Marketing Essentials Report: Analysis of Mega Bus and National Express

This report delves into the core concepts of marketing, examining the key roles and responsibilities within a marketing function, with a specific focus on the Mega Bus Company. It explores how these marketing functions relate to the broader organizational context, emphasizing the importance of coordination with departments like finance, research and development, and human resources. The report then provides a comparative analysis of the marketing mix of Mega Bus and National Express, focusing on product, price, place, and promotion strategies, along with people, process and physical evidence. The analysis highlights how Mega Bus utilizes market research, promotional activities, effective pricing, and distribution to achieve its business objectives and gain a competitive edge in the market. The report emphasizes the importance of marketing in building customer relationships, enhancing brand image, and driving profitability.

Marketing Essential

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1Key roles and responsibilities of the marketing function........................................................1
P2 How roles and responsibilities of marketing related to the wider organizational context.....4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3Comparison of marketing mix of two different organizations................................................5
P4 Marketing mix of an organization..........................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is a significant study of the businesses which include various tools and process to
understanding the customers demand and maintain the better relationship with them.
According to the American Marketing Association, marketing is a core activity of the
company for promoting, creating and delivering values in front of customers for achieve
their higher satisfaction (The Marketing Mix, 2016). The main function of the marketing
activity is to invite large number o customers by delivering quality products. Every company
use marketing process to fulfil their customers’ needs by delivering its products and
services. One of the best advantage of marketing to build strong relationship with company
and service users. Present report is based on Mega Bus Company; it is an intercity bus
service which provides intercity coach services to their customers since 2006. They operate
their activities with eastern, southern and Midwestern. In this report various roles and
responsibilities of marketing functions are mentioned. Comparison of marketing mix of two
different organizations is also discussed in this project. Along with this, marketing plan is
also mentioned in this assignment which includes various activities in order to achieve
competitive advantage.
TASK 1
P1Key roles and responsibilities of the marketing function
Marketing is an effective process for the company because it helps in inviting large number
of customers’ to satisfy their needs by using company services. One of the important
functions of marketing is to create better relation with their customers. With the help of
this company deliver quality services for their clients in order to get their higher
satisfaction. Marketing is an important concept of the company because it aid in increasing
the brand image at market place. By using this concept company increase their
performance. It also helps in satisfying customers demand b providing quality services as
per their requirements. In Mega Bus Company, marketing play an important role because it
create the better relationship with the clients which helps in increasing the profitability
level of the company in appropriate manner(Akak, Vargo and Lusch, 2013). With the help
of marketing concept Mega Bus Company easily promote their information in front of
audience in order to improve their performance. It also helps in managing all the
1

promotional activities of the business which increase the positive brand image at market
place. In this context, there are some main role and responsibilities of marketing function
of the company. All are as follows:
 Market research: It is one of the important functions of the marketing team
because it helps in identifying the customers taste and market trends. His will helps
in preparing marketing plan so that marketing team easily achieve their target by
increase their sale volume. One of the main purposes of marketing research is to
identify the target customers (Askeland, and Wright, 2013). For this marketing
team undertake research to determine their potential customers so that they would
buy its products and services. Mega Bus Company also doing the same to reach
their target customers and provide them quality series as per their requirements and
get higher satisfaction in appropriate manner. Effective marketing research helps in
increasing overall sale of the company as compare to its rivals.
 Promotion: This function is more important for the company because it helps in
increasing the customer’s awareness about the products and services which were
offering by the company. One of the best advantages of using promotional
activities s to increase overall ale of the company because it creates curiosity in
customers mind towards the products. It is an effective part of the marketing
because it increases the positive brand image at market place which helps in
inviting large number of customers towards the company and its services in
effective manner.
 Distribution: One of the important responsibilities of the marketing function is to
reach their target customers. In this the marketing team use effective distributional
channels to increase customers demand towards the products and service (Desai,
2013). This process aid in increasing overall profitability of the company at market
place.
 Marketing information management: It is an effective system of the company
which is used by the marketing team to gather all the relevant information about
market trends and customers taste which helps in managing all the information
effectively. One of the best advantages of this process is to increase the company
sale which directly contributes in profitability in appropriate manner.
2

