Indian Logistics Industry to Grow To

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    . Indian logistics industry to grow to $125 billion by 2010newsWith India's gross domestic profit (GDP) growing at over

    9 per cent per year and the manufacturing sector enjoying double digit growth rates, the Indian logistics industry is at an

    inflection point, and is expected to reach a market size of over $125 billion in year 2010.

    CourierA courier is a person or company employed to

    deliver messages, packages and mail.distinguished from ordinary mail services by features such

    as speed, security, tracking, signature, specialization and individualization of services, andcommitted delivery times, which are optional for most everyday mail services. couriers are

    usually more expensive than usual mail services

    6. Introduction to Courier IndustryTill 1980, dependent on Post-office for Mail transfer.Then,

    private players relieved us from the dependent on Post-office.And promised to deliver documents

    Faster and safer.Today industrys 40% growth per annum. (Total Industry Rs.7000 Cr.

    )Dominant players are Blue Dart, DHL, SkyPAK, Elbee and Speed Post.

    Gati Door to Door Courier (Freight Calculation):

    -165 Kg times freight to Ahmedabad from Mumbai Rs. 8.50 per Kg = Rs. 1403-Add Risk on value = 0.3 % of declared value (minimum = Rs. 100)

    -Add Docket charges Rs. 175

    -Diesel Price Adjustment = 20 % = Rs. 351

    -Service Tax 12 % = Rs. 251

    Total = Rs. 2279

    Charges and Rates:

    Courier rates in India are subject to weight of the mail and goods. e.g. a parcel weighing 500 grams

    to be sent within the intra zone costs almost 40 Rs ($ 1) whereas, for inter zone it will be charged

    around 80 Rs ($ 2). There is a high possibility of the rates being increased substantially and varies

    between different companies.

    India is seeing increased activity in the air express market with FedEx, UPS and DHL focusing on

    India with services and products.

    When reviewing your existing customers you need to consider:

    How will you target the right people?

    How can you promote your products? Options might include advertising, direct marketing,exhibiting at trade fairs, PR or marketing on the web.

    What is the best way of distributing and selling your products? For example, you might aim to sell directly to a few key business customers, or to sell to

    the general public through retailers.

    Begin your Courier Service marketing strategy document with an honest and rigorous SWOTanalysis

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    Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats.

    First make a list of specialist skills in what you do.

    Strengths e.g. personal and flexible customer service Weaknesses - e.g. inefficient accounting systems imited financial resources lack of an

    established reputation. Opportunities - e.g. increased demand from a successful customer using the Internet to

    reach new markets new technologies that allow you to improve product quality.

    Threats - e.g. the emergence of a new competitor, more sophisticated, attractive orcheaper versions of your product or service, new legislation increasing your costs or adownturn in the economy - reducing overall demand

    Courier Service Marketing Strategy

    One of the most essential things that will be a factor towards the long-term sustainable success of yourCourier Service business is setting out and implementing a successful Courier Service marketing strategy.

    Despite this, most Courier Service businesses do not have set out their Courier Service marketing strategy or,even if they do, it is not followed and implemented comprehensively. Courier Service businesses that have the

    vision to create a vibrant, customer-focused marketing strategy, and the resolve to implement it, will have areal opportunity to do something wonderful with their business.

    If you set out your Courier Service marketing strategy properly you will create the 'buzz' that will set youapart from your competitors.

    US Business Plans provides aCourier

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    UK Business Plans provide aCourier

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    A2Z Business Plansprovides a

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    Having a Courier Service marketing strategy is different to having a marketing plan. A marketing

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    strategy involves choosing a realistic, measurable and ambitious goal that you think your Courier Servicebusiness can achieve on a sustainable basis. Each marketing tactic you use should be 100% focused onreaching and surpassing that overall goal.

    A marketing plan includes all of the tactics and actions that are designed to achieve the overall strategic goal,and a timetable for their implementation. In other words, the plan will detail what you will do to make thestrategy happen.

    The vast majority of businesses in all sectors market themselves the same way as their competitors, withsupply-driven marketing messages based on product features, unappealing websites and bland straplines andstatements about what their Courier Service business does.

    They do this because it is easy. Courier Service business owners know their products and services better thananyone else. As a result, they promote themselves in terms that they understand but their customers don't.They also do it because they look at what their competitors are doing and fall into the trap of doing the samethings, instead of differentiating themselves and creating a unique selling proposition (USP) that gives them areal competitive edge.

