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Public Policy and Marketing - II
Highlights
We are discussing public policy and marketing. Last week we had discussed the role of the government and partly discussed the role of the companies in marketing the products. In this concluding article we will discuss the rest of the companies’ responsibilities and wind up by discussing the customer’s role in public policy and marketing.
We are discussing public policy and marketing. Last week we had discussed the role of the government and partly discussed the role of the companies in marketing the products. In this concluding article we will discuss the rest of the companies’ responsibilities and wind up by discussing the customer’s role in public policy and marketing.
Spurious products: No company shall make or market spurious products. It will also not allow misuse of its company's name and brand by others to market spurious products. Silently watching other's market spurious products is also considered a crime.
Fake products: No company shall make or market products that have names and sound like popular brands like "Suun Light" for "Sun Light", "Niki" for "Nike" or "Lacaste" for "Lacoste"
No fake surveys: It has been noticed that companies conduct fake marketing surveys. This is called sugging and it is illegal. The modus operandi is to serve a questionnaire and try to sell the product if the respondent shows positive attitude.
Transparency: There should be transparency in marketing products. There is a raging controversy about the ingredients of soft drinks in many countries. The way the marketers of these products are combating this issue leaves a lot to be desired.
Give total information: The best way out of tricky problems is to offer total information about the issue and let the customer decide. David Ogilvy, the advertising guru had said "the customer is not a moron; she is your mother, wife or daughter". Don’t ever under estimate the intelligence of the customer.
No fake discounts: It has been noticed that the companies enhance the price of the product and then give the increased price off as discount. This type of fake discounts should be discouraged.
No discrimination: No company shall discriminate among its customers based on colour, caste, creed, religion and on geography.
Market products that provide tangible benefits: Companies should try to sell or market only those products that offer a genuine benefit to the customers. Often it has been seen that companies market products that offer no tangible benefit and which encourage wasteful expenditure.
No forced sale: No company will sell a product by force. The days of hard sell are gone and now it is the era of the soft sell or relationship marketing. Make the customer a partner in the business and that would make the business grow.
Exact quantity: All companies will sell or market the product with the quantity that is specified on the package. There have been many instances where the companies have marketed products with 10% less quantity than what is mentioned on the package or made the package big to make it appear as if the material inside is more. Such types of dubious activities should be stopped by the companies.
The final player in the marketing process and the king is the customer. Let us examine his/her role:
Caveat emptor: Let the buyer beware. This is the caveat on which marketing hinges on. Let the buyer beware and let the buyer be aware. It is his money that is exchanging hands. So he should be careful in selecting the right product and paying the right price and check if the product is of right quality.
Use the product correctly: It is the responsibility of the customer to use the product correctly to enhance the life of the product and to ensure that he gets full satisfaction.
Damage and claim the discount: It has been noticed that the customers deliberately damage the product in the store and then claim discount. Such unethical practices should not be encouraged by the customer.
Extra warranty: Some customers argue and try to get extra warranty/guarantee than what is due to him. Customers should understand and agree to the warranty terms before the purchase transaction and not after the purchase.
Create deliberate service problems: Some customers tend to harass the company service executives by making repeated calls complaining about the product’s non-performance. It is better that the customers try trouble shooting (preliminary fault analysis) themselves before calling in for company's help.
Not ask for extra and more discounts: Customers ask for discounts that are too much to bear for the company. The company might even give the discount to make the sale. This way the customers are bleeding the company and not allowing it any healthy profit margin needed for the company to survive.
Discourage fake products: It is imperative that the customers don't buy fake products knowingly. Buying of fake products damages the companies’ bottom line and bleeds the national economy. The makers of fake products don't pay any taxes and don’t contribute in any way to the exchequer.
Discourage pirated products: Customers buy pirated products as they are cheap and are easily available. We have to remember that once the pirated products are bought in big volumes the supply of originals will cease as there is no incentive for the manufacturer to come out with new products.
Claim extra or what is not available: Frequently consumers buy the products and later give it back to the company saying that some features are not available. It is the responsibility of the consumer to check all aspects of the product and only then make the purchase.
Be courteous to the sales executives: It is very churlish to misbehave with the sales executives. Consumers should understand that sales people are very knowledgeable and in many cases can solve problems and can give valuable suggestions.
Give correct information when asked: Surveys are frequently conducted by the companies and in these surveys they solicit information from the consumers. It is very important that the consumers take these surveys seriously and give correct and factual information. Surveys are one of the means of improving products and services and the fruits of research will be passed onto the customer in the form of better products and lower prices.
The right to choose: The consumers have a right to choose and they should exercise this right. They should shop around, compare the different products that are available and then decide. Consumers also have a right to information and they should demand that the company marketing the product furnish them with full information before they make a decision.
The right not to buy: Consumers should be aware that buying the product is voluntary and there is no force. They should exercise this right and not buy if they are not totally satisfied with the product.
Right to redress: Inevitably when the product is bought and used there will be some dissatisfaction. There should be a clear cut path or process of redressal of complaints. Consumers should not take anything lying down. They should be vigilant and should strongly protest about bad products or service.
Right to safety: Consumers have a right to safety and they should ensure by making the companies know that they value safety. Once the companies know that safety is of high priority then emphasis would be placed in marketing safe products.
Remember that products have to be used before complaining about their non-performance: This is a very important point. There have been cases where the consumers have complained that the product is not working. When checked it was found that the consumers have not plugged the machine into the electrical supply!
Use the product to the full life cycle: Consumers should use the product till it is fully exhausted. They should not fall into the company's trap of frequently trying to upgrade their products. Called product obsolescence this is a ploy by marketers to make customers aspire for newer products even when existing products have utility and are perfectly functional. For examples: Introducing newer models of mobile phones.
Recycle old products: World is rapidly getting degraded and polluted. Consumers should be vigilant not to spoil it any further. They should try to recycle products as much as possible especially paper and plastic.
Read the instructions carefully: Consumers have to read the instructions that are given in the instruction manual carefully before using the product. Reading the instructions will ensure that they use the product correctly and to the full extent. Also in many cases warranty or guarantee is invalidated if the product is not used as specified.
Demand and keep the bill: Demand a bill, as taking the bill will ensure that the VAT (Value Added Tax) paid by the consumer will reach the government. If the consumer does not take a bill the VAT that is being collected will not reach the government. Also the bill is a legal entity and it will ensure justice in case of faulty product or any other claim that has to be settled legally.
By:Dr M Anil Ramesh
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