Evaluating the Impacts of Different Promotion Methods on Increasing Sales in Alounak Restaurant - Case Study Example

Evaluating the impacts of different promotion methods on increasing sales in Alounak Restaurant Katarzyna Maria Wisniewska LON1202066 November 2012 Chapter 5: Discussions 5.1. Introduction This chapter will involve the comparison between findings of this research and literature review. The influence of advertisement to patrons will be discussed, comparing what was found during the research with the existing literature. The impact of personal sales and public relations will be compared in terms of the existing literature and the outcome during the research period. Lastly, sales promotion will be analysed and compared with the existing literature. 5.2. Comparing the Effect of advertisement findings with literature The findings have affirmed that advertisement as an influence on customers. According to Bruggen (2009) an advertisement has an impact on consumers’ attitudes towards a product that is being advertised. In these findings, most findings showed that most customers who had patronized the restaurant had seen the advertisement more than thrice. This means the advert f the company had changed the social attitude, ascriptions and behaviours towards the restaurant. An advertisement plays an important role to influence people to purchase a product It is an essential tool for positively transforming competitive advantages of enterprises by increasing their interactivity as well as flexibility with the potential and existing customers.(Trampe, Stanel, Siero and Mulder, 2010). Levine (2003) says that this ad communicates important information about the product and more than that manufactures its brand identity well. Consumers seeing this ad will become aware that there is a new product called "Just the Best" made of fresh ingredients, coming in three flavours and sold in quart sized containers in supermarkets. Beyond factual information, the ad also conveys the feeling of nostalgia associates itself with something the consumer already known and trusts subconsciously. This makes the message that follows more believable. The finding shows that 87% of the customers who patronized the restaurant stated that they had seen advertisements and was appealing to them. This is in line with what Trampe, et al, (2010) had stated. Advertising is the most popular way sellers use to influence the decisions of their target clientele (Levine, 2003). The literature founded advertisements approaches are likely to provide a technique for extrapolating compensatory desires onto the advertisement scenes. Besides, complex advertisements may create more awareness to the audience on stimulus qualities incorporated in them. Individuals’ receptions to images and words vary with the perceived message conveyed via the advertisement (Mitchell, 1993). The findings showed that most people were influenced by adverts in Television sets and training grounds as compared to the radio and brochures. This means that the TV and training adverts an important role in determining their ability to patronize the restaurant. According to Mitchell, 1993 images create a picture of a product of a customer thus advertisements made in social media, billboards are more informative to the customers as compared to advertisements that are not pictorial. This has been confirmed by the findings where most respondent preferred adverts which were made on billboards and social media. The attractiveness in advertising has a greater and more positive impact on the purchase decision making process of consumers. When consumers see an advertisement depicting an attractive model or celebrity, they will first contemplate whether the advertisement and the endorser are keeping with their perceptions of the product and of the personality that motivates them. If they develop positive feelings about the advertisement because of the attractiveness of the advertisement they will associate themselves with the beautiful model in the advertisements and will relate with her emotionally or with other relationships depending on the kind of aspirations they have. In being motivated by seeing such an advertisement with the attractive face, consumers will appear to be cheerful and happy and may consider making the purchase because it will satisfy their urge to associate with the brand ambassador in the advertisement. Most researchers have held that physically attractive models and endorsers enhance the effectiveness of advertisements. 5.2.1 Reasons for differences of Effect of advertisement findings with literature There is little difference between findings and literature review. The differences arose due to the fact that the target population was small and was specifically to the restaurant. Bothe the findings and literature review have indicated that attractiveness of an advert influences the customers behaviour towards a product. The customers are also influenced by a type of media that is used in advertising the product. According to literature review and the findings of this research most customers will tend to purchase a product whose advert they have seen more than once. 5.3. Comparing the Personal Sales Employed By the Company with Literature Review The findings have also confirmed the literature assertions that personal sales employed by the company, has an influence on the customer ability to patronize the restaurant again. The customers who were happy with the services of the restaurant rated employees high. According to Ferrell et al (2010) the altitude portrayed by the employees toward the customer during service delivery is much contributed by the culture held within that organization. Depending on the mode of service delivery, it creates a customer satisfaction level. This because it is face to face activity customers receive a high level of personal attention can be customized to meet customer needs. Sales teams can promptly and directly respond to customer queries and all technical and complex information of the product can be conveyed immediately. Direct meeting with customers allows sales people to demonstrate the product and frequent meetings with customers enable sales people to establish rapport and long term relationship with customers (Ferrell & Hartline, 2010). Sales promotions seek to stimulate immediate interest and purchase among the target customers (Ferrell & Hartline, 2010). The methods used in the sales promotions in the restaurants include point-of-sales since it frequented by people from the target population. This level can dictate whether customer are retained or lost (Ferrell & Hartline, 2010). The results of the research indicated that those customers who rated the staff highly were likely to recommend the restaurant to others. Thus, enhanced customer services are one vital facet of ensuring increased levels of customer satisfaction. 