere.’
The organisational objective of the company is to secure market leadership and provide
customers with the low cost product. It is a business to customer (B2C) company and
comprises of the roles and duties to meet customers’ requirements. These are
considered important for the business. Therefore, the key roles and responsibilities of
the marketing function will be critically analysed below:
Key roles of marketing function
Management of company brand- This marketing function takes into account the
definition of the roles and responsibilities, which are undertaken by the company. It also
defines the customer needs and brings into notice the services, which are provided by
the company. Boots manages and markets its brand through its small retail health care
shops. The company provides premium beauty products and exclusive products at a
low cost (Baker, 2016).
Creation of content using search engine optimisation: The marketing manager is
given the prime responsibility of creation of a unique website to feature products and
services. The web content is updated by the use of add-ons email hosting to feature the
launch of their product and services.
Maintaining internal communications: It is imperative for the marketing manager to
communicate value, goals and priorities of the company to the employees. Boots
Pharmacy maintains its employee communications using newsletter and intra-net.
Social media management: The management of the social media is done using social
media platform for the execution of features of the products in a proper manner. The
services that are launched by organisations are made visible between social media
pages. Boots Pharmacy features the availability of their products in their website.
Execution of market research: The market research is initiated to define the target
markets and opportunities, which are offered by the company. Boots Pharmacy caters
the use of their beauty and healthcare products by making use of opportunities, that are
important for the execution of the market research (Davsick and Sharma , 2016).
Key responsibilities of marketing function
The key responsibilities of the marketing as a function will be clearly elucidated below:
Setting of an appropriate market strategy: The marketing manager is given the
accountability of devising an important strategy, which would influence the role of the
company and the employees.
Internal and external product development: The marketing department is responsible
and accountable for the development of the internal and the external products. They are
accountable for improving on the existing products and improving them.
Management of communication and promotional materials: The marketing
department is accountable for the proper communication and promotional needs, which
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are important for the company. They are accountable for hosting advertisements based
on the available marketing budget.
Analysis of the roles and responsibilities of the marketing department
The roles and responsibilities of the marketing department have been highlighted and
have its pros and cons that affect the structure of the market. The positive factors
are that marketing is socially responsible and inform the customers on the needs and
the requirements of the market (Feng et al., 2015). The negative factors are that
negative factors that are negative responses, which are acquired through customer, are
uncontrollable in nature.
P2 Explain how roles and responsibilities of marketing relate to the wider
organisational context.
The roles and the responsibilities of the marketing department are subjected to
upheld responsibilities, which affect the growth and the productivity of the market. It is
also accountable for possession of their duties and accumulating them with other
functional departments that are present in Boots Pharmacy. The marketing function
takes into accountability research, product development, and distribution and planning,
that aids the growth of the business in better manner. Therefore, the roles and duties of
the marketing department will be related with Human resource department and
Operations departments.
Human Resource department: The duties that are undertaken by the HRM
department and the marketing department are interrelated and serve the purpose of the
company. Marketing department identifies the market trends and consumer needs.
They are further communicated to the HRM department, which is accountable for
making effective recruitments and experienced individuals that would be able to profit
the company in a better manner (Buckley et al., 2019). The marketing department is
able to reach a decent number of sales by getting top prioritised talent, which is
important for the management of the company. Boots recruits effective individuals using
the knowledge of the marketing department. The marketing department works closely
with the HRM department to research and develop new marketing strategies, meet
production targets and create competent sales team. This is attained through the
process of effective recruitment.
Operations department: The operations and the marketing department is able to
make effective governance to support the functions of the marketing department. This is
important and effective for the growth of the operations departments as they are able to
increase the efficiency, which is important for the production of the services in a proper
manner (Johnson et al., 2017). There are viable deadlines, which are set by the
marketing department for the operation department by giving in the volume of orders
that are required by the companies.
