Contemporary Issues in Marketing Management: Thomas Cook Group Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of contemporary marketing issues, focusing on the travel and tourism sector, with the Thomas Cook Group as a case study. The report begins by defining knowledge management and its role in relationship marketing, followed by an examination of how Information Communication Technology (ICT) supports Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and the benefits it provides. It then explores stakeholder analysis for both voluntary and public sector organizations, comparing marketing methods across these sectors. The report also delves into the extended marketing mix in service sectors, product/service mix enhancements, and overcoming the difficulties in marketing services, including the role of IT in service marketing management. Finally, the report addresses ethical and social concerns for marketers, including Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and evaluates the influence of pressure groups and media on ethical marketing policies.

Contemporary Issues in
Marketing Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
TASK 1 ...........................................................................................................................................4
1.1 Explanation of concept of knowledge management and it's role in relationship marketing 4
1.2 Ways that ICT can support the customer relationship management process........................5
1.3 Description of benefits of customer relationship management.............................................5
1.4 Recommendations for the improvement in customer relationship management.................6
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
2.1 Stakeholder analysis for a voluntary sector and a public sector organisation......................6
2.2 Description of the nature of the relationships with customers within non profit
organisations ..............................................................................................................................7
2.3 Comparison of methods used in marketing within the public, private and voluntary sectors
.....................................................................................................................................................8
2.4 Explanation of the key issues involved in marketing in a virtual organisation...................8
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
3.1 Description of the use of the extended marketing mix in a selected service sector business
.....................................................................................................................................................9
3.2 Explanation of the product/service mix can be used to enhance value for the customer and
organisation ................................................................................................................................9
3.3 Explanation on difficulties peculiar to the marketing of services can be overcome ..........10
3.4 Explanation the role of IT in services marketing management in a selected organisation 10
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................11
4.1 Current issues of ethical and social concern to marketers in a particular industry ............11
4.2 Explanation of the concept of CSR in the organisation.....................................................11
4.3 Evaluation of the role played by a selected pressure group in influencing ethical and social
marketing policies.....................................................................................................................11
4.4 Evaluation of the role played by published or broadcast media in influencing ethical and
social marketing policies ..........................................................................................................12
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is a process of products development and promotions to increase the
effectiveness for the customers (Standing, Tang-Taye and Boyer, 2014). It can help to a
company can improve their product effectiveness and as well as they can provide better
customers satisfaction to their targeted customers. According to the modern marketing approach
it can make products better as per the requirements of the customers which can help to the
company to increase their sales and provide better customers assistance. Marketing becomes
more significant in to the travel tourism sector in which they have to make a proper promotions
of their packages that they are providing to the customers. The present report is based on the
Thomas Cook Group which is leading travel company in the sector. The report is having contains
on the knowledge management and its role in the relationship marketing by a which company
can promote their products in their targeted markets. Stakeholder analysis of the company can
make better products and services for the tourists. ICT process is having huge significance to
make a communication in between the targeted customers and company. At the last this report is
having it's focus on the use of IT services in the CSR activities by which they can make better
promotions.
TASK 1
1.1 Explanation of concept of knowledge management and it's role in relationship marketing
Knowledge management is the process that tells about the knowledge of companies
assets and the current happenings of the organization and to manage accordingly in present
scenario. Knowledge management helps in creating a better management activities that will help
the company in fulfilling the goals of a company and will generate better bonding with
customers and provide an opportunity for more growth of the company (Sorensen and et.al.,
2011).
Relationship marketing is the process that tells about long term relationship building with
customers by fulfilling the needs of customers and this will help in the process of increasing the
sales of the company. Relationship marketing also helps in creating customer relationship
management and hence by this the relationship creates a better marketing aspect for company to
achieve their goals. In relationship marketing it will help the company to create a better

