CHRIST THE KING COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Department of Business Administration

FINAL REQUIREMENT
CASE STUDY

Starbucks - Selling Experience

Abstract:

Starbucks' service strategy encompassed providing a good product accompanied by customer friendly service and
attractive ambience. The caselet speaks about the kind of customer relations Starbucks followed, which was one of
the reasons that so many consumers of Starbucks went in for repeat purchases. The caselet also indicates how
Starbucks developed goodwill among the public by bonding with the local community.

Issues:

» The reasons that make consumers loyal to an organization

» The ways in which an organization tries to enhance value for the customer
during the purchase process
» Why organizations take care of a good purchase experience rather than just
focusing on the purchase product/service

Starbucks is known around the world for the unique blends of coffee it serves its
customers through its coffee service outlets in 35 countries (Refer Exhibit for
coffee varieties sold at Starbucks). Along with coffee, the company also sold a
line of premium tea, cookies, snacks, espresso machines, and coffee brewers.
The company, founded in 1971 at Seattle, US, opened it first international outlet in 1996 at Tokyo, Japan. The
company had consolidated net revenue of US$ 5.3 billion in fiscal 2004. More than coffee, it was the Starbucks
experience that made customers come back to the store...

Questions for Discussion:

1. "More than coffee, it was the Starbucks experience that made customers come back to the store." Assess the
service strategies followed by Starbucks.

2. Why did the buying pattern at Starbucks depict loyalty on the part of customers toward the store?
 CHRIST THE KING COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Department of Business Administration

FINAL REQUIREMENT
CASE STUDY

Bausch & Lomb - Effective positioning

Abstract:

The caselet details the business strategies adopted by B&L, the leading eye-care company. It explains how B&L
adopted segmentation to target the right segment and focuses on the product variants that the company
introduced to serve different segments of the market. It analyzes how B&L improved its market share by serving
the vision care, pharmaceutical, and surgical equipment markets. It also touches on how B&L's products have
attracted fashion-conscious youth.
Issues:

» Business strategies of Bausch & Lomb Company

» Is the right market segment being targeted by B&L?
» How B&L catered to the needs of various segments
» Positioning of product variants by B&L

Introduction

Bausch & Lomb (B&L) is a globally renowned name in eye-care related products.
Over a period of more than 150 years, the company expanded its business to
different parts of the world.
Questions for Discussion:

1. Analyze the international expansion of B&L.

2. Comment on the type of segmentation adopted by B&L for expanding its business throughout the world.
 CHRIST THE KING COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Department of Business Administration

FINAL REQUIREMENT
CASE STUDY

Launch of Amaron Automotive Batteries

Abstract:

The caselet gives an overview of automotive battery market in India. It examines the factors that
made Amara Raja Batteries Limited (ARBL) enter the automotive battery segment. The caselet
discusses the new product development process followed by ARBL for the launch of its automotive
battery brand 'Amaron'. Finally, it explains the company's efforts to differentiate the brand in all
aspects of marketing mix.

Issues:

» Segmentation and targeting in Indian automotive component

market
» New product development process
» Challenges in new product development
» Branding of low involvement products
» Marketing mix elements

Introduction

Amara Raja Batteries Limited (ARBL) is a leading industrial and

automotive battery manufacturer in India. The company was started by
Ramachandra N. Galla, an NRI, in 1985.

It was the first company to manufacture sealed maintenance-free valve-regulated lead acid (VRLA)
batteries for industrial applications in India and a market leader in the stand-by VRLA battery segment
in India, with a market share of over 40%.

It is also the largest manufacturer of this type of batteries in the Indian Ocean Rim and among the top
10 in the world. The company has a technical collaboration with Johnson Controls, a global automotive
component manufacturer...

Questions for Discussion:

1. When the OEM market is the key segment in the automotive battery industry, why did Amara Raja
focus on the replacement market?

2. In what way does branding help Amara Raja to market a low-involvement product like automotive
batteries?
 CHRIST THE KING COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Department of Business Administration

FINAL REQUIREMENT
CASE STUDY

Aventis’ Successful Sales Promotion Campaign Using

‘Connection Cards’
Abstract:

The caselet describes the steps taken by Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Aventis Inc.), a leading
pharma company in the US, to overcome the new FDA regulations and gain higher recall among
oncologists and breast cancer patients. The caselet provides details on the company’s breast cancer
drug Taxotere, the market leader in its segment. The caselet presents the design and implementation
of the ‘Connection Cards’ campaign for Taxotere. The caselet also throws light on the oncology market
and difficulties faced by companies in promoting their brands. The caselet provides details about the
oncologists and the needs of breast cancer patients.

Issues:

» Sales promotions in pharmaceutical marketing

» Role of sales representatives in successful implementation of a sales
promotion campaign
» Influence of end-consumers on trade promotion design and
implementation.

Introduction

Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Aventis Inc.) is the wholly-owned US

subsidiary of Aventis AG, the pharma division of France-based Aventis
S.A, a leading global player in pharmaceutical and agriculture products.
Aventis Inc. has a presence in major therapeutic segments like
cardiology, oncology, anti-infectives, arthritis, allergy, and respiratory
illnesses. The oncology division of Aventis Inc.

markets Taxotere, a drug that is used in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Taxotere was
launched in 1997 and due to the drug’s complexity and the sensitivity associated with the disease,
sales representatives of the oncology division needed to give a detailed description about the drug to
the oncologists and nurses.

Questions for Discussion:

1. In order to make a sales promotion campaign effective, a company has to identify and set the right
sales promotion objectives to effectively guide the design and implementation of the campaign.
Discuss the objectives behind the ‘Connection Cards’ campaign of Aventis Inc.

2. As part of the post-sales promotion research, Aventis took the help of an e-mail survey among its
sales representatives. How far is this approach justified when a post-sales promotion research
targeted at oncologists and nurses would help effectively measure the performance of the sales
promotion campaign?