 Product and service management: Effective management of all the activities of
their product and service is more important for the Mega Bus Company to capture
large market share (Durmaz, 2011). If company does not able to manage all the
activities so that they fails in inviting the customers and also reduce their
productivity in the market. Better management include effective designing,
developing and maintaining their products in order to achieve higher profitability in
appropriate manner.
 Pricing: It is one of the important functions of the marketing department to set
their product price effectively in order to invite large number of customers towards
their products. In today’s modern business environment setting the product price is
more important task so that it is important responsibility of the marketing team to
set their product price for their customers because it helps in attracting more and
more customers.
 Information and communication: Customers and stakeholders are one of the
significant parts of the company so that it is more important for the company to
communicate with tem effectively. It helps in gathering more revenue delivering
quality services to the clients in order to get their higher satisfaction. With the help
of better communication cited company easily promote their product information in
the marketplace and also achieve loyalty of the customers towards their products
and services.
 Establishing coordination: This function is more important for the entire
department which help in introducing the quality products and services in front of
market (Eslinger, 2014). Proper coordination established by manager of the
company by using better communication and medium. Both are more important for
company in order to improve their overall performance at marketplace.
All these marketing function is more effective for the Mega Bus Company to capture
large market share and improve their brand image at market place in effective manner.
All these are used by the company to improve their overall performance by delivering
quality services to their customers.
3

P2 How roles and responsibilities of marketing related to the wider organizational context
Marketing is an effective activity which include various process that used by the company to
increase their overall sale by delivering quality products ate market place. In today’s
business environment every company divide their activities in different department so that
all are easily achieve best success (Gartee, 2012). All are having their own roles and
responsibilities which are carried out effectively. It is more important for the company to
brig proper coordination among the entire department so that they set their strong position at
market place. With the help of these Mega Bus Company easily capture large market share
from its rivals. In this marketing function play crucial role in the company which direct
affect overall performance of the company. For achieve its desirable goals proper
coordination should be there in all department so that they are achieve their target
inappropriate time period. In this all the section of the company helps in completing the task
in order to achieve positive outcomes from the customers. In this context, there are some
effective roles and responsibilities of the marketing function which is related to the other
department in the company are as follows:
 Finance department: One of the important department of the company which
provide enough fund to the marketing department for doing advertising and other
activities which aid in increasing the customers demand towards the product and
services. In absence of proper fund company cannot able to formulate their activities.
So that it is important for this department to maintain proper fund which helps in
achieving its target in appropriate manner.
 Research and development department: In this the marketing department of the
Mega Bus Company deliver their services with the help of R&D department because
they undertake various research for identifying the customer’s needs and market
trends which aid in achieving the positive results in appropriate manner (Hall, 2014).
 Human resource department: It is more important for the marketing team because
in this the HR team hire skilled employees for their business which helps in
delivering quality services to their clients in appropriate manner and get their higher
satisfaction.
 Sales and distribution department: In this department the marketing team increase
their overall sale by distributing quality products and services in front of customers.
4

In this the marketing team and distribution department offer their product to satisfy
customers needs.
 Information and communication department: It is more important department of
the business which helps to the market division to collect all the relevant information
about marketing and customers (Ionitã, 2012). In this process the marketing team use
IT tools to gather all the relevant data in order to remove all he obstacles in this
department in appropriate manner.
TASK 2
P3Comparison of marketing mix of two different organizations
Marketing mix is an effective combination of all the elements which aid in inviting the
large number of customers towards the products of the company. It also helps in evaluating
the effective marketing plan in order develop the company growth in appropriate manner.
With the help of these key elements company easily capture large market share. Mega Bus
Company also used these strategies in their activities to achieve stetted goals and
objectives in appropriate manner. This company provide better transport services to their
clients in order to get their higher satisfaction. In this marketing mix play important role to
expand their business at different areas in order to take strong place in competitive market
place. In this all the key elements are controllable by the marketing for established their
strong position at market place. All these elements are product. Price, place, promotion but
in the modern era three elements are also included which are people, process and physical
evidence (Jones and Rowley, 2011). In this comparison between Mega Bus Company and
National Express are as follows:
5

Marketing mix of Mega Bus Company:
Product: Mega Bus Company provides intercity bus services to their customers. They also
provide low cost services in which they increase their overall sale of the company. They
also set discount offer to their customers which help them to improve their brand image at
market place.
Price: Mega Bus Company use competitive pricing strategy in which they deliver quality
services at affordable price so that they easily compete their rivals and tae strong place at
market place. Along with this, they set their product price as per their customer’s comfort
zone so that they easily buy their services (Kennedy and Parsons, 2014).
Place: They use effective area in which large number of customers easily buys company
services. In this it is important responsibility to provide better products and services at
right place so that they easily retain their existing customers and also invite new clients.
6
Illustration 1: Marketing mix

