To Identify Brand Awareness Importance for NEXT Plc Customer Base

This report investigates the significance of brand awareness for firms, using NEXT Plc as a case study. It begins with an introduction that defines brand awareness and provides an overview of NEXT Plc, a British multinational retailer. The report outlines the research aim, objectives, and questions, along with the scope and limitations of the study. A comprehensive literature review explores the concept of brand awareness, different methods of customer retention, and the relationship between brand awareness and consumer base enhancement. The report also includes a timeframe and work breakdown structure. The research methodology is described, followed by data analysis and interpretation. The report concludes with reflections, recommendations, and a conclusion based on the findings. The report highlights the importance of brand awareness for enhancing profitability and customer loyalty through various marketing tools and techniques, such as social media and advertising, which are essential for business success in a competitive market.

Research for Senior
Managers

Table of Contents
TITLE: “To identify the importance of brand awareness for firms in order to improve their
customer base”. A study on NEXT Plc. ..........................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Overview of Research.................................................................................................................3
Background of Research.............................................................................................................3
Significance of Study..................................................................................................................3
Research Aim..............................................................................................................................4
Research Objectives....................................................................................................................4
Research Questions.....................................................................................................................4
Scope of Research.......................................................................................................................4
Limitation of Research................................................................................................................4
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................4
Concept of brand awareness........................................................................................................4
Different methods of retaining customers used by firm for enhancing their profitability..........5
Relationship between brand awareness and consumer base enhancement.................................7
TIMEFRAME WORK STRUCTURE............................................................................................8
Work Break down structure........................................................................................................8
Gantt Chart..................................................................................................................................8
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES.................................................................................................8
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION...........................................................................11
REFLECTION, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION..................................................18
Reflection..................................................................................................................................18
Recommendation.......................................................................................................................18
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................18
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................20

TITLE: “To identify the importance of brand awareness for firms in order to
improve their customer base”. A study on NEXT Plc.
INTRODUCTION
Overview of Research
Brand awareness is regarded as techniques that is applied by company for determining
about brand image in minds of consumers (Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2012). There are various
elements which helps in creating brand awareness like consumer behaviour, advertising
management and brand management. This can influence decision making of consumers for
buying of products and availing services. The chosen organisation for research work is NEXT
Plc which is British multinational firm established in 1864 at United Kingdom. It has 700 stores
in various countries to provide services of retail to users. The report highlights about aim,
objectives and scope. There are various research methodologies which are used for collecting
data and information. For completion of work at particular date, time frame work has been
prepared. The questionnaire has framed along with data analysis and interpretation has
done.
Background of Research
Brand awareness is used for determining to what extend consumers know about image
and brand value of company (Davis, 2012). This can impact directly and indirectly on decision
making procedure of consumers. The organisation chosen for research work is NEXT Plc which
was founded in 1864 at England, United Kingdom. It is multinational British organisation
dealing in home, clothing and footwear retailer. NEXT Plc has 700 stores where 500 are in UK
and 200 in Asia, Europe and middle east. It is considered as largest clothing retailer after Marks
and Europe. There are more than 43970 employee working in organisation. It was founded by
Joseph Hepworth.
Significance of Study
The important for studying such research is to know about brand awareness for
improving customer base (De Vries and Carlson, 2014). With help of creating brand awareness
among users, respective organisation can enhance profits and revenues in competitive market.
Brand awareness is created with help of various tools and techniques such as social media,
advertising which leads to rise in customer base for buying of products and services.

Research Aim
To identify the importance of brand awareness for firms in order to improve their
customer base. A study on NEXT Plc.
Research Objectives
 To identify the concept of brand awareness.
 To identify the different methods of retaining customers used by firm for enhancing their
profitability.
 To determine the relationship between brand awareness and consumer base enhancement.
Research Questions
 What is the concept of brand awareness?
 What are the different methods of retaining customers used by firm for enhancing their
profitability?
 What is the relationship between brand awareness and consumer base enhancement?
Scope of Research
The scope of research is to identify brand awareness for improving customer base. This
scope is useful at three different level such as organisation, market and environment (Elena,
2016). NEXT Plc can identify effectiveness of brand awareness in order to attract large number
of consumers for enhancement of goodwill, brand value and profitability ratio.
Limitation of Research
This is defined as problems or hurdles which are faced by researcher while conducting
research work. The problems are in terms of technology, limited time period, funding, methods
of collection of data and information. Problems can impact research outcome directly and
indirectly to achieve better results. The researcher also face problems like limited funding,
inappropriate response, lack of journals and books.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Concept of brand awareness
As per view of Jack Sheridan, 2019, there is no value of products and service until it has
brand value in market. The brand packages contain company name, offering, logo and content
into experience for customers and audience. With help of brand, consumers come to trust

