CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MARKETING

Executive Summary

This study has discussed about a Malaysian restaurant brand, Ichiban Boshi. The types of
advertisements aired by the company have been discussed here. Different strategies of the
company to retain consumers have been discussed. A competitor company, Suchi Tei has been
mentioned here and the company’s promotional and retention strategies have been discussed. A
comparative view has been presented to provide recommendations for Ichiban Boshi.
 Table of Contents
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 5

2. Acquisition and retention strategies of Ichiban Boshi .............................................................. 5

2.1 Acquisition .......................................................................................................................... 5

2.1.1 Advertisement ................................................................................................................. 5

2.1.2 Promotion ....................................................................................................................... 5

2.1.3 Membership Programs .................................................................................................... 6

2.1.4. Contest or events ........................................................................................................... 6

2.1.5 Gift Cards ....................................................................................................................... 6

2.2 Retention ............................................................................................................................. 6

2.2.1 Financial Bond ................................................................................................................ 6

2.2.2 Social Bond..................................................................................................................... 6

2.2.3 Customization Bond ....................................................................................................... 7

2.2.4 Structural Bond ......................................................................................................... 7

3. Acquisition and retention strategies of Sushi Tei ..................................................................... 7

3.1 Acquisition .......................................................................................................................... 7

3.1.1 Advertisement ................................................................................................................. 7

3.1.2 Promotion ....................................................................................................................... 8

3.1.3 Membership Program ..................................................................................................... 8

3.1.4. Contest or events ........................................................................................................... 8

3.2 Retention ............................................................................................................................. 8

3.2.1 Financial Bond ................................................................................................................ 8

3.2.2 Social Bond..................................................................................................................... 8

3.2.3 Customization Bond ....................................................................................................... 9

3.2.4 Structural Bond ............................................................................................................... 9

4. Advantages and disadvantages of Ichi Ban Boshi .................................................................... 9

5. Proposals ..................................................................................................................................... 9
1. Introduction

Ichiban Boshi is a Malaysian restaurant brand. It offers best quality of Japanese cuisine. There
are many restaurants of this brand in Malaysia. More than 10 restaurants are operational in alone
Singapore. The company is mostly famous for the variety of meals including sushi, sashimi and
other meals. The menu of the restaurant is divided into four parts namely, Seasonal Food, Festive
Food, Off Peak Food and Party Platters. Specialty of the brand is that each restaurant of the
brand offers different and unique design and atmosphere. The objective of the study is to analyze
the customer relationship marketing of the restaurant. This study is also focused on the
comparison of the customer relationship of Ichiban Boshi and Sushi Tei.

2. Acquisition and retention strategies of Ichiban Boshi

2.1 Acquisition

2.1.1 Advertisement

It is very important for a company to attract more customers for the business expansion. It is the
easiest and fastest way to connect with customers and promote the product and services. The
Advertisements helps a company to connect to the customer and showcase its service and offers.
The advertisement of the company is based on both online and offline platforms. The brand
advertises its food and services through internet websites, food magazines, TV advertisements
and social networking platform. However, the advertisement of the company is mostly dependent
on its official websites. Details of the wide range of cuisines are available on the website and
customers can easily access it and check the foods and offering (Ichiban Boshi, 2019).

2.1.2 Promotion

Promotions are essential in order to make customers aware of the services provided by a
company. Ichiban Boshi is active in the Facebook and is promotes it foods and services through
the Facebook page. Besides, Facebook it also promotes its cuisine and services in Instagram.
These social networking sites including Facebook and Instagram have become an essential part
of the daily life. It has become a platform to promote products and services. Hence, Ichiban
Boshi is promoting its services on the right platform (Ichiban Boshi, 2019).
2.1.3 Membership Programs

Membership programs or the loyalty programs are based on rewards provided to the customer for
regular purchase. A customer, who has spent more than 20 USD in the restaurants of Ichiban
Boshi, can avail a reward card which can be redeemed in the future purchase. These loyalty
programs are important to make the customers visit on restaurant more often. Therefore, a
healthy relationship between can be developed with the customer. Further, these relationships
can be turned into partnership (Josiam, 2017).

2.1.4. Contest or events

In order to make a customer visit regularly in restaurants, there is a requirement of customer

engagement. In the present day, the competition in the food industry has increased drastically.
There are already many companies out there in the food industry such Sushi Tei and Tony
Roma’s that are creating huge competition in the market (Mensah, 2018). Therefore, a need to
arrange contests and events for the customer attention and engagement is there. However,
Ichiban Boshi does not have any such program which can attract more customers.

2.1.5 Gift Cards

Gift cards are also similar to the rewards and help to convert existing customers into loyalist
customers. However, Ichiban Boshi does believe that rewards are not based on discounts and
offers, but it means the experience and service (Basnayake, 2015)

2.2 Retention

2.2.1 Financial Bond

Financial bond is created by providing financial support such as discounts, points and offers to
the customers (Schwartz, 2017). Most of the restaurant provides special discount to its loyal and
regular customers in order to make them satisfied. However, in case of Inchiban Boshi, there are
no special offers or discount for the customer. The company believes that the service and
experience is more important than the offers or discounts.

