Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Marketing of Financial Services
Marketing of Financial Services
Develop appropriate banking products and services to meet the needs of the
customers.
Advertise and promote the products to the Existing and potential customer of
financial services.
Intangibility
Inseparability
Heterogeneity
Perishability
Simultaneity
Fiduciary responsibility
Intangibility
This is the main distinguishing feature, since services are processes on experience rather than
physical objects and therefore cannot be processed. A customer may purchase a particular
service that typically has nothing to display as a result of the purchase. It is important to
remember that intangibility has essentially two meanings. At one level it is concerned with
the fact of service are impalpable in the sense it has no physical form. On the other sense
intangibility cannot be defined and may be difficult to understand.
Inseparability:- The second factor distinguishing financial services from goods is
inseparability. Services are essentially acts and experiences means that they must be produced
and consumed simultaneously.
Heterogeneity:- The interaction between the consumer and service namely heterogeneity.
The quality of services typically depends on personal interaction as the consequences the
chance of variability in service is very high. The characterization of service as an act rather
than an object leads to the emphasis on the individuals providing the service and their
interaction with the customer.
produced on demand and cannot be inventoried so it needs a short distribution channel than
goods.
Simultaneity:- Another distinguish feature of services is simultaneity. Services cannot be
delivered to the customer or user. For availing the services it is essential that the user are
brought to the provider or the provider go to the users.
Fiduciary responsibility:- This is an additional feature of financial service marketing. In
marketing of financial services fiduciary responsibility refers to the implicit responsibility of
financial services organization for the management of the customers funds and the nature of
financial advices supplied to the customers in terms of quality reliability and safety of the
products it supplies. The responsibility is much in case of financial organizations. In case of a
bank the raw materials used to produce financial services are deposits of customers. In case
of selling a loan product the bank as the responsibility to the person who are taking loan at
the same time it has the responsibility to the person who had invested their money in the
bank.
Marketing strategy: - Marketing strategy encompasses the 4ps of the marketing mix product, price, promotion and place and seeks 10 attract the target audience. The design of a
particular marketing mix that will be used in based on the distinctive needs of the targeted
market segment.
The marketing mix product strategy
The success of a product is contingent on how will it compares with the competitor
products in satisfying the target market needs or wants.
Pricing strategy
Selling a product at a price the target market seeks as same with the products
previewed benefits is the key is the marketing success.
Promotion strategy
This focus on communicating the availability of products or service to the target
market. Advertising campaigns point of purchase materials and products publicity are the
main elements of promotion. The development and the implementation of attention getting
informative and persuasive communication techniques is vital to creating market awareness
for the bank products. Banks typically communicate with the customer through print
advertising in the newspapers and magazines. Direct marketing through direct mark and
statements inserts and point of purchase advertising through Brokers and posters in the banks.
Now the banking programmes and Internet are normally been used to communicate to the
customers in the modern era of growth.
Place or distribution strategy
This refers namely concerned with making the products available at the desired time
and place the two important elements of the distribution strategy for the banks are site
location and case of access. As the result, many banks have joined nation wide automatedteller-machine (ATM) networks to maximize the number of locations where the customers
can access their banking need. Many banks now a days are providing telephone banking
service and the banking services that enable the customers to perform the transactions and
make the accounts enquires 24 hrs a days and 7-days a week.
Banks use the information generated by MCIFs to identify profitable customers and
single service customer as well as markets with potentials for cross sales activities.
MCIFs system allows banks to identify the most and the least profitable products and
branches as well.
MCIFs system offers modeling capabilities that permit bankers to run test scenario
that predict the effect that such changes as new fees, increases in minimum balance
requirement and declining cost will have on profitability.
The data generated by an MCIFs are critical in preparing strategic reports too and are
used to support strategic marketing Initiatives.
Geographic Segmentation
Demographic Segmentation
Psychographic Segmentation
Volume Segmentation
Benefits Segmentation
Benefit Segmentation:- This is the process of categorizing the market in terms of the
man
practices geographic segment the same bank may also practices industrial
segmentation.
Once an organisation has identified the markets segment the next slip is to select the
target markets.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The core product: it is the essential benefit that the customer is buying
eg. The conveniences of being able to pay for goods and services with cheques
Banking products are augumented by the level and quality of service provided to the
customer, the reputation of the bank, physical environment of the bank, the brochures and
other printed materials provides to the customer, and any specific brand names given to
the products.
The potential product
It includes all the modification that the product might undergo over time.
Eg; Access through a special display telephone or an ATM that dispense a snap shot
checking statement.
In a bank, new product ideas might come from ongoing research to help identify
consumer banking needs that are not being met.
o They might come from management or other employees
o Some firms offer cash incentives to employees for generation new product
ideas. Ideas might also come from customers, banks in other parts of the
Ideas for new products, must be screened against product objectives product policy
and company resources
Each idea for a new product must also be evaluated to ensure that it does to take
business away from existing products.