business and their products. It is significant to build brand and strength association in minds of
target people or audience. Brand awareness is defined as extent to that a brand is recognised by
their target users and connect themselves with goods and services (How to Build Brand
Awareness Definitions, Steps and Examples, 2019). For example, if someone says Kleenex then
it refers to tissues. There is other brand which create tissues but Kleenex is globally renowned
brand in mind of consumers. This assist business to stand different from their competitors in
order to build audience effectively and generate more leads. The high brand awareness leads to
high sales and serves economic moat which prevents competitors to gain more market share.
Brand awareness is about human minds regarding company name and brand value. This
helps in promoting, building business reputation, introducing new goods and services,
differentiating from competitors and retaining loyal consumers. NEXT Plc can build brand
awareness through participation in sponsor of local events, using of social media techniques,
creation of custom hashtag and others. There is various brand which has high value and with
their name consumers are aware about their products and services. For example, if consumer say
they want baby product then Johnson brand comes in mind and if user want drink then Coca-
Cola comes in mind. In this, these brand has created values in between consumers.
According to view of Carol Kopp, 2019, Brand awareness is referred as marketing terms
which identify degree of consumer recognition for product through its name. The creation of
brand value is referred as key step in promotion of new product or reviving old brand from
market. The awareness of brand is maintaining qualities of products which distinguish products
and services from competitors (Brand Awareness, 2019). Consumer buys those products which
has high brand value in market along with maintaining quality. There are more sales of those
products and services which maintain high brand awareness in minds of consumers. There are
various ways through which brand awareness can be created such as print media, advertisements,
newspaper, magazine and others.
Different methods of retaining customers used by firm for enhancing their profitability
According to opinion of Cintia Miranda, 2019, converting and retaining new consumers
is very exciting. There are many businesses which make mistake of overlooking their consumers
they already possess and focus on marketing efforts for recruitment instead of retention (7 Ways
to Retain Your Customers, 2019). Therefore, there are different methods of retaining customers
which are used by NEXT Plc for enhancing their profitability. They are described below:

Staying in touch and encourage their interaction- It is very important for NEXT Plc to
alert consumers regarding promotions, product updates, rewards programs and other contents
which are essential for them. They can ask their customers to share stories and conducting
contests for encouraging their engagement. With such efforts if respective organisation has not
result into immediate sales then this can help them for long way towards keeping brand in mind
of consumers. Therefore, this can help them for enhancing profitability of firm in effective and
efficient manner.
Making the most use of social media- The use of social network assist in maintaining
consumer contact after sale. This social media assists respective organisation in offering high
opportunities for engaging consumers and building trust through showing personal side of
business. Organisation can retain consumers through considering their interest, motivations and
opinions. They can reward and pinpoint their loyal consumers so that they feel attached towards
organisation and their brands. Social media assist consumers in asking questions, resolving
product issues and registering complaints. This can help in retaining users and increasing
profitability by selling products and services.
Getting personal- There are many consumers which place value on service quality such
as comfort, familiarity and friendliness which they keep on products (Felix, Rauschnabel and
Hinsch, 2017). The buying experiences of users is based on how they are treated while buying
products. NEXT Plc should focus on making their business friendly so that consumer gets attract
towards business and their products. The firm can show appreciation through special offers,
coupons, thank you notes and sneak preview. They can retain consumers by taking feedback and
improving it.
Solving of Problem- This is the most important method of retaining consumers. When
users have problems they should speak up with real person through mail or phone calls in order
to get solution of it (Gensler and et. al., 2013). Nowadays most of consumers solve their
problems through use of digital technology such as online chats, social media and others. It is
responsibility of NEXT Plc to have skilled and capable employees who can easily solve queries
and problems of consumers so that they can get best solution and retain for longer period of time.
Taking Responsibility- The brand is considered as good until it has high reputation and
value in market. When there is arise in problems then respective organisation has to admit their
mistake and apologise for it. This reflect honesty and trust towards organisation and their brand