    Choosing The Right Courier Service Marketing Strategy

    Competitive advantage can be achieved by choosing a marketing strategy that will provide the edge that setsyour Courier Service business apart from everyone else. There is no magic formula for doing this. You cannotjust import or implant an off-the-shelf strategy into a business. It is down to you to choose and define yourCourier Service marketing strategy in your own business situation.

    There are a number of key principles you can follow to help you choose the right strategy:

    Knowing exactly who your customers or target prospects are and where they are located. Understanding exactly what your target customers want and need, why they need it, how they need it

    and when they need it.

    Being confident enough to develop or create a USP that you can offer to fulfil your customers' needscompletely.

    Refining your strategy based on what you learn while testing your proposition in your chosen market. Implementing your USP and ensuring that it is articulated in all of your marketing messages, campaigns

    and sales channels.

    Recognizing when your proposition is working and marketing it fast, first and aggressively in yoursector to achieve an unassailable lead over your competitors.

    Deciding On Your Strategic Goals

    Every Courier Service business will have different strategic objectives for its own specific situation. No matterhow high you set your sights, your Courier Service marketing strategy will drive everything that your CourierService business does to achieve that objective.

    Whether you are aiming to double turnover in 12 months, maximize the value of your business in 3 years in

    order to sell it, or to double your market share in 6 months, you will improve your chances of achieving thesegoals by implementing a well thought-out marketing strategy.

    With your business' marketing efforts accurately aimed and completely focused on the needs of the targetmarket, you are far more likely to succeed.

    Getting Your Market Strategy Right

    In the early 2000s, everyone spoke about the importance of being market-led. But today market conditionschange much faster due to technology, fashions and media influences, as well as customers' tastes. The 21st-

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    century marketeer who wants to succeed will do so only by making the right choice of target market, andthen focusing everything the Courier Service business does on providing unique value and benefits to meetthe needs of that chosen market better than the competition.

    How Long Should You Retain Your Strategy?

    Your Courier Service business and your Courier Service marketing strategy cannot stand still. What is uniquetoday is widespread tomorrow and unwanted the day after that. So the vital ingredient in a truly dynamicmarketing strategy is to strive continually to discover new and better ways to add value to your customers,and keep your proposition unique in your chosen market.

    Every single time you put your strategy into action you will learn something new about your customers' needsand whether your proposition is right for them. The implementation of your Courier Service marketingstrategy should be a continuous process of creating a proposition to satisfy your customers. This involvestesting it and learning from it by recognizing what is right and doing more of it, or changing what is wrong assoon as you realize it isn't working.

    Courier Service Business Plan

    Courier Service Marketing Strategy

    It is important to determine how the business is going to achieve its objectives e.g. by improving the product,increasing promotion, implementing a new pricing strategy.

    This should be clear and realistic, reflecting the practical implications behind the business' marketingobjectives.

    Marketing Budget - This should contain detail of resources that will be delegated to the marketingactivity. Areas of major cost should be detailed.

    Marketing Action Plan - An action plan should be compiled for each strategy, e.g. the selection of mediafor a promotional campaign, delegation of resources for product development and market research.

    If clear objectives and activities are set, results can be easily monitored.

    Creating Your Courier Service Marketing Strategy

    Any Courier Service business that wants to succeed and develop MUST have a strategy that can give aperspective of where the business will be at any given point in time. In other words a strategy is aimed atdriving the business forward. But what does a strategy involve?

    The strategy should involve the people who work in the Courier Service business, because without themthere is no business.

    Many managers fall down because they are not capable of understanding how best to use the peoplewithin the Courier Service business. The staff should be the first to be consulted because they knowwhat is going on in their section of the business and how it can be improved so that even those at thebottom of the ladder e.g. cleaner, know what the business is about, where it is going and how she canhave an input. After all, the cleaner usually hears what is going on in the various departments.

    Think through the consequences of your marketing strategy to make sure it's realistic. For example,there is no point in a strategy based on rapid growth if you won't be able to produce enough goods. Thebest strategy will reflect your own strengths and weaknesses.

    Key elements of a successful Courier Service marketing strategy could see you start by looking fornew customers similar to the ones you already have.

