Evaluating the Work of the Team at Marks and Spencer - Essay Example

?INTRODUCTION service has become one of the most important aspects for any business (LeBoeuf, 2008). Businesses that are able to offer better customer services are able to flourish in this competitive environment (Kotler, & Keller, 2007). If successful businesses are analyzed, then it can be found that businesses that not only concentrate on their products but also focus on their services are able to do well than those that do not emphasize on their services (Kumar, 2008). This therefore highlights the importance of better customer services as better services lead to more satisfied and loyal customers. Marks and Spencer is known to be one of the most reputed retailers of Britain for a long time. The company started its operations in Manchester and it gained trust of the consumers by delivering high quality products and exceptional services. Marks and Spencer has successfully expanded its market and today it has more than 900 retail outlets all over the world. It is also listed in London Stock Exchange. The company however started facing problems relating to its marketing department. Main theme of Marks & Spencer was to provide high quality and innovative products along with exceptional services but the company has started to fail in achieving these objectives because of the wide expansion in their product portfolio. Due to the expansion in the portfolio the company has lost its main objective slightly and because of this reason, competitors are able to grab the opportunity. However, the quality of service has been one of the hallmarks that have helped the company to survive difficult times and make sure that the company is able to do well than its competitors. This report analyses my personal experience that I have gone through during my employment at Marks and Spencer. The report analyses and evaluates not only my experience, but the experience of the overall team with which I was working. The report also highlights the success reasons of the team and the success factors because of which the team was able to accomplish the project appropriately and successfully. The report also presents the scenario and case that Marks and Spencer was facing and how our team helped the company to solve the issue and make sure that the company flourishes. This report also reflects my personal skills that I have developed during the employment period. Moreover, the report also highlights how I have been able to use my marketing concepts and knowledge at the organization that helped Marks and Spencer to achieve its objectives. EVALUATING THE WORK OF THE TEAM Marks and Spencer is a big name in the retail industry of United Kingdom as well as in other European countries. However, the company has been facing different types of issues. Some of the major issues that Marks and Spencer has been facing include: Bad positioning Uncompetitive prices Unavailability of the product in some of the outlets of the company Lack of awareness of the product in the mind of consumers Not focusing on traditional marketing techniques and promotional tools Issues in the Customer services of the company I found the abovementioned issues that have negatively impact the company and its sales over the years. However I was working in the customer services department and therefore the main issues that I have identified in this department include: Proactive customer services Poor presentations Ensuring customer satisfaction level Offering more products to customers or increasing sales per customer As a customer sales representative, I along with my team mates was assigned different tasks to solve the abovementioned issues. Our team was given training in order to improve the customer relationship and build better relations with the customers. Moreover, our team also worked ourselves and formulated different strategies in order to improve the reputation of the retail outlet in which I was working. At Marks and Spencer, employees are given some kind of freedom on how to satisfy the customers however they are given a broad outline of how to go about the task. So our customer relationship management team had some kind of flexibility to satisfy the customers. Our team members formulated different strategies such as greeting the customers, try to know about the customer, and try to know about the customers’ taste and their preferences by observing what they are wearing and what kind of clothing they are trying at the retail outlet. In addition to this, we planned to go beyond the expectations of the consumer in order to satisfy them. After few months, we found that there has been a constant increase in the turnover of the consumers and some of our customers also referred others to visit our retail outlet. This helped our outlet as well as our company. ANALYZING THE CASE At Marks and Spencer, there have been some concerns regarding the services few years back. This negatively influenced the company. However the problem was identified in only some of the retail outlets of the company. Therefore the management also focused more on the customer services at different retail outlets as this is an important aspect of customer relationship management. The management therefore started offering training to different representatives to improve the quality of service. Our retail outlet also had planned some strategies along with the strategies that were formulated by the top management. By implementing these strategies, our team was able to achieve our goals successfully. The overall management had formulated broader strategies whereas each of the retail outlets had formed more specific strategies in order to achieve the objectives of improving the customer loyalty and customer satisfaction. This situation has helped us in improving our own skills as well as in improving the quality of the services offered by the company. The new strategies implemented by the company helped in better managing the customers and improving the sales from the customers. REFLECTION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS The overall working experience at Marks and Spencer has been very exciting and a learning experience. I have been able to use and develop different types of skills at the organization. Not only I have learnt about marketing and customer relationship, but working at the organization has helped me in becoming a better person. Marks and Spencer and its management have helped the whole team in improving their skills by offering training. Working at the organization has helped me in different types of skills such as managing and handling of different types of customers, time management, working in teams, identifying the needs and wants of the consumers in a better way, how to satisfy the customers and how to go beyond the expectations of the consumers, communication skills and several other skills that are not only important for this job but for the future jobs as well. In addition to this, our team has realized the importance of satisfying the customers. All the trainings have focused on offering better quality services and have realized the importance of ensuring customer satisfaction. APPLICATION OF MARKETING KNOWLEDGE It is important for every student to apply the marketing concepts and knowledge that have been gained. By practically applying the theories and knowledge, one is able to better understand the concepts and knowledge. During my employment at Marks and Spencer, I have been able to use different types of marketing knowledge and terms in practical. At the organization, different types of marketing terms and concepts have been used such as customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, consumer behavior, customer relationship, customer relationship management, wants and needs of the consumers and several others. There have been different marketing concepts and terms that have been used in practically at the organization. Previously I have only studied about the concepts and theories and gained these knowledge, however my job at the organization helped me in better understanding of what these terms actually mean and how efficient these terms are. In addition to this, by having the practical experience of working at the organization I have been able to better understand these terms. By knowing and analyzing these terms practically I would be able to retain these concepts in future. Thus this job would also help me in helping me in the years to come. CONCLUSION The report has presented my personal experience of working at the organization. The report also has evaluated the working experience at the organization and the situation that I have faced during this time period. One of the main issues that Marks and Spencer facing was related to customer services. The management focused on this issue and it offered training to the retail outlet staff. . Me and my unit learned and also tried to implement the marketing factors which needs to be looked at for a prosper future. One important thing and the most basic thing are identifying customer and their tastes and preferences which differs from place to place and not only this but a continuous change in trend makes a customer more demanding. The role of managing customers is highly important for every business and it can be said for Marks and Spencer as well. References Kotler, P. & Keller, K.L. (2007). Marketing Management. (International Edition). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Kumar, V. (2008). Managing Customers for Profit. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc. LeBoeuf, M. (2008). How to win Customers and Keep them for Life. Revised Edition. Cambridge: Berkley Trade. Read More