There are three components within market orientation that determine how a company will implement a marketing strategy within the competitive environment that it finds itself in:
These components are comprised of the following:
- Customer orientation
- Competitor orientation
- Inter-functional coordination.
When it comes to marketing strategies involving customer orientation, a company utilizes its available resources to gather data on the needs and behaviors of the consumer segment that it is targeting. The same can be said for competitor orientation marketing strategies; however, in this case, it focuses on competitors within the same market instead.
Either method, though, has a distinct weakness; focusing too much on consumer orientation can actually blind a company to changes in the market or may actually stifle innovation since the company focuses too much on consumer satisfaction rather than changing based on trends. Focusing too much on competitor orientation, on the other hand, results in too much time and capital being placed on competitive activities, which results in companies at times neglecting their consumer bases and focusing too much on getting ahead of the competition.
It is based on this and the work of Ferrier that it can be stated that product development within a company should conform to a distinctive type of market orientation where the company focuses on what it believes its strengths are given its current market situation. By doing so, it helps to firmly entrench itself into a market niche which should ensure its continued success and survival.
Developing Information Systems
Information systems can be described as the interface between people, organizations, and technology, enabling the business to accomplish a specific task or action. One example of an information system is the various applications and websites utilized by Amazon in selling products, accepting client payments through credit card processing applications, contacting their warehouses, and shipping bought products to the correct addresses indicated by their consumers.
While this is only one example of the plethora of information systems out there, what must be understood is that information systems act as methods of integration for a company, helping to streamline specific processes so that they can be controlled, influenced, and improved when necessary. Developing proper information systems is an essential aspect for a company, for without it, a company will be unable to properly deal with the buying, selling, and utilization of resources across various locations in the country. Due to the varied and often complicated nature of company operations, it becomes a necessity to streamline and integrate product delivery processes, methods of operation, customer service, and various other operational capacities.
Branch needs it most, how product returns will be processed, and how HR services will deal with salaries for the myriad employees within a company. A company requires an efficient and up-to-date information system in order to integrate the factors mentioned into an efficient and effective operational strategy so as to better serve its clients and reduce the inherent costs of operation.