5.3.1. Reasons for similarities of Personal Sales The target population was small thus can not represent the market well. Ultimately, customer satisfaction influences the profitability of a company. Like in the literature review the restaurant also engages in fair prices for its sales promotion and incentives. This has led to higher bargaining power and hence improved the company’s corporate image and performance. However it also argued that the satisfaction of the customer is directly due to the perception received from a transaction. Customer satisfaction has also been found to increase the scale of the relationship between a customer and the company. Thus a customer satisfied with a brand means that the customer feels that the value obtained from one brand is essentially greater compared to other brands. Because of this a company’s profit is increased due to enhance revenues and decreased cost, among many others. Costs are further reduced if a brand manages to retain customers. 5.4. Comparing the Public Relations in the findings and literature The findings indicate the restaurant will relied on the expertise of employees to have positive image of the company and its products to the public. This will involved the welcoming of customers and co-operating with them. This has been described as described the employees are welcoming and cooperative. Individuals change their attitudes, thoughts, and behaviour because of the experience they encounter while making their purchases, they ultimately make purchase decisions that are mostly influenced by this very reason. In particular, the aim of the public relation’s aspect is to promote harmonious relations between the company and its stakeholders, and this will be achieved through regular communication from the company to the public (Ferrell & Hartline, 2010). Literature review shows that interpersonal communication is an issue that hinders success of any organization. As a result of higher magnitude and complexity of interpersonal relationship, the restaurant has master principle accurately and effectiveness. It appears the front office manager has made it clear to the staff how to treat their customers. This has enhanced by portraying politeness when dealing with the client. Finally, as addressed in the literature review the main objective of having politeness towards clients is to maintain them. Their maintenance will result to increase in profit margin. This being the main aim, front office manager is recommended to ensure that every staff member is conscious and clearly understands objectives and goals of the restaurant. He should make them understand that the main objective of this hotel is to have many customers in order to make high profits. To enhance this, they should have proper engagement with their clients. This will make them have the courtesy while dealing with customers (Kimpakorn & Dimmitt, 2007). The findings show that there is a direct marketing initiative to communicate directly with its target customers. This has created good image of the restaurant in the eyes of the customers. 5.4.1. Reasons for similarities of Public Relations by restaurant with literature review Channels of communications are very important in any public relations to be effect. In the case at hand it may appear that the experience of the staff and effective channels of communication resulted have resulted to positive attitude towards the restaurant. It must be kept in mind that the staffs of the restaurant was highly competent personnel and had commendable past performances. A brand is designed to assist target consumers in identifying a product from its competitors by creating a relationship between the needs of the consumer and the product. The restaurant has managed to develop its brand by prepositioning itself by having a good public relationship policy where the customers’ needs are attended to immediately. 5.8. Chapter Summary The results show that there is a positive correlation between the predictor and outcome, and that customer satisfaction is positively influenced by some factors. The best way to influence behaviour is to begin from the point of personal experience, getting the views of some one regarded as an expert or in a situation where one considers the outcome as favourable. The overall impact of the advertising and service delivery is undeniable. Advertising effectively uses the socio-cultural forces prevalent in the present day market. List of References Bruggen, E., 2009. The impact of endorsers’ attractiveness on male advertisement evaluations, arno.unimaas.nl/show.cgi. Accessed on 29 February, 2012. Ferrell, O. C., & Hartline, M., 2010. Marketing Strategy. Mason: Cengage Learning. Jæger, M.M., 2011. "A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever"? Returns to Physical Attractiveness over the Life Course. Aarhus University, Vol. 89 Issue 3, p983-1003, 21p Johnson, S. K., Podratz, K. E., Dipboye, R. L., & Gibbons, E., 2010. Physical Attractiveness Biases in Rating of Employment Sutability: Tracking Down the “Beauty is Beastly” Effect. Journal of Social Psychology, 150(3), 301-318. Kimpakorn, N., & Dimmitt, N., 2007. Employer Branding: The Perspective of Hotel Management in the Thai Luxury Hotel Industry. Australasian Marketing Journal, 15 (3), 49-68. Levine, M., 2003. A Branded World: Adventures in Public Relations and the Creation of Superbrands. John Wiley and Sons, 2003 Nothhaft, H., 2010. Communication management as a second-order management function: Roles and functions of the communication executive - results from a shadowing study. Journal of Communication Management, 14 (2), 127 - 140. Scott, D. M., 2010. The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use Social Media, Blogs, News Releases, Online Video, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly (2nd ed.). Wiley. Trampe, D., Stanel, D. A., Siero, F. W., & Mulder, H., 2010. Beauty as a tool: the effect of model attractiveness, product relevance, and elaboration likelihood on advertising effectiveness. 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