2.2.2 Social Bond

Social bond is basically the emotional bond between customer and company. The customers who
are loyal towards a company develops emotional bound and that turn them into unconditional
supporter. It is also based on the customer service and quality of food (Sashi, 2019) Ishiban
Boshi, also believed the idea of providing the best service and ambience that can make the
customer with the brand emotionally. Therefore, the company is focused on the variety of food
and quality of services more than anything (Ichiban Boshi, 2019).

2.2.3 Customization Bond

Customization bonds are also a kind of reward or gifts provided by a company to the loyal
customers. It is also used as a tool to retain loyal customers in order to prevent them from
choosing a different brand. However, the Ishiban Boshi, do not provide any special rewards for
the loyal customers, hence it affects the customization bond in a negative way.

2.2.4 Structural Bond

It is very important to turn a customer into partner for the further development of the brand.
Firstly a customer becomes a friend, after that turn into a supporter of a brand. Structural bond
required, in order to transform a customer from supporter to partner or investor (Jamal, 2018).
Structural bond can be created with the customers by providing the opportunity to work with the
brand (Heo, 2016). Ishiban Boshi has also followed the same idea and it allows the customers to
visit their outlets and helps them to learn about recipes. Besides, it also provides an opportunity
to start their career with the brand. In order to do that a customer needs to visit the official
website of the company and apply in the career option.

3. Acquisition and retention strategies of Sushi Tei

3.1 Acquisition

3.1.1 Advertisement

Sushi Tei is also a Malaysian restaurant brand which offers a variety of Japanese food. The
restaurant brand provides many services including dining, take out, reservation and accessibility
of wheelchairs. Besides, the company is halal certified. The advertisement policy of Sushi Tei is
also based on the online websites, food magazines, blogs and social networking sites.

3.1.2 Promotion

Promotion of the company is based on various food and travel websites along with social
networking sites. The brand is active almost all social networking. However, most of the
customers are connected to it via Facebook and Twitter.

3.1.3 Membership Program

In the official website of Sushi Tei, there is an option for the customers to become a member of
the brand. This membership program is available for those customers who look for special offers
and discounts (Sushi Tei, 2019).

3.1.4. Contest or events

Contests and events are very important for the customer acquisition; however there are no events
or contests organized by the brand.

3.1.5 Gift Cards

Sushi Tei provides gift cards to its loyal customers. Customers can redeem these cards at any
listed outlets (Sushi Tei, 2019).

3.2 Retention

3.2.1 Financial Bond

The rewards and offers provided by Sushi Tei plays an important role in the development of
financial bond. Due to the financial bond, the company successfully retains its loyal customers.

3.2.2 Social Bond

Sushi Tei and Ichiban boshi, both are brands that provides japanese cuisine, and both brands give
attention to customer satisfaction. Sushi Tei also believe the idea of providing the best service in
order to increase the social bond with customers (Sushi Tei, 2019).
3.2.3 Customization Bond

Customization bond deals with the also deals with the rewards provided to the loyal customers.
In order to develop customization bond the company offers membership program. Customers
need to buy the membership of the company and avail various kinds of offers and discounts.

3.2.4 Structural Bond

The company does not have franchise program in order to build business partner with other
companies. However, the company comes up with multiple job openings and customers can
apply for that (Sushi Tei, 2019).

4. Advantages and disadvantages of Ichi Ban Boshi

Advantages

 Ichiban Boshi is mainly focused on the food quality, variety of services and ambience of
the restaurant. The policy of quality over quantity is the main advantage of the company.
 Another major advantage of the company is its focus on structural bond. Allowing
customers to participate in their internal activities is vital for customer retention (Ichiban
Boshi, 2019).
 The membership program is also beneficial for the company as it helps the company to
gain customer loyalty.

Disadvantages

 The company does not provide any special offers or discounts, which is important for the
customer acquisition (Ichiban Boshi, 2019).
 Limited number of promotional activities are restricting the company connect with more
people.
 The company is facing competition from other restaurant brands; hence it need pay more
attention on the customer acquisition.

5. Proposals
Ichiban Boshi is a restaurant which believes the idea of providing the best service to the
customers in order to retain its customers. It has also initiated many membership programs and
activities in order to make customers more loyal to the company. However, the increasing
number of competitors including Sushi Tei, has become a serious concern and the company
needs to focus on customer acquisition and retention.

 Ichiban Boshi, can introduce more offers and rewards and for the development of
financial bond with customers.
 In the era of technology, the company is lagging a little behind in terms of promotions
and marketing. It can use social networking sites more actively make the people aware of
the brand.
 There should be an option on its official website to contact the company in order to
develop restaurants franchise.

 It can develop online food delivery application to provide online services to the
customers.
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