Concept testing
It is the function of consumer marketing research, but it does not simply entail asking
a large No. of consumers what they think of a new pdt idea
It is best to first assemble small focus groups to explore reaction to a new pdt concept.
This type of research is called qualitative research. It can provide insight into how the
product might be positioned or promoted.
Business Analysis
This stage in the development of a new pdt involves developing a written business case
and recommendation based on the results of market analysis, Production feasibility
analysis, marketing strategy development and cost and revenue projections. The business
analysis includes supporting materials that indicate there is sufficient demand for the
product and show that the product fits in with the banks over all goals and objective
Product development
During this stage, the bank determines whether it is feasible to produce or provide the
product / service at a cost and quantity that will make the products retail price attractive
to customers.
The elements of the product that will be particularly important to customers must be
identified at this point and clearly highlighted as the product is designed.
This is also the stage at which the promotion, distribution and pricing strategies are
developed. The development stage involves production of the prototypes / samples of the
new product
In banking the development phase for a new savings product would require modification
of the savings computer system by the programming staff, the design of forms and
documents to be used in setting up the a/cs and the writing of procedures for the branch
staff to follow in completing the forms and processing them.
Test marketing
Consumer goods manufacturers usually test market new products. If a company to try out
a new product in one / two geographic Markets , Perhaps using a different promotional
approach in each market to test their relative effectiveness.
Test marketing is increasing in banking too. The benefits of test marketing are that the
banks can assess customer response as well as familiarise employees with the planned
new products.
Test marketing can be expensive and time consuming however, and can offer competitors
an opportunity to quickly copy the banks new product/ Service
It is beneficial to move quickly from the test marketing stage to a full scale
implementation of the product
Implementation or commercialization
This is the stage at which a company commands its resources to a full scale introduction
of the product to the market. Introducing a new banking product requires heavy
involvement by the marketing department. A great deal of money is invested in
advertising and sales promotion.
The launching of new product is often tied to an employee incentive campaign to boost
initial sales. At the same time the bank might offer a premium to the customer for
purchasing the new product
Evaluation
The final stage in developing a new pdt involves the use of primary an secondary research
to monitor the progress of the new pdt in relation to the companys goals.
Effecting monitoring enables the bank to take corrective action where needed, as well as
gain additional knowledge that will facilitate the introduction of the next new product.
PRICING
3.
regulations.
Pricing Strategies
When pricing a new product (where it is new to the firm, new to the market or both)
bank management will have at least three general objectives in mind.
1. Getting the product accepted
2. Maintaining strength in the market in the face of competition.
3. Creating profit.
Two of the most important strategies for pricing new product are skimming pricing and
penetration pricing.
Skimming pricing:- Skimming pricing is a strategy that involves setting a high initial price
for the product so as to skim the cream of demand for the product. Thus strategy is especially
suitable for products that are new to the market for the following reasons.
1. The amount of the product that can be sold is less likely to be affected by price
when the product is new than it will be later, when competition has more of an
influence.
2. A skimming price strategy allows the marketer to attract customers who are less
price sensitive before lowering price to attract those who are more price sensitive.
3. A high initial price may help the new product achieve an image of audit and
prestige.
4. A skimming price can be used to test the demand for a product. It is preferable to
begin with a high price and then reduce it rather than to begin with a low price and
then have to raise it to
Consumers willingness to pay for perceived value helps justify a banks expenditure to
develop an image or position in the market and to make the necessary investment to provide a
high level of customer service. The bank with a regulation for quality products and a high
level of personalized service, and whose overall image among the target market is highly
favorable, will be able to change slightly higher fees than its competitors. Customers who feel
that the employers at there bank know them, treat them personably and professionally are
eager to help them are not likely to shop around to save a few dollars on a checking account
or to get a slightly higher interest rate on a certificate of deposit.
2. Relationship pricing. :- Relationship pricing strategies encourage customers to
have
provided in the form of lower fees, higher savings interest rates, or lower loan
interest rates for customers with multiple accountants. Some examples are
1. Allowing combined balances in all accounts to offset balance requirement for no
charge checking.
2. Pricing higher rates on deposits and charging lower rates on loans or reducing loan
application fees for customers who have both checking and saving with the bank
and maintain a specified combined monthly balance.
3. Charging a lower rate on personal loans to a customer who agrees to have the
monthly payment automatically deducted from has or checking accounts.
4. Charging a lower general fees, or lower interest rate to credit card customers who
also have a checking or saving accounts.
5. Paying a higher interest rate on larger savings or certificate of deposit balances.
To use relationship pricing effectively a bank must have either an integrated system
that enables the various computer application for checking, saving and loans to
communicate with one another or a monthly updated central information file linking
all relationship for each account holder.