and products. This let consumers see that they are correcting their faults and preventing future
mistakes. This method can assist users to believe in brand value and products and retain them for
long time period which increases profits and sustainability of business.
Keeping Good time- According to survey consumers has revealed that 24 hours or less is
regarded as acceptable email response time. The respective organisation should provide customer
support for their brand image and fulfilling their expectation and satisfaction. If business want to
market good or service for improving system performance, then they do not take long time for
responding consumer dilemmas. Keeping good time with consumers helps in retaining them for
longer period of time and enhancement of profits.
Relationship between brand awareness and consumer base enhancement
As per view of Drew Rhodes, 2017, brand awareness is defined as extent to which users
are familiar with image, qualities, logo of specified brand of products and services. Brand
awareness is significant while launching products and getting consumer decisions when
differentiation among competing organisation. There is effective relationship between brand
awareness and consumer base enhancement because brand provide satisfaction to users and
increasing their loyalty and trust for particular brand. This also encourages purchasing and
leading to increase sales and market shares (The Importance of Brand Awareness, 2017). This
enhances consumer base through use of different social media sites. Brand awareness is essential
for all type of business to increase awareness of products and service among customers. The
relationship among brand awareness and consumer base enhancement helps to increase sale and
revenues which leads to achievement of goal and objectives in an effective and efficient manner.
This is driving force which helps to repeat purchases and also affect perceptions, belief and
attitudes that drive brand loyalty and choice. With the effective relationship between both assist
in increasing market share and sales of organisation. If consumers are aware of products and
services, then they can easily purchase. If those products and services are of high quality, then
they purchase same goods again and again and there is rise in enhancement of consumers.
Therefore, it is very important for NEXT Plc to create brand awareness with help of
various social media and technologies. This helps to enhance customer base towards particular
goods and services in appropriate manner. In this there is effectual and mutual relationship
among brand awareness and customer base enhancement.

TIMEFRAME WORK STRUCTURE
Work Break down structure
Work- Break Down structure is considered as the effective tool that assists management
to divide the difficult procedures or units into small part so that task can be accomplished in
simple manner (Han and Hyun, 2015). This is helpful to find out essential aspects such as whole
cost, time and another requirement of research. Moreover, this is simple procedures that is
accountable for developing activities in achievable and manageable manner. It is used into any
area as it is connected with determination of research key aspects where risk is included.
Gantt Chart
This is the established through Henry L. Gantt in year 1917 as a production control tool.
This is considering through management in order to plan as well as collaborate with various
operative business functionalities (Hwang and Kandampully, 2012). This assists the to get
graphical schedules that will provide the clear image to researcher in respect to project life cycle.
It is the chart that involves horizontal as well as vertical axis, in which vertical one highlights the
work that has to be dome and horizontal one view the period of every activity.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES
Research is conducted to have understanding and data regarding new facts as well as
figures into any area. Research methodology is referring as the certain methods or techniques
that is utilise for finding, choosing, proceeding as well as analysing data regarding the particular
topic. In research, this part allows investigators to critically measures the investigation accuracy
as well as validity.
Quantitative research- This research is focused upon the numerical data analysis as well
as this deal with statical values (Kim and et. al., 2012). In context to quantitative, data is
accumulated by questionnaires, survey and much more. It will aid in measuring interrelation
between variable and efficacious assumptions. The main purpose of this research is to furnish
free and get relevant results in context to particular area. Moreover, it also aids in gathering
essential data in expected time period.
Qualitative Research- This research is concentrate on behavioural portion of people that
uphold by analysis upon respective topic. Moreover, it is a kinds of research techniques that
prospect individual’s ideas and also the reason behind particular thoughts in a theoretical