relationship with customers as they will provide relevant and adequate information to their
customers.
Major role of knowledge management in relationship marketing helps in the process of
creating a better relationship with customers so that the company can increase in sales and hence
it will help in creating customer relationship management and helps in generating all effective
information to their customers and hence it will help in creating a great effect in sales that will
help in increasing as per the norms of the organization (Nguyet, 2011).
1.2 Ways that ICT can support the customer relationship management process
The full form of ICT is Information communication Technology that tells about how
company that is Amazon is floating the communication to the customers regarding their product
and that will help in creating a better customer relationship and which will help in the growth of
the company and hence maximum output can be generated. As the company is working in the
online retail sector so it is essential or the company to improve their customer relationship
management. It will help in supporting CRM by which the information that had been provided to
end users that will help the company in increasing their resources and by this there will be
increase in sales of the company that will be beneficial for them (Nguyen, 2015). The ways in
which ICT can support customer relationship management in a particular Amazon:
Medium of Providing Information: This is the process that tells about what type of medium
has been generated by the company so that there can be better relationship with their customers
and how that particular information is provided to customers to make them aware about the
product and what are the services company is providing to the customers that are the main aspect
to create better relationship with their customers.
Area: area plays an important role in ICT so that will help in knowing about the demand and
also creates better relationship with their customers that will help in creating a better and
effective bond with their customers and company can know which customer is purchasing and
generates a better relationship in CRM.
1.3 Description of benefits of customer relationship management
Benefits of customer relationship management in Amazon tells that there will be better
relationship with customers and will generate a better revenue for the customers (Nguyen,
Nguyen and Barrett, 2007). There will be increase in sales of the company that will help in
achieving the objectives of the company that will create maximum output of the company. It will

also create a better communication tool that will help in forming a better relationship with
customers and also help in creating benefits to company and customers as well that will help in
creating a bonding with customers and company. It will help in understanding the behaviour of
consumer that will create an better understandability of the customers that what are their wants
and desire according to that company had to generate a better quality in their products that will
help the company to achieve their goals that will create adequate relationship with customers
(Nguyen, Barrett and Nguyen, 2006). By this profitability of the company can be generated and
company can achieve their target as soon as possible so that it will help in generating a better
relationship with customers and hence more revenues can be generated by the customers that will
help in the process of organizational growth as well and will generate better relationship building
with their customer that is target audience.
1.4 Recommendations for the improvement in customer relationship management
Recommendations for improvement in customer relationship management in Amazon is
that there should be proper training of employees in the organization regarding CRM and tell
them the basic uses and how they can implement that will help in making the CRM successful
for the company, creating an CRM software to customers that will help in making the use of
CRM to customer easily and adequately that will make the the use of customers regarding the
feedback how effective and efficient CRM was and will help in generating a profit for the
organization that is Amazon. Helps the company to know the consumer behaviour while they are
purchasing some products and that will help in creating a better relationship with customers and
help in gaining their profit and hence sales of the company will increase effectively and
efficiently to make the company growth suitable and valuable for the company and creates
advancement in technology as well (Nguyen and Nguyen, 2014). It also helps in creating up to
date aspect of the company and will create a day to day updates of sales of a particular product
and hence will generate more profit to company and customers as well that will create better
relationship with customers and company and provide benefits to both of them.
TASK 2
2.1 Stakeholder analysis for a voluntary sector and a public sector organisation
Public Sector: Public sector are those that helps in creating the services of public sector
organization and hence it will help the company achieve the objectives and help in generating

better quality of work and also helps in creating a better communication process to fulfil the
needs of a customers so that it will help in generating profit. Bank of England covered in to the
public sector organisation and they are working as a regulatory body on the banks which are
working in the UK.
Voluntary Sector: It is third party structure that will help the company to fulfil the needs of
customers, it is non profit organization and it is a backbone of diverse nature in which a relevant
information is given to customers so that there can be growth In the economy (Nguyen and
Nguyen, 2010). Diabetes UK is Charity organisation which is working to aware and support
people in UK on this cause. They are having this social cause and they are having their
volunteers to perform activities on the issue.
Stakeholder analysis for the public and voluntary organisations:
Stakeholders in Bank of England(public sector): In this the stakeholders of public sector is
employees, government, family, shareholders and many more that influences the main aspects of
Bank Of England.
Priorities of stakeholders: It tells about the interests and power of the stakeholders that will
help in seeing how stakeholders are in power. Stakeholders are having priorities of good return
on their investment in to the organisation.
Key Stakeholders: This helps the company to know the basic things that what stakeholders want
and what benefits they want in the services. Director, customers and employees are the key
stakeholder of the bank.
Stakeholders in Diabetes UK (Voluntary Sector): In this the third party that is the agent of the
company creates and takes information from customers regarding a particular issue.
Priorities of stakeholders: In this the company form an priority that will be effective for the
customers for company growth.
Key stakeholders: In this customers are the main stakeholders of the company that will help in
creating a knowledge to a company where they are lacking and how to overcome it.
2.2 Description of the nature of the relationships with customers within non profit organisations
In this the relationship with customers tells that company had to generate better resources
for the growth of organization (Nguyen and Nguyen, 2010). It will help to creating a better
knowledge to company that what the customer wants from the company to fulfil their needs and
wants that will generate growth in the organization and it also creates power and interest as

