Bhm206 Services Marketing: Campaign For Assessment Answers

Answer:

Introduction

Elephant corridor hotel is an Indian based restaurant located in Sri Lankan, established by Jerad Welupillay. The restaurant is developed in the middle of an animal park, which brings out its nature and human harmony theme. It offers accommodation, Gym services, pools and spa for massage services, with additional outdoor activates and event hosting like weddings, outdoor catering, company promotions, executive meeting halls, and activates like bike riding and arrow game. The services are blended with a well-defined menu, which incorporates the local and international dishes that define the restaurant from its competitors, for example, the mud crab curry, hoppers kotatsu and the tandoori dishes. And unique desserts such as Wat alap pan. Elephant corridor serves cocktail as well.

Business Overview

Strengths

The restaurant management and set up is well defined in understanding the local culture, with regards to the type of dishes served, services offered and

The restaurant's setup is built in a manner that it is able to cater for everyone in the society. This is portrayed by the fact that it can accommodate different, age sets, social class, and culture diversity with all having a package that fits them and their needs.

The Elephant Corridor Hotel is very strategic in terms of accessibility. This is because of the Train and Bus stations terminals available at close range, and more so the fact that the hotel is situated at the center of a commercial activity area, boosting its operations by providing a different environment and ambiance to its customers.

The type of dishes served at the restaurant are unique from the competitors around the area, giving the hotel a boost for its target market, which is later credited by the high quality of service offered by the restaurant staff.

The restaurant brags of a strong image from the community and the international stage.

The pricing at the restaurant is very moderate with regards to the services and facilities, compared to other service providers in the same industry.

Well-constructed structures, high levels of cleanliness and modern technology implementation, in terms of bookings and reservations.

Weaknesses

 Though the restaurant has a lot of customers, their parking lot is very limited to accommodate the number of large customer base and more so that the parking area is very insecure.

The services provided though it is of high quality, they are very slow causing unnecessary delays because of the limited number of staffs in the restaurant.

Some of the listed items on the menu at the Elephant Corridor Hotel are not always available all the time, leading to customer dissatisfaction.

Opportunities

The restaurant's brand name is well established in the region which lowers the competition stiffness with local rivals.

The fact that the nearby towns are very commercialized and business oriented. The restaurant can use the advantage to reach out to more customers in the center.

There is room for the restaurant's extension, by the fact that the restaurant has a lot of fee land to construct new amenities and improve its services.

Availability of cheap supplies for the local people and its accessibility in terms of connectivity. For example through road and railway.

Threats

New developing hotels in the area pose a stiff competition, for the restaurant in terms of pricing and dishes served that provide alternatives.

Take away shops that offer quick customer services and free delivery for the same target market as the Elephant Corridor Hotel aims.

Low employee productivity as the workers are reluctant in performing their regular duties. Causing delays and loss of customers

The restaurant also faces a lot of difficulty in attracting new customers for its development purposes.

Target market

The primary target market for the Elephant Corridor Hotel is families/ couples who are on vacation, business people around the area for dining services and any kind of events that requires an outdoor setting.

Demographic and psychographic aspect towards the target market

Elephant Corridor Hotel caters for the family /couple vacations by providing reasonable pricing for the modern menu dish list and services offered, so as to accommodate the more people and mostly bring up the idea of trying new things like food and fun activities, without filling the pitch in payment. It also caters of the relaxation mood for the couple and families by providing, a formal sports bar, well-fitted television and the internet in every accommodation room, private and secludes rooms out in the parks, with modern gym facilities and well-trained spa employees for the massage services. In addition, it also provides bonding and competitive activities like bike riding, pool tables, hiking and swimming

The restaurant also builds the relaxation atmosphere for the target market by providing well-lit accommodation and dining rooms; the nature blended environment, and the ample space in terms of dining tables, furniture in the chamber, and the distance between the accommodation rooms (Dutta-Bergman, (2006).