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    When reviewing your existing customers you need to consider:

    How will you target the right people? How can you promote your products? Options might include advertising, direct marketing, exhibiting at

    trade fairs, PR or marketing on the web.

    What is the best way of distributing and selling your products?

    For example, you might aim to sell directly to a few key business customers, or to sell to the generalpublic through retailers.

    Could You Improve Customer Service?

    Better customer service can be a low-cost way of keeping customers, boosting sales and building a goodreputation.

    How Will You Tell If Your Marketing Is Effective?

    A small-scale trial can be a good way of testing a marketing strategy without committing yourself to excessivecosts.

    And don't forget that your marketing strategy document needs to be constantly reviewed and updated orreplaced when necessary - Just like your own products or services.

    Your strategy must take account of how your Courier Service business' strengths and weaknesses will affect

    your marketing. Understanding your own strengths and weaknesses are a key elements of a successfulmarketing strategy.

    Begin your Courier Service marketing strategy document with an honest and rigorous SWOT analysis

    Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats.

    First make a list of specialist skills in what you do.

    Strengths e.g. personal and flexible customer service Weaknesses - e.g. inefficient accounting systems imited financial resources lack of an established

    reputation.

    Opportunities - e.g. increased demand from a successful customer using the Internet to reach newmarkets new technologies that allow you to improve product quality.

    Threats - e.g. the emergence of a new competitor, more sophisticated, attractive or cheaper versions ofyour product or service, new legislation increasing your costs or a downturn in the economy - reducingoverall demand

    An example could be:

    If new regulations will increase the cost of competing in a market where you're already weak, you might want

    to look for other opportunities. On the other hand, if you have a good reputation and your key competitor isstruggling, the regulations might present the opportunity to push aggressively for new customers.

    Price Your Product Or Service To Reflect The Market Place.

    As Courier Service businesses pass from small to medium sized, there is quite often a tendency for some ofthe strengths and weaknesses to diminish. Whatever size your business is you must still be honest withyourself and whether any of the weaknesses still apply to your Courier Service business?

    It would help if you made a list your own business' strengths and weaknesses, getting input from all staff

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    including management as many of your employees as possible. Compare your strengths and weaknesses withthose of your main competitors. Check whether you need to take corrective action to minimise weaknessesand identify where you can exploit strengths that your competitors don't have.

    There is a tendency for the marketing activity of smaller businesses to be short term, ad-hoc, and reactiveleading to a fire-fighting culture. This can cost time and more importantly money, because resources are notoptimally deployed as a result of not considering the fuller, longer-term picture.

    However, a balance is needed.

    The ability of the smaller business to be flexible and respond rapidly to market changes is a major strength inthe right direction. This is particularly the case in fast moving markets and when in competition with largerbusinesses who are far less likely to be able to respond as quickly. In order to avoid short-term knee-jerkreactions whilst maintaining flexibility, you need an overall strategy for your activities to fit into. If you checkwhether your response to market situations is consistent with your overall strategy you can decide whether aparticular course of action is appropriate.

    Before you can develop a strategy, you need to identify your objectives.

    An example could be what you want to achieve in a particular market.

    Once you have your objectives and a strategy, you are well on the way to having a marketing plan. You maywell have this in your head, but it's much better to write it down so that you have something to keep you ontrack and to show to others in your Courier Service business.

    Adopting a focused strategy allows you to avoid the shotgun effect. Avoid trying to aim too widely with your marketing because your resources will be spread far too thinly

    to be effective.

    The word focus should be the key word for small businesses.

    Segment Your Market

    Not all of your customers within your market have the same needs. Think of an orange as your market andwithin that each orange segment represents individual customer groups with distinct and different needs.

    Carry out a survey to identify your customers needs. Group your customers according to their needs. These groups are your main market segments. Don't treat all of your market segments the same. You need to customise your product / service

    offering and your communication to be appropriate to each segments needs. The results will be worththe effort because there is substantial evidence to show that Courier Service businesses that takeaccount of their market segments in this way are more likely to be successful.

    Focus on a manageable number of segments to avoid overstretching your resources. You can use a 'rolling' promotional cycle, where, for example, you concentrate your promotional activity

    on a different segment every three or six months. Choose a time period for the 'cycle' appropriate toyour business. In this way you can still cover several market segments but you will achieve a greater

    return on effort by focusing on one segment at a time. Focus your marketing attention on those customer segments where your main strengths have the best

    fit.

