Marketing Essentials: University Report on Vodafone UK Marketing

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Vodafone UK's marketing strategies, beginning with an essay on the marketing concept and its application in the mobile network provider industry, specifically focusing on Vodafone UK. The essay covers various marketing concepts like production, product, societal, and selling concepts, highlighting the importance of customer satisfaction and loyalty. The report then delves into the marketing process, including situational analysis, marketing strategy, marketing mix decisions, and implementation. It also explores the roles and responsibilities of a marketing manager, covering brand development, competitive intelligence, and public relations, and examines the impact of marketing on other functional departments like human resources, purchasing, and finance. The second part of the report compares Vodafone UK and EE Limited based on the marketing mix, analyzing price, product, place, promotion, people, process, and physical evidence, providing a detailed comparison of their strategies and approaches in the UK market. The report concludes by highlighting the importance of adapting to the changing customer demands and the competitive landscape of the mobile network industry.

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MARKETING ESSENTIALS
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MARKETING ESSENTIALS
Contents
Part 1 - Essay...............................................................................................................................................3
Part 2 - Report.............................................................................................................................................8
a) Comparison between two organizations regarding marketing mix......................................................8
B) Marketing Plan.................................................................................................................................10
Executive...........................................................................................................................................10
Company Overview...........................................................................................................................11
Current Marketing Situation Analysis...............................................................................................11
Objectives..........................................................................................................................................15
Strategy..............................................................................................................................................15
Segmentation, targeting and positioning (STP).................................................................................16
Tactics & Action................................................................................................................................16
Budget...............................................................................................................................................17
Conclusion.........................................................................................................................................17
References.................................................................................................................................................19
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Part 1 - Essay
The marketing idea
The industry of mobile network provider emphatically depends on the loyalty and satisfaction of
the customers. The mobile company considered here is Vodafone UK. Vodafone UK is a famous
mobile manufacturing business firm in the United Kingdom. By the day's end, Android is one of
the primary working structures which has been executed by various mobile engineering
organizations including Vodafone UK (Lawrence, Pernici and Krogstie, 2005). Based on the
present market research, the industry of mobile network provider has encountered progression.
Of course, the general marketing idea is segregated into a couple of factors, for instance, a cost
of products, market opportunity as well as demand of customers. Each and every part of the
marketing idea has its individual enormity. Other than that, in the marketing concept solicitations
of the customers are playing an excellent part. As per exhibited by plainly understood masters,
with a particular real objective to meet the craving of clients, the administration of Vodafone UK
needs to give user-friendly and innovative mobile handsets to their clients.
Today, people are more concerned with mobile network providers apart from personal
computers. The organizations has started to include specifications of mobile network providers
more than that of a personal computer. The marketing concept of mobile network providers are
concerned with individual factors such as production concept, societal marketing concept, selling
concept, product concept as well as marketing idea. Based on production concept, the customers
of United Kingdom prefers products that are widely available as well as inexpensive. Moreover,
from the standpoint of product concept, the consumers of United Kingdom favor mobile products
that offer the most innovative features, performance and quality (Kotler, 2012). According to the
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research, the idea of product believes in the customer and it says that the customers become loyal
when they have many options to select a superior product out of a list of other mobile products.
Besides, with the help of this marketing system, the administration of Vodafone UK can grow
the rate of their potential customers. On the other hand, the cost of mobile is one of the sensitive
issues from the side of the end of the client. Toward the day's end, a vast part of the customers
require latest mobiles in slightest rate. Subsequently, the administration of Vodafone UK needs
to focus on their typical spread amount of the client.
An overview of the different marketing processes
A marketing process can divided into four sections like situational analysis, marketing strategy,
marketing mix decisions as well as implementation and control. A situational analysis should
consist of the present, past and future aspects of organizations like Vodafone UK. The situational
analysis of an organization can be determined by the internal and external environmental factors
of the company. On the other hand, different marketing strategies such as segmentation,
targeting, the positioning of the product as well as value proposition within the target market
impact the mobile industry of UK broadly (Jones, 2001). Now, the marketing mix decisions are
made according to four fundamentals of marketing such as the development of the product,
pricing decisions, development of promotional campaign and distribution contracts. In an
implementation process, the UK mobile organizations implements the marketing plans for
accomplishing the organizational objectives.
