Kingfisher Plc: Marketing Department Structure Case Study

This case study examines the role of marketing within Kingfisher Plc, a British multinational retail company. It delves into the structure of the marketing department, outlining key roles such as marketing officers, social media managers, and the Chief Marketing Officer. The report then provides an overview of the marketing process, including situational analysis, strategy formulation, marketing mix decisions, and implementation and control. It emphasizes the importance of the marketing environment and its influence on the company's operations. Finally, the case study explores the interrelationship of the marketing function with other departments, such as Human Resource Management and the Finance Department, highlighting the collaborative nature of business functions within Kingfisher Plc. The analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of marketing strategies and their practical application within a major retail organization.

Case Study

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Main body........................................................................................................................................1
1. Role of marketing as a function of business.......................................................................1
2. Structure of marketing department in Kingfisher Plc.........................................................2
3. Overview of marketing process with its importance..........................................................4
4. Interrelationship of marketing function with other departments........................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is considered as main function of an organisation, which helps in developing
the relationship between customers and business. It helps a firm in promoting its business at vast
area and influence people to buy its services as well (Brady, 2014). This report is going to
analyse the role of marketing in a company. For this purpose, Kingfisher Plc. has taken which is
a British multinational company of UK and deals in retail sector. The present report entails
structure of marketing department in this organisation which overview of its process.
Furthermore, interrelationship of marketing function with other departments also highlighted.
Main body
1. Role of marketing as a function of business
Marketing is an essential process of a business that helps in building success and growth.
It involves various functions like conduct research on targeted audience in order to find out the
prototypes, which helps in receiving the most positive feedback for marketplace (Baker and
Magnini, 2016). Similarly, market research also persuades minds of people towards company's
products, check out competitors' strategies, delivery of goods etc. In context with Kingfisher
Plc., it has near about 1300 stores in ten countries where more than 74,000 workers are currently
working. This company offers home improvements products of branded companies B&Q,
Screwfix, Brico Depot etc. It includes home appliances, furnishing, hardware and so on. The
main function of marketing department of this company are given as below:-
Functions Description
Pricing Marketing managers of Kingfisher Plc. carry out proper
research to obtain information of rivals' policies. This would
help in setting the effective price of products at right level.
With this assistance, present company holds a cost leader
position among other retailers at marketplace.
Product/Service
Management
In order to meet demand and needs of customers, marketers of
Kingfisher perform various functions (7 Functions of
Marketing, 2018). It includes designing, developing,
improving, maintaining as well as acquiring products and
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services.
Financing Marketers also helps in obtaining necessary funds which are
required to conduct business activities in proper manner. They
also provide financial assistance to potential customers.
Through this process, customers can buy products or services
more easily.
Distribution The another main function that marketing department of
Kingfisher Plc. plays is to determine appropriate ways to reach
potential customers and deliver products on time (Pappas,
2017).
Selling In order to improve and enhance sales performance, marketers
of Kingfisher Plc make effective interaction with customers.
Through proper communication, they take timely feedback
from targeted audience in order to determine their satisfaction.
Marketing Information
Management
This is also a main function of marketing department where
marketers obtain specific information about customers'
preferences and their level of expectations. It helps in
improving business activities and enhance sales performance
as well.
Promotion To reach potential customers and promote business at vast
area, marketers of Kingfisher Plc. use various tools and
techniques of marketing. It includes digital marketing
technologies which provides a social media platform. Using
this technology, marketing team of this company interact with
users and identify their needs, preferences and purchasing
power. This would help in offering products or services as per
demand of customers.
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2. Structure of marketing department in Kingfisher Plc
Within a marketing department of an organisation, there are many roles and functions
played by marketers in order to promote business appropriately (Ahmed, Kristal and Pagell,
2014). The structure of this division generally varies as per type of business where leaders,
managers, high-level of executives etc. establishes marketing techniques and oversees the
operations as well. In context with Kingfisher Plc., its marketing structure can be defined in
following manner:-
(Source: Structure of Marketing Department, 2018)
Some common roles in marketing department of Kingfisher Plc. are:-
 Marketing Officer: This person plays an important role in identifying the marketing
objectives, creating marketing plan, formulating strategies and more. Marketing plan is
made on the basis of long-term and short-term goals so that activities can be done
accordingly.
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Illustration 1: Structure of marketing department