manner. Also, this is important tool that assists into data analysis as well as information
accumulation. Several ways such as interviews and many more are there by which the research
can be performed.
After analysis of research, it has been said that qualitative is suitable to collect data and
information as it provides accurate information.
Primary data- This is referring as the first hand information that is accumulated through
conducting efficacious research (Kumar and Mirchandani, 2012). It is very helpful for gathering
data in respects of given topic. Information that is accumulated through fresh medium as well as
yet not used into any research. Moreover, this renders more effectual and appropriate
information that is from any types of oblique. Some sources of primary data accumulation are
interviews, survey and others. The main drawbacks of this particular method, this is costlier and
time consuming for performing the whole procedures.
Secondary data- It is the another method for gathering information that already exists.
This is considered as the cost and time effectual methods in compare to primary data collection.
In this data are collected through various sources such as magazines, books and many more.
Herein, there is more possibilities of getting ineffective information.
The primary data is chosen for this research where questionnaire has been prepared to
collect data and information so that accurate results can be obtained.
Sampling- This is referring as the procedures of choosing units from an observation or
population. It will aid in making statistical inferences regarding population. There are many
methods of sampling like systematic, random etc. For this research, random sampling method is
effective.
Sample size- It measures the number of people samples that are measured are utilise into
experiment or survey (Kumar, 2013). For this research the taken sample size is 25.
Questionnaire- It is referring as the set of questions that is mainly utilise for the purpose
of investigation that can be in both manner qualitative as well as quantitative. This can or cannot
be consider into a survey form this always involves questionnaires.
Questionnaire
Name:
Age:
Gender:

Contact Number:
Q1 Are you aware of brand awareness practices of an organisation?
a. Yes
b. No
Q2 What are the various methods of creating brand awareness among consumers?
a. Providing free goodies
b. Marketing with use of LinkedIn
c. Referral programs
d. Social Media
Q3 Do you think brand awareness assists NEXT Plc in enhancing market image?
a. Yes
b. No
Q4 What are the importance of implementing brand awareness practices in an
organisation?
a. Increasing share value
b. Improving customer loyalty
c. Customer recognition
Q5 Does brand awareness assist in increasing customer base of NEXT Plc?
a. Yes
b. No
Q6 What are the factors which help in making a brand recognizable in target market?
a. Pricing strategy
b. Quality of products
c. Customer loyalty
d. All of the above
Q7 Do you think brand awareness practices of NEXT Plc aid in creating opportunity in
market expansion easily?
a. Yes
b. No
Q8 What are the factors that has major impact on consumer decision making?
a. Price of product

b. Quality of product
c. Availability of services
Q9 Do you think brand awareness practices helps in enhancing business profitability?
a. Yes
b. No
Q10 Any recommendation for further improvement.
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Theme 1: Aware of brand awareness practices
Q1 Are you aware of brand awareness practices of an organisation? Frequency
a. Yes 19
b. No 6
Interpretation
Brand awareness helps in attracting large number of consumers for buying of goods and
services in market. From the above diagram it can be concluded that out of 25 respondents only
19 are aware of brand awareness practices of organisation. On the other hand, 6 participants did
not know about brand awareness. Those respondents has made aware about brand and its
importance for business in order to achieve goal and objectives.
19
6
a. Yes
b. No

Theme 2: Methods of creating brand awareness
Q2 What are the various methods of creating brand awareness among
consumers?
Frequency
a. Providing free goodies 7
b. Marketing with use of LinkedIn 4
c. Referral programs 6
d. Social Media 8
Interpretation
There are different methods which helps in creating brand awareness among consumers.
These methods can be different from one organisation to another. The methods used by
respective organisation are providing free goodies, marketing with use of LinkedIn, referral
programs and social media. From above analysis, it has been concluded that out of 25
respondents, 7 prefer for providing free goodies method, 4 for marketing use of LinkedIn, 6
favours for referral programs and remaining that is 8 wants social media. These all methods are
important for creation of brand awareness within consumers for products and services.
Theme 3: Brand awareness assist in enhancing market image
Q3 Do you think brand awareness assists NEXT Plc in enhancing market
image?
Frequency
a. Yes 21
a. Providing free goodies
b. Marketing with use of LinkedIn
c. Referral programs
d. Social Media
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
7
4
6
8
Column B