The administration of Vodafone UK needs to watch their marketing system to assemble the
remuneration. Each and every piece of the marketing has its individual immensity. On the other
hand, the mobile network provider industry joins diverse sorts of marketing methodology, for
instance, organize collection, movement, feedback social event and customer's review
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(McKeever, 2002). Today, mobile marketing became famous due to the high demands of
customers regarding SMS, MMS, push notifications, applications, games application, QR codes,
Bluetooth facilities, personal hotspot and Wi-Fi system, location-based services and so on. Over
the past few years, SMS marketing has grabbed the communication marketing between peoples.
Other than that, Vodafone UK has various stores around the UK, and each and every outlet
contains latest mobiles made by this company. As demonstrated by arrangements, headquarter
gainful measure of mobiles to specific stores. Besides that, amid the time spent movement, a
transportation structure required by the administration of Vodafone UK. By the day's end,
distinctive sorts of mobile handsets have been passed on to different outlets of the Vodafone UK
(Joynt and Morton, 2012). The last strategy is reviewing aggregation of the customers, and in
this technique, the organization of Vodafone UK can separate and choose the gathering
imperfections which done in the middle of the era system.
The key roles and responsibilities of the marketing manager
During a marketing process, the marketing manager has lots of functions and responsibilities.
Roles and responsibilities of a marketing manager include the development of the brand,
competitive intelligence and public relations. Customer marketing manager is coordinating plans
of various marketing actions like the development of marketing campaigns, identifications of the
potential customers as well as focusing on the performances of essential teams in the company
(Shapiro, 2001). Besides that, the marketing manager is also concerned with the preparation of
business plans for executing different strategies in marketing. It is done for the increase of the
profit for the company. From the brand development perspective, the duty of the marketing
manager is to develop the brand of the enterprise. The activities of the marketing manager
include creation of logos and other promotional stuff. Moreover, the marketing manager is
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engaged in the advertising process. The marketing manager of Vodafone UK creates a brand that
aligns with the mission statement of the business firm (Alexis, 2007). It is done by partnering
with the senior management of the company. Additionally, the marketing manager performs a
multitude of research which is aimed at ensuring the position of the business firm in the mobile
industry.
Based on competitive intelligence, the marketing manager has the responsibility to perform
research on customers by the implementation of surveys and hosting focus groups. Aside from,
the manager also analyzes the activities associated with an advertising process and sales
performance of competitors. After the research on customers, the marketing manager creates
various reports based on his findings. However, these documents are then presented to the senior
management (Onkar, 2009). The reports made by the marketing manager are considered by the
management team of Vodafone UK when the business needs a decision-making process like new
product line development. From the perspective of public relations, the marketing manager is
engaged in representing his employers in front of media. Moreover, he grants interviews for
promoting new services and products. The marketing manager is involved in representing the
business firm at charitable events as well as other happenings taking place through the
community (Mital, 2008). During crisis period, the manager is responsible for controlling the
damage and courting press for the objective of changing a negative opinion of the organization.
Some of the managers perform their duties and responsibilities unconventionally. Other
marketing managers work in partnership with the external and internal professionals of public
relation.
Impact of roles and responsibilities of marketing to other functional departments
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First of all, it is essential to know the other technical units of Vodafone UK. The other functional
units of Vodafone UK includes human resource management, accounting and finance and
purchasing. The human resource management of Vodafone UK plays a strategic role in the
company. The human resource supports talent development, innovations as well as new
approaches and policies associated with the mobile business. The human resource managers
perform these strategies for increasing the performance of the employees. Moreover, the human
resource managers provide facilities as well as tools to the company for stagnating the field of
people management. When an organization faces issues such lack of skills and competence, the
human resource managers recruits skilled employees for the betterment of the organization (Price
and Jaffe, 2008). Mobile technologies need skilled workers who could handle the innovative
technology. Now, the responsibilities of a purchasing manager include seeking reliable supplier
for providing quality products at reasonable prices. The purchasing managers are also
responsible for negotiating contracts and prices. Besides that, these managers determine the
timing of deliveries and quantity of products to the potential customers.