Promotion: Mega Bus Company use better promotional tools to increase their brand image
in market which contribute in developing the growth of the company in effective manner.
In this they use T.V, newspaper, personal selling, and many more to increase the sale and
also improve the brand image at market place in appropriate manner.
People: They include experienced staff members who all are easily handle all type of
customers and easily understand their needs. For improve their performance manager of
the company provide better training and development programs to their employees so that
they deliver quality services to their target customer.
Process: They use modern and innovative process in which they also include advanced
technologies which aid in increasing overall profitability of the company. Effective
operational process and other activities help in capturing larger market share for its rivals.
Physical evidence: Mega Bus Company set their outlets at various places in which they
focus on their target market and their clients who have interest to travel one place to
another (Khan and Adil, 2013). They set their stores at posh area and also provide various
benefits for their customers at tickets.
Marketing mix of National express:
Product: National express provide better services of transport like buses, train and coaches
to their customers for their travelling as well as comfort ability. They also provide extra
service like food services to their customers who travel for long way.
7
Illustration 2: Promotion for Mega Bus Company

Price: In this element of the marketing National express set their price according to the
customers so that they easily afford their amount and pay to the company. They use
differentiate strategy in which they extra benefits to their potential customers in order to
retain them for long lasting.
Place: In this they define their outlets at various areas so that they easily reach their target
customers and fulfil their demand in appropriate manner (Lipsman and et.al., 2012).
Effective area as well s place play important role in invite more and more customers
towards the company services. Cited company always set their outlets as pr their
customer’s convenient so that they easily use company services.
Promotion: National express use effective promotional activities to increase their brand
image at market place and also increase curiosity in customers mind so that they world buy
company product (Mihart, 2012). It direct contributes in increasing the overall ale of the
company in effective manner. By using posters, pamphlets they increase their public
relation.
People: It is more important for the company to hire skilled and experienced employees so
that they easily communicate with their customers and understanding their demand
effectively. Effective work force helps in improving overall image of the company.
8
Illustration 3: Promotion for National express

Process: In this National express use various technologies and strategies i their operational
process which helps them to improve quality of the products and services in appropriate
manner.
Physical evidence: In this they include various attractive and valuable outlets which helps
in invite more and more customers towards the company. It also helps in retain the existing
customers for long time period.
P4 Marketing mix of an organization
Marketing plan is a written document which prepare by manager of the company. It defines
all the activities which perform within the organization to achieve overall goals and
objectives in appropriate manner. One of the main purposes of preparing marketing plan is
evaluating h overall performance of the company at market place. It is more important for
the manager to undertake the various researches to identify the competitors of the company
before making a marketing plan so that they easily attain their target (Novak, 2011).
Marketing plan includes various activities which are as follows:
Overview of the company:
Mega Bus Company is one of the bet organizations which provide intercity bus service to
their customers since 2006. They operate their activities in various locations to reach their
target customers.
Mission of the company:
Provide best quality products and services in order to achieve higher satisfaction of the
customers in appropriate manner.
Vision of the company:
Become a big transpiration company at international market by delivering quality
services to their customers.
SWOT analysis:
Strength:
 Best services are one of the biggest strength of the company.
 Positive brand is also a positive aspect (Papasolomou and Melanthiou, 2012).
Weaknesses:
 Limited stakeholders are weakness of the company.
9

 Competitive market is also a weakness for the company which reduce overall sale of
the company.
Opportunities:
 They expand their business at international market.
 They also include ecofriendly process in their activities.
Threats:
 Number of competitors is big threat of the Mega Bus Company.
 Limited resources are also a negative activity for the company.
 Less number of diversified of the stores.
External analysis: This is more important for the company to analysis their external factors
because these are directly affect the organization performance in positive and negative
manner (Peter and Donnelly, 2011). All these factor are uncontrollable by the company. So
that it is important duty of the company to measure its impact on their performance which
aid in achieving their target in effective manner.
Target market: It is important process for the company to use effective strategies in order
to identify their target market in which they offer their services in order to get customers
satisfaction. Mainly it is related to different customers who are belonging from different
culture and attitude. With the help of this company easily offer their product according to
the customer’s needs which assist in increasing the sale volume of the company in effective
manner.
Marketing budget: For preparing marketing plan budget is more important for the
company to define overall progress of the company. So that preparing marketing budget is
also important for the manager to formulate all the activities which helps in increasing the
profitability and also contribute in minimising the expenses of the company in effective
way. It include all the expenditure like promotion, advertising and many more so that
manager easily analysis their performance.
Monitoring and controlling: It is the last step of the marketing in which manager of the
company monitor all the activity to achieve the target. This process helps in evaluating the
overall performance by determining the results in appropriate time period (Swenson, Rhoads
and Whitlark, 2014). It helps in find out the market demand in effective manner. Along with
this, company easily increased their sale as well as profitability level in market place.
10