Analysis of Thomas Cook's Marketing Information System Components

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the marketing information system (MIS) employed by Thomas Cook, a multinational travel and tourism company. It begins by identifying the four major components of MIS: internal records, marketing intelligence system, marketing research, and marketing decision support system, and explains how Thomas Cook utilizes each component to gather, process, store, and disseminate data for effective marketing management. The report then evaluates the effectiveness of Thomas Cook's MIS, highlighting its ability to understand consumer needs, facilitate quality decision-making, and monitor market trends. The analysis includes the advantages of the MIS system such as recognizing market changes and providing essential marketing intelligence. The report concludes by assessing the overall effectiveness of the system, emphasizing its role in enabling Thomas Cook to manage promotional tools, adapt to market trends, and make informed decisions. The report also includes references to relevant books and journals that support the analysis.

MARKETING ESSENTIAL

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
DISCUSSION/EVALUATION.......................................................................................................3
1. Identifying how the company is using MIS and its components............................................3
2. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the use of MIS..................................................................5
3. Is it effective or not.................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Marketing information system is an effective tool in marketing that collects, process,
store and disseminate the data in the collective form of information needed to carry out the
functions of management. There are four major components of MIS; Internal records, Marketing
intelligence system, Marketing research, Marketing decision support system. All the components
are interrelated and interdependent. The study of marketing essential is based on Thomas Cook.
Company is a renowned brand in the marketplace and implies the MIS system and the
components effectively. The report will aim to identify that how the company is using MIS and
will critical analyse its key elements.
DISCUSSION/EVALUATION
1. Identifying how the company is using MIS and its components
Thomas Cooks is a multinational travel and Tourism company. The information system
in the industry collects data from external and internal sources of market (Gentile and et. al.,
2017). Marketing manager collects the data and marketing decision maker of Thomas Cook use
the gathered data to identify and solve marketing related issues. The area served by the company
is very wide population wise and service wise, the requirements of consumers may differ from
person to person, for that purpose, organisation implies MIS system in the marketing activity to
understand the need of market.
The components of MIS are categorised in four major parts that used by Thomas Cook in
its marketing activities.

Internal record system
This is the very first component of MIS system that is use by the Marketing Manager of
Thomas Cook to gather information regarding the performance of each and every member. The
internal record system enables marketing manager of the industry evaluate information about the
sales, inventories, costs, service quality, on time services, etc. It helps the company to keep an
eye on what is going on inside the business structure (Jovanović, 2016).
This also use by the company as a marketing tool as the gathered information from within
the company use by the marketing manager to evaluate marketing performance and to detect
issues in marketing and available opportunities. For example; accounting department cost and
sales data used for preparing financial statement need adapting for use in evaluating products and
services, channel performance or sales force.
Marketing Intelligence system
The marketing intelligence system use by Thomas Cook to deal with cost of running a
marketing department and the organisation as whole. The aim of this components is to gather
information from external sources. This help the marketer to gather information regarding the
current marketing environment and changing situations in the marketplace (Li and et. al., 2017).
After the gather information, marketing manager communicate this with the sales department,
Illustration 1: Component of MIS
(Source: Marketing Information System – Definition, Components and Applications, 2018)

production department, service department of the industry to evaluate and arrange the
information in proper order and then finally use by the marketing manager to take the decisions
and make policies regarding marketing. For example; Thomas Cook utilising the system in their
services and gather data related to the consumer's spending habit, state or government
regulations, etc.
Marketing research system
Marketing manager of Thomas Cook conducts marketing research that allow them to find
out what their consumers think of the current trends and understand what their views on certain
items (Mishulin and et. al., 2016). This uses by the industry to understand the gap between
market and services. Marketing manager use this component and gather quantitative information
through survey by personal observation, telephone, etc. and gather qualitative information from
projective test and focus group. After collecting all the data, recommendation are given by the
top management people in the organisation for solving the problem
Marketing models
This component utilise by the industry to analyse data and to take better decisions. They
implement a computer hardware and software programmes that help the marketing manager to
analyse marketing information. There are many software programmes that help the marketing
manager of Thomas Cook to segment the market, fix pricing and in advertising budget. This
model use by the company to get direction regarding marketing decision (Rowley, 2016).
Thomas Cook use time series sales model, Linear programming, etc. Thomas cook adapted
marketing mix in the marketing model for the particular decisions.
The marketing manager categorised the level of decision making that supports by
marketing information system;
 Strategic decision
 Control decision
 Operational decision
2. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the use of MIS
The marketing information system is effective for Thomas Cook in their marketing
activity and to evaluate the promotional efficiency. It has been analyse that it helps the company
to understand the need and wants of their potential consumers and assist them to take appropriate
decisions. The MIS system appears as an effective system for Thomas Cook because marketing