    Focus On A Niche

    Focusing on a market niche is a particularly appropriate competitive Courier Service marketing strategy forsmall Courier Service businesses.

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    If you face heavy competition in a mass market, particularly from larger Courier Service businesses, ittakes a lot of resources to compete, and for smaller Courier Service businesses, your size can alsomake you less credible.

    Take a look at your market and identify whether there are any market segments that are not beingadequately served. Look at ways in which you can make an offering to fit their particular needs.

    Of course it has to make good business sense before go along this path, and it is not without risks initself. There is no guarantee that larger Courier Service business won't see what you are doing andachieving and start to concentrate their own assets on your niche, especially if it looks profitable.

    You always need to monitor the market and be prepared to move to another strategy if necessary.

    Focus On A Particular Segment:

    If you are a smaller Courier Service business, you may find it beneficial to consider focusing evenfurther within a niche or market segment to become a specialist. Small Courier Service businesses havegreater credibility as specialists and there is the advantage that you will develop a very deep knowledgeand expertise within your market as you pursue this route.

    The disadvantage to this strategy is the risk associated with total reliance on a small market sub-segment. You will need to monitor the market regularly so that you can be ready to target analternative market if necessary.

    Adopting Lower Risk Strategies:

    When you are operating with limited resources, it makes sense to look at lower risk strategies first.

    Avoid moving into new markets too rapidly: Far too many small Courier Service businesses get carried away with the excitement of new horizons

    and forget to fully exploit their existing markets before moving on.

    You may have a very good reason for looking at new markets if your existing market has dried up orhas undergone a down-turn, but remember that the further you move away from your existing market,the risk and cost of marketing increases.

    This is because you know far more about your existing market and have far more information uponwhich to base your decisions.

    Your production, systems and procedures are also geared up to your existing market. This is illustratedby these simple growth strategies that increase in risk as you go down the list: Selling more of your existing products to existing markets Selling modifications of your existing products/services to existing markets Selling new products to existing markets (totally new products or associated with existing products) Selling your existing products/services to new markets Moving into completely different markets with different products

    Check Your Need To Increase Your Customer Base:

    In many cases micro and some small Courier Service businesses are operating with a customer basethat is far too small. This imposes undue risk, because the sales from one customer can account for asubstantial proportion of total revenue. Consequently, the loss of a customer could have a major impact

    on your business, and in some cases result in its demise. Ask yourself whether you are in a high-risk situation. This can be done by taking a common sense view

    by calculating the percentage of your total revenue accounted for by each customer, and for each, askyourself what the impact on your business would be if you lost that customer and whether you wouldsurvive.

    If the answer is no to any of them, then you need to take steps to increase your customer base.

    Make an estimate of how many customers you need in order to reduce to an acceptable level the

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    percentage of your total revenue accounted for by each customer.

    Set this number of customers as your target. Then identify how you are going to obtain these extracustomers and over what time period.

    Draw up a mini plan for this as you are unlikely to be able to develop new customers overnight, and sothe sooner you start planning to do this the better, but remember not to neglect your existingcustomers while you do this.

    Stimulate Referrals:

    Recommendations and referrals from existing customers form a substantial source of new customers formany small Courier Service businesses. This has the advantage of being cost-free, but the downside isthat over-reliance on a passive phenomenon that is uncontrollable is risky.

    You can reduce this risk and take control by actively stimulating referrals. As not all of your customers will know everything about your products or services. This can be done by: Regularly providing them with information sheets summarising your offerings. This is a good thing to do

    anyway, because it is likely to generate more sales from the customers themselves.

    Ask them if they can identify anyone who could use your products/services and encourage them to passon the information to others.

    Make a judgement as to whether you need to provide an incentive for them to do this but in somecases it will not be appropriate.

    Personally thank your customers for their custom, and make a point of asking them to pass on yourname to others. At the same time find out how satisfied they are with your offering and take correctiveaction where necessary. Dissatisfied customers will not make recommendations.

    The adage seen across many countries "If you like what we do tell others but if you don' t like it thentell us" is very appropriate in successful business circles.

    Take the opportunity to enclose a referral slip with any communications or delivery documents.