Secondly, the accounting and financial department of Vodafone UK is looked after the finance
manager of the company. The investment manager keeps the organization in compliance with the
law. Thus, the managers are responsible for obeying the law. Besides that, the financial manager
is responsible for creating budgets and analyze the performance. In budgeting, the managers
anticipate revenues and use that knowledge to make decisions about how to grow and maintain a
mobile business. However, it is tough to improve upon mobile business if Vodafone UK does not
have a means to understand the past and learn from it. The financial manager keeps track of the
financial records of the company. Apart from it, the finance managers are also concerned with
the development of financial strategies. According to the fund directors, financial information
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and data within Vodafone UK comprise one of the fundamental tools the organization have in
understanding the economic infrastructure. Price setting and budgeting process are also looked
after the finance managers. A financial strategy helps an organization to reach and accomplish
ultimate organizational financial objectives such as The power a certain amount of profits.
Part 2 - Report
a) Comparison between two organizations regarding marketing mix
Here, the comparison is made between two companies: Vodafone UK and EE Limited. The
marketing mix contains seven fundamental components which considered as essential parts to
understand the present condition of the UK market. Next, to that, the Vodafone UK is one of the
extraordinary a mobile network provider engineering business firm in the UK (Illert and
Emmerich, 2008). Both the organization is concentrating on the present marketing pattern for
attracting more customers to the mobile company. Seven types of components of the 4-Ps
marketing mix will be reviewed here. Other than that, the usage of 4P's can revitalize the
planning and execution of various sorts of the marketing strategy of the management. Besides
that, the marketing mix incorporates the entire marketing method of a mobile company.
Price: Remembering the true objective to complete the price of the product is one of the
essential choices which are done by the management of the mobile company. Furthermore, the
price variable is one of the basic segments of the marketing mix which expect an amazing part in
the service business. Irrespective of the way that the management needs to amend different sorts
of issues, for example, the outside method for the client, the particular entirety spread by the
customer, the essential of client and so forth (Illert and Emmerich, 2008). Besides, these factors
make weight to settle an ultimate price of the product. Regardless, the need of the customer is
playing a fundamental to gauge the price of the product finished by the mobile company. For
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itself, an enormous portion of the customers is in a general sense priced sensitive who require the
titanic quality product at a reasonable price. Discussing the mobile price of the Vodafone UK
which connecting with and more sensible than EE Limited which is a mobile network provider
business firm in the UK.
Product: There are two classes of product points of view are dissected in many audits, for
example, tangible and intangible. On the other hand, the particular products are considered as
physical which is made in the mobile company. As indicated by the perspective of the
management of the Vodafone UK, it has been passed on a brisk and specialist product as mobile
which can draw the thought of many clients observes. As to, have shocking models or handsets
which fuse original, Windows, Java and Linux working structures (Eldridge, 2012). Also, they,
also, create remote speakers and LCD displays at a reasonable price which a customer can
without a lot of an extend acquisitions. Similarly, a significant portion of the multipurpose
models which showed in above is available in the stores of Vodafone UK. On the backwards
part, EE Limited is a rival business firm of Vodafone UK with limited stroke and the performed
mobiles handsets.
Place: Place is a significant variable of 4P marketing mix. Place extraordinarily leads to the
impact on the current marketing circumstances for verifying the current place to check whether
the current the Middle East is suitable for the company or not. From the research, it has been
found that the United Kingdom contains a lots of individuals who visit stores of mobile network
providers. Their demands are high for mobile network providers (Karten, 2009). The products of
both the companies, Vodafone UK and EE Limited have high requirements in the international
market. Additionally, there is a huge demand about the organizational framework regardless of
the competitive market. Thus, both the organizations need to create preferred and current mobile
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network providers to meet the United States of America of the customers. Places such as London
is critical for the organizations to do marketing and promotional activities.