Unique selling proposition for the Elephant Corridor Hotel

Strahilevitz, (2003) argues that with the high competition comes the defining aspect for every business and for Elephant Corridor Hotel, the expertise in the menu list offered at the hotel is one of a kind. The dishes served at the restaurant consist of the local cultural dishes that are rare to find for example the Deviled Sweet and Sour Fish Curry Sri Lankan Dhal Curry and the Cheese Knott just to name a few,.With modern and international dishes also served. Also, the service provided at the restaurant is of high quality, for well-trained employees and a well-managed customer service desk to help customers build a contentment filling for every service rendered.

Above all the restaurant appreciates its loyal customers by providing incentives and discounts on all services or products purchased from the second visit to the restaurant. With redeemable points gathered on every activity engaged in at every time spent at the restaurant, with the redeemable points able to guarantee a free fully catered for vacation at the Elephant Corridor Hotel depending on the number of points gathered. The whole unique selling proposition for the restaurant helps in building a better customer relation and building a larger network of clients. Based on the fact that content customers tend to refer their colleagues more frequently to the same place (Strahilevitz, (2003).

Campaign objectives

Increasing the dinner services- the primary purpose is to increase the number of customers in the evening, in the restaurant so as to increase revenue. The campaign will try to wash out the idea that the Elephant Corridor Hotel is just a vacation and event restaurant from the community and the target market at large (Cravens, & Piercy, (2006).).

Increase the quality of service provided- this is to maintain that all customers are content with the service and product provided by the restaurant.

Manage the Elephant Corridor Hotel brand name- this is to give the diner a deferent perception from the public so that they can view the restaurant as a classic, affordable and accommodative space to spend time. As opposed to the current status of expensiveness from the local people.

Promote local vocation interest- this will be to motivate the Indian citizens of the importance of vocations, their cost, and the impacts they have on family and couples in the long run.

Develop an alliance with the local event managers- this will be a move to help increase event services by partnering with the managers and offering discounts for any successfully developed event. For example promotions, weddings, conference meetings, and beauty events. 

Campaign plan

The campaign scheme will start by first briefing every member of the Elephant Corridor Hotel, about the intended Campaign and its intentions or objectives. For instance what will be or is the restaurant's theme and how will the stakeholders have to do to achieve the themes image?, what will the marketing Campaign plan cost the restaurant, and what ways can each individual do to help reduce the cost? And what are the core improvement areas?

Campaign plan strategy- this will be the next step, where the restaurant's stakeholders will come up with the best way to market the services and product. The conclusion will be achieved with regards to the cost of the strategy, its effectiveness and time take to develop it and reach out to the target market, with analysis of the level of impact the strategy will have to the restaurant.

Implement the plan- after consideration on the best strategy and how to implement it. The Campaign team will apply the proposed strategy. For example the advertisement strategy and word of mouth which are the best Campaign plan methods. This is because of the cost efficient and high impact in reaching out to the target market.

The word of mouth Campaign will be implemented on a special occasion for example where the management team will have to negotiate with the local event managers on the best way to engage in the proposed business strategy, and how to share the profits. The method will also apply to customers on a”tell a friend to tell a friend basis.” While the advertisement will be held on televisions, billboards, printed shopping bags, social media, radio and the restaurant's website. The advertisements will be based on the services offered by the restaurant, the cost, discounts available for example a family dinner will be cheaper that an individual dinner service. Also, the adverts will showcase the importance of vacations and the advantages of using the Elephant Corridor Hotel services and products compared to the other competitors in the industry. In accordance with the advertisement message, graphic images of the meals prepared by the restaurant chefs, the facilities available, for example, the gym, spa, and the pool. The location of the restaurant, working hours, price ranges, and the free services like Wi-Fi and parking will also be highlighted. So as to create a vivid image of the restaurant to the target market. And also to supplement, in relation to the fact that pictures speak louder than words.

Campaign execution

For the marketing campaign plan to be useful to the restaurants highlighted needs. The following issues will have to be addressed before the campaign plan (Hutt, et al. (2005).