Three benefits accure to the bank that uses relationship pricing.
1. Economic
2. The second benefit relates to customer retention
3. The third benefit is or should be increased profitability.
3. Behaviour modification pricing:- Thus strategy uses pricing to get customers to take
certain actions that will lower costs for the bank. For example, a bank in an automated letter
network must pay on interchange fee when the customer uses another banks ATM. To
discourage its customers from using ATMs of other banks and thus causing it to pay the
interchange fee, a bank often charges customers more for using other banks ATM than for
using its own. Thus pricing strategy will work only to the extent that demand is elastic that is
that customer will choose the lower-period attainable rather than pay the higher fee. In
addition the banks ATM must be conveniently located. If they are not, customers who use
ATMs frequently may decide to move there accounts to a bank with more convenient ATM
location.
Why Banks change prices
1. The number of accounts or market share has declined.
2. Prices are too high relative to the competition and relative to the benefit of the
product.
3. Prices are too low, given cost increases or heavy demand.
4. The bank prices seems higher to customers than they really are
5. The product has been enhanced, adding cost to the bank or value to the customer.
Service prices should be based on costs so as to take in to account the cost of tangible
clues of intangible Services.
3.
The pricing strategy should be such as to provide value addition and quality indication to
the customers.
4.
The pricing strategy should be such as to cope-up with the degree of competition.
Objectives
a. Build primary
Forms / Examples
a. Price time
differentials (eg.
peak time
Telephone services)
b. Even out of
b. Customer ability
fluctuations in
demand
rate of interest
increasing with
principal)
c. Service product price
differentials (barber
shops)
d. Place differentials
(discount at hotels
Discount pricing
a. To enable service
production and
consumption to take
peak periods
place.
b. To encourage actions
like early payments,
bulk purchase or peak
Diversionary pricing
usage
To make customer visit office A service station may offer
a. To enable high
quality operator to
b. To satisfy a customer
seeking clear
assurance before
High price maintenance
pricing
pricing.
prices.
DISTRIBUTION
Distribution strategy
Distribution strategy is mainly concerned with making the product available at the
deserved time and place. Even the right product for a market segment provides limited
satisfaction or none at all if it is not available when and where consumers want it.
Accordingly, two important demands of distribution strategy for banks are sets
location and case of access. Furthermore, the current social environment places a heavy
emphasis on time as well as convenience. As a result many banks have joined automated
letter networks to maximize the number of location where customers can access there
accounts. Many banks also provide telephone banking, services and pc banking services that
enable customer to performer transactions and make account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Since banking products and services are largely intangible, they are difficult to
separate from the people who distribute them. There is especially true at the time the
customers initiates the relationship with a bank, but it also applies to the say-today servicing
of accounts. Although the use of technology has reduced contact with tellers, there will
always be a need for personal customer services, whether it be in person or by phone. The
growing implementation of customer relations and sales training programmers in banks
reflect managements recognition of the importance of the human demand in the banks
distribution strategy.
Business analysis
Service development-infrastructure
Market testing
Commercialization.
NPD strategy
Idea generation
Idea screening
Development and
Testing
Product Launch
1. New product development strategy:- A clear strategy is important to ensure that all
those involved understand the importance of NPD and what the organizations wishes
to achieve. The process of NDP is to be orientated towards taking advantage of new
market segments, seen as crucial to the continued competitiveness of the
organizations, required to maintain profitability, or designed to reduce excess capacity
or even out fluctuating demands. The ideas that should be considered are likely to
vary according to the purpose of the NDP programme.
2. Idea generation:- Ideas may be generated from both inside and outside an
organization. Ideas may be generated internally from specialize NPD teams, from
employee feedback or suggestions. Externally, ideas may be generated based on
customer feedback, market research, specialist new product development agencies or
by copying competitions.
3. Idea screening:- The variety of ideas produced at idea-generation stage. Idea
screening means deciding in advance, a set of criteria to be used when ideas are
evaluated:
4. Development and Testing:-At this stage it is common to test this newly defined
product and to identify consumer and market reactions in order to make any necessary
modifications to the product before it is launched.
5. Product launch:- At this stage the major decisions are essentially of an operational
nature-decision regarding the timing of launch, the geographical location of the
launch and the specific marketing tactics to be used in support of that launch.
Test Market
A rest market, in the field of business and marketing, is a geographical region or
demographic group used to gauge the viability of a product or service in the mass market
prior to a wide scale roll-out. The criteria used to judge the acceptability of a test market
region or group includes:
1.a population that is demographically similar to the proposed target market; and
2. relative isolation from densely populated media markets to that advertising to the test
audience can be efficient and economical.