 Social Media Manager: Social media marketing and advertising are considered as main
integral part of promotional activities (Kozlenkova and et. al., 2015). Therefore,
managers of Kingfisher in this field plays major role in developing connection with
potential customers. With this assistance, they deliberate marketing plan and goal setting,
develop brand awareness and online reputation of business, manage content about
product and related assets etc.
 Chief Marketing Officer: CMO is mainly responsible to oversee the marketing plan and
execution of advertising strategies. This would help in generating revenues by enhancing
sales through successful execution of marketing plan. For this purpose, they use market
research, communications, pricing and product marketing, public relations and more.
3. Overview of marketing process with its importance
Under marketing concept, the main function of managers is to discover the best way to
meet requirement of customers. This process can be done by competing a sequence of
operations. It includes Situations (analyse to identify opportunities); Strategy (formulate for a
value proposition); Tactical Decisions (made in favour of business objectives; Implementation &
Control the marketing plan. In context with Kingfisher Plc. Marketing process can be described
in following manner:-
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(Source:Marketing Process, 2018)
 Situational Analysis: In order to satisfy and exceed expectations of customers,
marketing managers of Kingfisher Plc. are used to identify own capabilities first. Along
with this, they also discover the environment where business is operating. Thus, in this
regard, situational analysis can be defined as an analysis of both internal and external
environment, which adversely affect marketing functions. It also reflects the gap
between expectations of customers and what company offers to them. This would help in
identifying opportunities by which Kingfisher can match its capabilities to meet demand
of customers. For this purpose, company needs to conduct some analysis like SWOT,
PESTLE and Porter's Five Force Model.
 Marketing Strategy: For meeting the requirements of targeted customers, a strategic
plan is considered as best opportunity (Kumar, Zhang and Luo, 2014). It involves
segmentation, targeting and positioning process to formulate marketing plan. Under this
process, segmentation in Kingfisher Plc is done on the basis of customer demographic
and product benefits. After identification of market segments, marketers of Kingfisher
Plc used to decide which segment they have to target. For this process, they design
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Illustration 2: Marketing Process

marketing mix strategies to meet demand of customers. This company mainly targets to
upper and middle class people for selling home furnishing products.
 Marketing Mix Decisions: Tactical decisions in Kingfisher Plc. are generally made on
controllable parameters of marketing mix. It includes product development, pricing
strategy, promotional campaign and process. All these procedures aid to specify, design
and produces the required units of product.
 Implementation & Control: This is the final stage where marketing plan has been
developed and executed in appropriate manner.
Importance of Marketing Environment to marketing function:
Position and existence of business of a company is totally depended on marketing
environment in which it operates. It includes both internal (supplier, partners, competitors,
customers, market intermediaries etc.) and external environment (demographic, economic,
technology, political-legal, social-cultural environment and more) which impact on functions in
both negative and positive manner. Therefore, to operate and stay in marketplace for longer
period, management of Kingfisher Plc is required to analyse the marketing environment as well
as its components effectively (Strandvik, Holmlund and Grönroos, 2014). It is essential for
planning, understanding customer's needs, tapping trends, understanding the competitors, threats
and opportunities etc.
4. Interrelationship of marketing function with other departments
In Kingfisher Plc., there are various functions that are conducted for running business
successfully. It includes human resource management, R&D, production, operations, marketing
and sales etc. For this purpose, these functions are usually interrelated with each other. In
Kingfisher Plc. interrelationship of marketing with other departments can be explained in
following manner:-
 Marketing function with Human Resource Management: Both are considered as
main functions where HR managers provide eligible employees in marketing department
to conduct its operations (Hunt, 2018). While marketing managers help HRM in
introducing the potential candidates into workplace.
 Marketing Function with Finance Department: Marketers of Kingfisher Plc. helps
finance department in identifying sources from where adequate amount of funds can be
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raised. Similarly, finance managers give support to marketers in conducting their
operations by providing sufficient amount of funds.
CONCLUSION
It has been summarised from this report that marketing is a main function of a company
which helps in promoting its business. Through this process, organisations can bring awareness
among customers about their products or services. It leads to generate high profitability by
enhancing sales performance.
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