Promotion: With a particular real objective to broaden the care and prevalence of the alliance,
the progression is one of the primary segments which is utilized by the Vodafone UK. By the
day's end, a buyer can get accreditation about the most recent products and service of a particular
mobile company. It can be educated that the fantastic program of Vodafone UK is a kind
immediate and viable strategy which can draw the impression of customer's sole. On the other
hand, the notice is the rule portion which is used by the progressive mobile company (El-
Halwagi, 2006). Other than that, the management can spread products and service related
information through various sorts of media, for example, newspaper, TV, web and radio.
Furthermore, EE Limited does not have enough pervasiveness appearing differently concerning
Vodafone UK in web based systems administration and other publicizing media.
B) Marketing Plan
Executive
Today, every organizations need a marketing plan for the operation of their business. Without a
marketing plan, the potential customers may not be aware of the services and products of the
firm is retailing(Connecting with your customers, 2006). In this report, the background of
Vodafone UK has been described along with the current market situation analysis. It is
imperative for these mobile organizations to set an objective and strategy for the growth of
business. During the promotion of a new product in the market, Vodafone UK must have to
perform segmentation, targeting and position strategies to identify their potential customers as
well as their demand types. In the latter part of the report, tactics and action plans are described
along with budget and control. Vodafone UK must also perform internal and external
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environmental business analysis. SWOT analysis falls into the category of external
environmental analysis. The company must identify their strengths, threats, weakness and
opportunities to accomplish present and future competitive advantages (Westwood, 2011).
Company Overview
It has been mentioned earlier that the organization selected is Vodafone UK. The particular
mobile network provider company is the leading cellular telephone operator in the world. The
organization boosts more than one hundred and sixty-five million subscribers as well as annual
sales of more than thirty-one billion euro (Bleicher, 2014). The organization is also leading the
battle for standardizing the global mobile telephone standard ahead of the predictable next
generation boom in the industry. Headquarter of Vodafone UK are located in Newbury,
Berkshire, England. The particular mobile network company was established in the year 1982.
The services provided by the organization are internet service provider and telecommunications.
Moreover, Vodafone UK operates a local estate with more than four hundred and eight stores
situated across all over the United Kingdom. The company sells landlines for home and business
purpose. They also retail broadband and mobile phone handsets (Ferrell and Hartline, 2005).
Current Marketing Situation Analysis
Internal analysis
McKinsey 7S Model: The internal analysis of Vodafone UK can be demonstrated by this
particular model. McKinsey 7S Model consists of elements like strategy, structure, systems,
shared values, styles, staffs and skills. Strategies are the plan devised for maintaining and
building the competitive advantage of Vodafone UK. Secondly, the structure is the method by
which the mobile network provider company is structured. In the organizational system, the
regular procedures and activities of the company are looked after the staff and employees
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(Drejer, 2014). They work hard for accomplishing the objectives of the business firm. Moreover,
shared values are often known as superordinate goals and when these model was developed
initially, these shared values became the core values of the organization. These core values are
evidenced in the general work ethic and corporate culture. On the other hand, the styles are the
leadership approaches implemented by the leaders of the company to motivate the employees
regarding individual’s job. In Vodafone UK, the staffs are the employees along with their general
competences. At last, the skills are the expertise of the employees working in that particular
organization (Asad, 2015). McKinsey 7S model is implemented by Vodafone UK for identifying
the skills, leadership styles and shared values of the company. The design also helps Vodafone
UK to create suitable strategies for the growth of the enterprise.
External analysis
The external analysis of Vodafone UK can be demonstrated by the implementation of Porter's
five force theory. The method is described below:
Porter’s five force theory
 Threats of New Entrants: The capital requirement is very high to compete in the mobile
market such as great research, huge manufacturing cost as well as a development cost.
Moreover, the new competitor can face obstacles like patents (Raskovich, 2013).
Vodafone UK must make strategies to attract customers towards them to accomplish the
loyalty and satisfaction of the client.
 Threats of Substitute Products: Substitute products such as tablets and innovative mobile
phones with new features can pose a serious threat to the services and outputs of
Vodafone UK. Suppose, a service may launch in UK with more internet features at an
affordable rate per month to achieve competitive advantage.
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