Significance of interrelationships between marketing and other functional
departments
The significance of interrelationships is important, as it is evident in the increase in the
efficiency and the productivity of the company. Boots Pharmacy is able to establish a
clear set of conduct while making the use of appropriate services that aid the company
to function in a better and effective manner. The marketing discipline is strategic as it
provides a better and critical understanding of the consumer needs and the upcoming
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marketing trends. In the words of Drucker, ‘Marketing is not only a much broader than
selling, it is not a specialised activity at all. It encompasses the entire business.’
Therefore, it is evident that marketing strategic understanding of the marketing
department ensures the customer needs and strategies, which are important for the
growth and productivity of the company.
Critical analysis of the marketing department and its interrelationship with
functional departments in Boots Pharmacy
In critical analysis of the marketing department, it can be elucidated that marketing
department forms and important part of the company. As stated by Drucker ‘the whole
business is seen from a customer’s point of view.’ Boots Pharmacy is able to deal with
the important areas, which are important for providing the customers with the use of
different types of health and pharmacy related items, which are important for the
customers in a better manner (West et al., 2015). Boots Pharmacy is able to make the
use of effective recruitment that leads to better understanding of the top talent, which is
present within the vicinity of the company, in a better strategic manner. On the contrary,
Nguyen et al. (2018) argued that if the marketing department were not able to
communicate with the customers properly, they would not be able to know the demand
of the customers. Therefore, the marketing department cannot be able to convey the
appropriate consumers’ requirements to the production department or suppliers.
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LO2
P3 Compare the ways in which different organisations apply the marketing mix to
the marketing planning process to achieve business objectives
The marketing mix is an important tool, which is used to analyse the marketing strategy
and the implementation of various strategies, which are important for the researchers.
The marketing planning process is done using the marketing mix models, which are
important for the growth and productivity of the company. The 7P’s of marketing mix is
adopted to comprehend the situation of the marketing companies. Therefore, a critical
briefing will be initiated to understand the marketing techniques and strategies practiced
by Boots Pharmacy in the United Kingdom.
In time of comparing with different ventures under same industry, Zen healthcare will be
considered. It is located in London. It is a fusion of pharmacy beauty and wellness
centre. The business objectives of ZEN healthcare company are to provide advanced,
methods to correct the illness and promote wellness amongst the patients. It is also
accountable for providing the best medical therapies. Boots Pharmacy’s underlines its
business objectives as making the customers feel good about them in a better
manner.
A comparative marketing mix will be initiated to understand the role, the responsibility
of, and the different business objectives of the company in the United Kingdom.
Elements Boots Pharmacy ZEN Healthcare
Product Boots Pharmacy is known
as a multi chain retail store
and makes the sale of
health and premium beauty
products such as hearing
aid, midnight services and
so on. . It also has its own
set of food and drink store
outlet known as Lunchtime
deals. It provides efficient
services such as optician
care and hearing care in
their flagship companies
and store outlet (Boots-
uk.com, 2019).
The company is a fusion of
late night pharmacy
healthcare and wellness
centre. ZEN provides the
products such as
therapeutic and aesthetic
products, which are
essential for the customers
that are seeking wellness
and care. The company
also provides blood referral
services, travel vaccination,
independent prescribing of
prescription medicines and
lip filers, botox injections,
bio-identification
(consultzen.com, 2019).
Price The pricing strategy which
is offered by Boots
Pharmacy is diverse in
range and value. The
In comparison to Boots
Pharmacy, the company
adopts the use of highly
competitive price. They
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products are priced in a
reasonable manner to
make it more competitive in
nature. It makes the use of
competitive pricing for
exclusive products. The
exclusive products were
designed and styled in that
manner, as the design was
collaborated by stylist such
as Tony and Guy and
Trever Sorbie.
also cater to some of the
products by providing lean
pricing for cheap products
and stocks of medicine.