information system present all the gathered data in terms of facts, opinions, views, guidelines
and policies that are necessary to make crucial marketing decisions (Marketing Information
System– Definition, Components and Applications, 2018). The data collected from consumers,
competitors, sales force of the company, etc.
Effectiveness of the MIS system can be evaluate by understanding the benefits it
provides to Thomas Cook. Following are some advantages of MIS system;
 Recognise change: MIS help marketing manager of Thomas Cook to understand the
change in marketplace. Thomas Cook may be handling or marketing a wrong line of
products that make them unable to make profits. It has been stated that a business that is
well equipped with MIS will able to realise that they are require to change the line of
business.
 Quality decision making: In every part of marketing, there is a requirement to make
constant and accurate decisions. Properly designed marketing information system
effectively supplies reliable and related information to the marketing manger of Thomas
Cook (Gentile and et. al., 2017). By using computer and other data processing
equipments, marketing manager can make appropriate decisions at the right time.
 Provide marketing intelligence: With the use of marketing intelligence, marketing
manager of Thomas Cook observe what is happening in the external environment such
as; change in consumer taste, international environment in hospitality and tourism
industry, government policies, etc. and with the help of MIS specialist, it is possible for
the industry to gather marketing intelligence that is essential to make effective marketing
decisions (Jovanović, 2016).
 Monitor market: MIS help the marketing manager of Thomas Cook to understand the
current market trend that can be in respect of product design, price, packaging,
marketing, etc. It helps manager to take effective decisions in all the elements of current
market trend.
Essential requisites of an effective MIS
MIS must be unified and centralised and all the gathered information also required to be
unified and centralised. MIS must facilitate marketing manager of Thomas Cook in decision
making as well as effective MIS must not be very costly that affect the operating cost of an
industry. It should be economical (Li and et. al., 2017). The marketing information system must

able to use new techniques to gather, analyse, store and supply information. The company will be
successful if their marketing manager are future oriented as well as the information system too.
3. Is it effective or not
It is effective for Thomas Cook. The market research provide current trend and
opportunities to the company that is required to address need and want of the market and
accordingly marketing manager take decisions and plan to grab the marketing opportunities. The
effective use of MIS system enable company to manage all the promotional tool for the tourism
services, hospitality services, it provides the foundation for developing information system and
e-commerce strategies (Mishulin and et. al., 2016). As the system help in recognising the current
market trend, manager at all the level and in all the departments of Thomas Cook cooperate and
coordinate with each other and make required changes in their promotional schemes, prices of
services, etc.
For example; the marketing manager evaluate by gathering external sources that trend of
the market is changing in hospitality and tourism industry such as; smart device supported check-
in and check-out facility, on-air services, etc. The industry implements computer based data
storing and managing the information regarding market, consumers, competitors that used by all
the level of management for marketing plans, policies and strategies (Rowley, 2016).
A problem analysed through marketing information system in Thomas Cook such as;
brand positioning for that the solution has been analysed and considered by the marketing
manager is that they are require new global marketing campaign. The worldwide campaign
brought back the roots of Thomas Cook (Gentile and et. al., 2017).
CONCLUSION
From the present study it has been summarised that MIS plays an essential role in
marketing activity of hospitality and travel industry. It is important factor in growth of business
as it helped the company in make marketing decisions for increased competition and
environmental changes that affect the consumers. It has been analysed as life blood of marketing
in the industry. It is becoming essential for the marketing manager to have up-to-date
information to carry out its tasks. The computer based MIS is more effective as the data can be
store for long term safely that help the company understand what information they gather in the
past.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Gentile, C. and et. al., 2017. Method and system for retrieving information using serialized
scannable codes.
Jovanović, V., 2016. The application of GIS and its components in tourism. Yugoslav Journal of
Operations Research. 18(2).
Laudon, K. C. and Laudon, J. P., 2016. Management information system. Pearson Education
India.
Li, Y. and et. al., 2017. The concept of smart tourism in the context of tourism information
services. Tourism Management. 58. pp.293-300.
Mishulin, G. M. and et. al., 2016. Integrated Marketing Information and Communication System:
New Quality of the Communication Interaction. International Review of Management
and Marketing. 6(6S).
Rowley, J., 2016. Information marketing. Routledge.
Online
Marketing Information System– Definition, Components and Applications. 2018. [Online].
Available Thorugh:<https://datasagar.com/2018/01/14/marketing-information-
systemmkis-definition-components-and-applications/>.