customers are the main aspect that have power that customers will buy a particular product or not
that is the only aspect that tells about the growth of the company and if the company provides a
better services to customers then only it will help the company to create a better relationship with
customers and also helps in fulfilling their objectives and this can be done by the process of
feedback from the employees regarding a particular product. Red Cross is an organisation
working in the social welfare so it is essential for them to manage relationship with their targeted
audience to provide better services to them. They are working in each and every country of the
world and they are having centres in all over the world to provide betters services to them. They
has a proper connection with the local governments to organise their campaigns in the country. It
also creates a consumer behaviour when they buy a particular product that will help in generating
a better quality to customers that will help the company in managing the activities and hence it
will create a better bonding with customers and hence goals of the organization could be fulfilled
(Nguyen and Nguyen, 2012). It also helps in creating a better communication tool with
customers and the company can know their customers well and can provide better services that
will be effective and useful for the customer and which will create customer growth. British
Heart foundation is also working on the non profit sector and they are providing helps and
supports to the patients which are having cardio related problems. So it is essential for the
organisation to manage their relation in the targeted society to provide services to needed.
2.3 Comparison of methods used in marketing within the public, private and voluntary sectors
Public Sector: In public sector marketing could be done by the process of direct marketing,
public relations, mass media that will help in creating the company that is Thomas Cook Group
to understand the the needs of customers and also helps in providing facilities and services to
customers that will help in creating a better bonding with company and customers. In direct
marketing customers see the better quality of product that the company is giving to them that are
the main aspect for every company so that there can be rise in business as well as targets could
be achieved and also creates a better relationship.
Private Sector: In private sector everything is managed by the company and there are no third
party in the organization that will help in creating a better resources of social media that will
create a huge impact where company takes feedback from customers and company improves the
quality of product and hence the product is provided to customers (Nguyen and Nguyen, 2011).

Voluntary Sector: In this type of sector the third party of the company that are agents go to
customers and take feedback regarding the product and in this customers buy a product
according to their quality and pricing that are main aspect of every customer and this will help in
creating a better relationship between customers and company.
Points Public Private Voluntary
Objectives To provide services to
public with a limited
profit
To earn profits by
selling products and
services
To provide services to
the needed with out
any profit
Scope They are having huge
scope to deliver their
services
They are having
comparatively lesser
scope and they are
having target on
particular market
They are having object
to provide services to a
particular needs of the
society
2.4 Explanation of the key issues involved in marketing in a virtual organisation
The key issues that are being involved in marketing is that due to online purchasing of
products this created a great issue and the demand for online marketing had been increased and it
also created e-commerce as well that had been a major issue for the company and also creates a
direct marketing process that had created in which there is direct interaction with suppliers and
by this process and also creates an e-marketing aspect for the customers that made the things
more effective and efficient for customers (Nguyen and Nguyen, 2011). They doesn't have to go
to stores that created a problem for the company and their growth couldn't be done because of
this aspect that will generate a huge loss for the company and hence the demand for product will
decrease and the growth will go down that will be a great problem for the company due to
increase in online marketing and this will create a decrease in number of customers and hence it
will generate more problem for the company and it will decrease the growth scale of the
company. Online purchasing made the customers more advantages like time saving, better
quality and many more aspects that the customers want that all are the issues that had created a
problem for the company. As the E-bay is working in the retail sector so they are having huge

need of the marketing so they are using social media, SEO and e mail marketing tools to make a
promotions of their products and services.
TASK 3
Covered in PPT
TASK 4
Covered in PPT
CONCLUSION
The above presented report is based on the travel tourism sector organisations which are facing
issues in the marketing of the products and services. Companies which are working in the sector
can make a better communication by using IT systems which can help to them to make better
and fast communication with them. So it is essential for the Thomas cook group to increase the
use of IT tools like websites and social media marketing which can help to the companies to
improve their marketing and promotions.

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