1. The test market ideally aims to duplicate everything promotion and distribution as
well as product on a smaller scale.
3.
Should be able to use indirect selling techniques (creating derived demand or act as a
buying consultant)
4.
5.
Adverting is only one element of the promotion mix, but it often considered
prominent in the overall marketing mix design. Its high visibility and pervasiveness made it
as an important social and encomia topic in Indian society.
1.
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
Advertising can be economical, for it reaches large groups of people. This keeps the
cost per message low.
(vi)
(vii)
There is payment by the advertiser to the media for carrying the message
Advertisers are increasingly being able to reach specific audiences with tailormade messages.
2. Message Strategy and Tactics:- Message strategy must decide what the
advertising is meand to communicate by way of benefits, feeling, brand
personality, or action content. Once the content of the campaign has been
decided, decisions must be made on the bnest-most effective-ways of
communicating that content. The decisions such as the choice of a spokesperson,
the use of humor or fear or other tones, and the selection of particular copy,
visuals, and layout, are what we call message tactics
3. Media Strategy and Tactics:-Message strategy is concerned with decisions about
how much is to be allocated to create and test advertising copy, media strategy
concerns decisions on how many media rupees to spend on an advertising
campaign.
4. Media tacties:- Comprise the decisions on which specific media (television,
radio, magazines, etc) or media vehicles (Readers /digest, etc) to spend these
dollars.
Sales Promotion:- Sales promotion is one of the most loosely used terms in the
marketing vocabulary. We define sales promotion as demand. Stimulating devices
designed to supplement advertising and facilities personal selling. In other words,
sales promotion signifies all those activities that supplement, coordinate and make
the efforts of personal selling and advertising more effective. It is non recurrent in
nature which means it cant be used continuously.
Definition of sales promotion:- According to American Marketing Association
Those marketing activities other than personal selling advertising and publicity that
stimulate consumer purchasing and dealer effectiveness such as display shows and
exhibitions demonstrations and various non-recurrent selling efforts not in the
ordinary routine. W.J Stanton defines sales promotion as all those activities other
than advertising, personal selling, public relations and publicity that are intended to
stimulate customer demand and improve the marketing performance of sellers.
The target for these activities may be middlemen, end users, or the
producers own sales force.
Direct marketing
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
MEMBERS
OF
THE
COMMITTEE
OF
ADVERTISING
Personal sales
Oral presentation given by a salesman who approaches individuals or a group of potential
customers:
Live, interactive relationship
Personal interest
Mention and response
Short-term incentives to encourage buying of products:
Instant appeal
Anxiety to sell
MARKET RESEARCH
Market research is the identification of customers' financial needs and wants and forecasting
and researching future financial market needs and competitor's activities. It is the systematic
design, collection, analysis. and reporting of data and findings relevant to a specific
marketing situation facing the company.
The Marketing Research Process
Define the problem and research objectives
Develop the research plan
Collect the information
Analyze the information
Present the findings
Make the decision
Research Approaches
In the marketing research, the primary data can be collected in five main ways: through
observation, focus groups, surveys, behavioral data, and experiences.
Observational research
Fresh data can be gathered by observing the relevant actors and settings. Consumers can be
unobtrusively observed as they shop or as they Consume products.
Focus Group Research
A focus group is a gathering of six to ten people who are carefully selected based on certain
demographic, psychographic, or other considerations and brought together to discuss at
length various topics of interest. Participants are normally paid a small sum for attending. A
professional research moderator provides questions and probes based on a discussion guide or
agenda prepared by the responsible marketing managers to ensure that the right material gets
covered.
Survey Research
Companies undertake surveys to learn about people's knowledge, beliefs, preferences, and
satisfaction. It can also put the questions to ail ongoing consumer panel run by itself or
another company. It may do a mall intercept study by having researchers approach people in a
shopping and ask them questions.
Behavioral Data
Customers leave traces of their purchasing behavior in store scanning data, catalog purchases,
and customer databases. Much can be learned by analyzing these data. Customer's actual
purchases reflect preferences and often are more reliable than statements they offer to market
researchers.
Experimental Research
The most scientifically valid research is experimental research. The purpose of experimental
research is to capture cause-and-effect relationships by eliminating competing explanations of
the observed findings. The design and execution of the experiment eliminate alternative
hypotheses that might explain the results, research and marketing managers can have
confidence in the conclusions. Experiments call for matched group of subjects, subjecting
them to different treatments, controlling extraneous variables, and checking whether observed
response differences are statistically significant.
Researchers have a choice of three main research instruments in collecting primary data.
They are;
Questionnaires
Qualitative measures
Mechanical devices
Once the sampling plan has been determined, the researcher Must decide the subject should
be contacted on the basis of the methods like;
Mail questionnaire
Telephone Interview
Personal Interview
Online Interview
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