1) Update the restaurant's website in accordance with the new marketing strategy, in terms of graphic images, the restaurant's theme, the cost and all the issues that will feature in the campaign plan

2) Improve the number of employees in all the departments, so as to increase service delivery and its efficiency.

3) Expand the parking lot so as to accommodate more customers in the area, and more so to reduce the complaints that the clients had previously highlighted

4) Enhance the number of dishes served in the restaurant, by introducing new and unique food types on the restaurant menu.

5) Improve on the security measures provided by the Elephant Corridor Hotel With regards to parking lot security, security checks, and safety available on the restaurant's premises. For the customers to fill secure will on the premises.

6) Hold training for all employees in the restaurant on how to communicate, provide service, and work together on a five-star level, for instance by introducing team building lessons.

7) Develop a system that is able to account every customer’s attendance and the services or products purchased at the restaurant’s premises. This move will help notice the royal customers and help the management to appreciate them. For example introducing a smart card for all customers.

8) The management will have to evaluate the SWOT analysis and implement the shortcomings of the restaurant that prevent it from attaining its intended objective, and also taking advantage of the available opportunities available so as to counter competition and stay relevant in the hospitality sector

Campaign evaluation

After the implementation of the listed campaign execution plans and rolling out the campaign plan as scheduled. The process will be evaluated so as to note the progress and impacts attained by the activity in the following ways (Dibb, et al. (2005).

Sales levels- the sales and cost of service provided at the restaurant will be monitored, documented and compared to the level of sales before the marketing campaign kidded off.

Customer reviews- ate the end of the service provided at the end of the vacation, customers will kindly be requested to share their opinion to the restaurant on the kind of service provided, what needs to change and what are the best things that the customer encountered with during their time at the restaurant. The process will be done at the customer's will, and the response will be documented with an anonymous source.

Sales agent response- the sales agents who make the reservations and for the restaurant will be asked of their opinion on the current situation after the marketing plan, was implemented and the changes they are experiencing. This will be done on weekly basis so as to keep up to date with the impacts of the plan

Competitor – an audit will be done on how the competitors in the region or the industry at age will respond to the marketing plan. This will help in providing a better scope of the progress, because if the competitor copies the advertisement strategy, then it will be a clear sign of the impact the marketing plan is having on the industry (Berry, (1995).

Return on investment- the invested money on the marketing plan, will be documented and as progress is noted the restaurant will note if the money has resulted in profits or not. This will be a guide on whether to keep the marketing plan running or to stop it so as to lower the expenses incurred (Singh, et al. (2008).

Expansion- this will be used to note if there is any change in the market share of the restaurant. For example, if the restaurant will increase its international reservation numbers or not, since it will help to evaluate the impact of the marketing plan to the target market and its yields.

Conclusion

The intended marketing campaign for the Elephant Corridor Hotel will go a long way in boosting the operations of the restaurant. This is if effectively implemented according to the campaign objectives, plan, and the evaluation process, with a clear consideration of the highlighted issues, for example, the SWOT analysis, the restaurant is in a position to improve the revenue collected and maintain its status in the hospitality industry.

References

Berry, L. L. (1995). Relationship marketing of services—growing interest, emerging perspectives. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 23(4), 236-245.

Strahilevitz, M. (2003). The effects of prior impressions of a firm's ethics on the success of a cause-related marketing campaign: Do the good look better while the bad look worse. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 11(1), 77-92.

Singh, T., Veron-Jackson, L., & Cullinane, J. (2008). Blogging: A new play in your marketing game plan. Business Horizons, 51(4), 281-292.

Dutta-Bergman, M. J. (2006). The demographic and psychographic antecedents of attitude toward advertising. Journal of Advertising Research, 46(1), 102-112.

Cravens, D. W., & Piercy, N. (2006). Strategic Marketing (Vol. 7). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Hutt, M. D., & Speh, T. W. (2005). & Edition: Business Marketing Management. South-Western Publishing Company.

Dibb, S., Simkin, L., Pride, W. M., & Ferrell, O. C. (2005). Marketing: Concepts and Strategies (p. 850). Houghton Mifflin.