    Retaining And Developing Existing Customers:

    Once you have achieved a reasonable number of customers, beware of focusing only on developing newcustomers as a means of growing sales. This runs the risk of neglecting your existing customers.Clearly you need to look for opportunities to develop new customers, but a balanced approach isneeded.

    Retaining and developing more sales from existing customers should be the first priority, because thisstrategy has distinct advantages:

    It is the least risky growth strategy. Developing more sales from existing customers is less costly than obtaining new customers.

    Existing customers:

    When considering existing customers always remember that they are the bedrock foundations of your CourierService business and are:

    Generally less price sensitive. Likely to offer more opportunity for repeat business.

    Offer the potential for recommendations and referrals. Are generally more loyal. In order to develop a strategy for retaining customers and developing more sales from them you need

    to carry out some analyses:

    Analyse your customer base:

    The 80:20-customer ratio:

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    It is likely that 80% of your revenue is accounted for by only 20% of your customers. The 80% of your customers with small sales probably fall into two categories.

    Either they will never have the potential for increased sales, or, given some work, they could be developed.Identify which are which and take steps to sell more to those with sales potential.

    Customer Profitability:

    Analyse the profitability of each of your main customers who are probably in the top 20%. You may besurprised to find how unprofitable some of them are so look at ways of increasing the profitability ofthese or consider 'losing' them.

    Focus on the more profitable ones; check their needs and identify ways to sell more to each of them. Make your database work for you: Many small Courier Service businesses operate with inadequate inefficient customer databases because

    it is not considered to be a priority to invest in them but if you don't have the means of storing andmanipulating data on your customers you can't hope to fully exploit this gold mine of an asset.

    Many of the strategies discussed require the ability to analyse your customer/contacts database inorder to obtain the information required.

    Questions You Should Now Be Asking Yourself Are:

    1. Is your database just a list of customers and contacts?2. Can your database be manipulated with ease to group customers according to: Sales Profitability

    Needs - Main product/services purchased Location - Frequency of purchase - Average size ofpurchase, etc.

    3. Is your database fully integrated with your other software programmes e.g. financial?4. Was your database design based on an audit of your business needs?5. Does your database allow you to keep additional information on your customers other than contact

    details etc?

    If the answer to the above questions is yes to the first question and no to questions two to five then you needto take an urgent look at upgrading your database, but take expert advice on this.

    Satisfaction Through Innovation:

    In order to retain and develop existing customers you will clearly need to ensure their total satisfaction.This process can stimulate innovation because you may need to modify existing products and servicesor develop new ones in order to continue to satisfy their needs.

    Find out from your customers what their needs are now and in the future in order to achieve this. Thiswill indicate if you will you need to modify products/services or develop new ones to fulfil these needs?

    Retaining Employees:

    There is a distinct cost advantage to retaining employees because it costs a lot to recruit and train a newemployee, and in the early days they are less productive. As with customers, you need to make sure that

    your employees are satisfied in order to retain them. You are also unlikely to have satisfied customers if youremployees aren't satisfied.

    These are two good reasons for making sure that you keep your employees but how good are you at this?

    Consider if you have:

    An employee satisfaction programme? Knowledge what your employees' needs are in order to ensure that they are satisfied?

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    Taken steps to find out what motivates each of them? A selection process and training programme adequate for each employee role?

    Now look at your Courier Service marketing strategy and identify how it actually applies to yourbusiness or business idea.

    Choose the right market for your product. The most important aspect of any Courier Service marketingstrategy is ensuring you have chosen the right market at which to aim your products and services. Nomatter how convincing your sales messages and advertising copy, or how good you are at selling andarticulating the benefits of your service, you will almost certainly fail if you haven't selected the righttarget audience in the first place, or haven't understood what that audience needs. By selecting themarket with the right profile of consumers who have a propensity to buy your products or service, youwill be able to aim your proposition and the benefits it brings directly at them.

    Keep up to date with changes in customer preferences and buying patterns, and the seeminglyrelentless changes in technology and other external forces. If you do not make the effort to moveforward constantly, your competitors will steal your market share, your biggest customers, or yourintended new market before you have a chance to do anything about it.

    Keep your eye on the marketing ball. The market focus of your business ensures you are continuing toprovide the unique value and benefit your customers need and expect from your service.

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