Place Boots Pharmacy retains
around 2500 shops in the
United Kingdom and
Ireland. The shops are
mainly high street shop and
comprises of flagship
shopping centres. Boots
Pharmacy comprises of
local stores, which focuses
on healthcare shops. The
flagship stores comprise of
healthcare and beauty
products, which are
imperative for the
functioning of the company
in a better manner. It has a
chain of retail stores in
Thailand, Norway and so
on. It also makes the use of
online facilities to be able to
provide services, which
give in god quality services
(Boots-uk.com, 2019).
In comparison to the
pharmacy, ZEN holds its
retail and store outlets in
London. The wellness
centre holds its store in
Beauchamp Place located
in Knightsbridge and the
historical Baker street in
London (consultzen.com,
2019).
Promotion The company makes the
use of retail website to
deliver the products to the
doorstep. The company
makes the use of loyalty
card programme. This is
known as Boots
advantage card. In order
to tackle the competition,
the business makes the use
ZEN healthcare markets its
products and services by
making the use of website
to host its current services
that would attract the
customers to make their
purchases. It also has the
significance of their
products based in media
and prominent newspapers
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of celebrity endorsements
and hairdresser
partnerships. In order to
attract a new set of
customers, the company is
able to provide discounts
and coupons to the
customers.
such as ‘The Guardian’.
The healthcare and
community is also well
represented in Instagram
and Facebook, which is
useful for attaining
maximum views from its
long list of viewers.
People Boots works in operation
with around 20000
healthcare providers. 6200
pharmacists work in a
better manner. The
company also has around
70000 employees, which
are required to manage the
growth of the company. The
company culture is suited to
impress the customers and
provide them with the
required set of policies,
which are important for the
growth of the company. The
customers form the main
source of focus for the
organisation (Boots-uk.com,
2019).
The employees that work
for ZEN healthcare are
dedicated and work for the
wellness of their team.
There are a list of other
individuals, which are a part
of the company and are
listed into different
departments such as
nutrition, medical team and
the pharmacy team. The
employees posit a growth
culture and are able to
provide best services and
culture for the wellness of
the market in a better
manner (consultzen.com,
2019).
Process The company is known for
the provision of mass
healthcare and beauty
products. The process of
acquiring these products is
done through
manufacturing and storing
them in warehouses. The
company has a research
and development
department to formulate the
new products, which are
important for the growth of
premium and big beauty
products that are sold in the
market.
ZEN Healthcare takes into
account the use of UK
shipping in order to give in
important products and
services to the customers.
The company also makes
the use of late night
appointments, which are
vital and imperative for the
functioning of the company
in a better productive
manner.
Physical evidence The physical evidence of ZEN does not posit well-
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the store can be formulated
in the comprehension of the
2500 stores, that it has in
UK and Norway. The Boots
Pharmacy stores are also
seen in high streets and
high footfalls and well
known shopping centres
(Boots-uk.com, 2019).
known service in most part
of the UK. It has its
business operations in
London and only posits an
online website for the sale
of the products and
services.
Table 1: Comparison between Boots Pharmacy and ZEN healthcare
(Source: Created by Learner)
Therefore, it can be opined that the business organisations such as Boots Pharmacy
and ZEN Healthcare are able to provide a better understanding of the processes, which
are important for the growth of the company. The company also witnesses as growth
using strategic marketing mix. This is useful and caters to understanding of the
company and the nature of the customers in the market.
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LO3
P4 Produce and evaluate a basic marketing plan for an organization.
Importance of marketing plan
The business ventures conduct marketing plan so that they can operate their business
in a successful manner. It is useful to develop such plan, as it incorporates the use of
resources that are important for business growth. The planning process is done in
careful manner as it brings about the use of factors and elements that might affect the
business. The business is also able to make the use of the best objectives that are
important for the strategic growth of the company in a profitable manner. The business
planning and process, are done in a viable manner to document the various issues,
which are suffered and faced by the company.
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Executive Summary
The plan has been conducted for Boots Pharmacy so that the company is able to
complete their business operation successfully. Mission and vision of company has
been set for implementing the plan. Budget has been set and sales forecasting has
been conducted. Marketing mix has been applied so that boots Pharmacy will able to
hold their position in market.
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