Page 248 - DMGT510_SERVICES_MARKETING

Unit 13: Promotions and Servicescapes in Services

Indian consumer that led to the use of cartoon characters in campaigns. The Indian Market Notes
Research Bureau (IMRB) also carries out regular surprise checks at different outlets to
monitor the quality of service. Moreover, a regular test, CHAMPS (Cleanliness, Hospitality,
and Accuracy of order, Maintenance, Product quality and Speed of service) is conducted in-
house.
The company says that its Pizza Pooch birthday package is full of fun and excitement.
What is unique in the package is the nominal price of ` 125 per child that offers much more
than only goodies in the main menu. The birthday party includes a well-decorated area
within the Pizza Hut outlet with several gifts for the children. Moreover, the party is
conducted by a trained host with lots of games, prizes and a special gift for the birthday
child. Pizza Hut, better known as a family restaurant, takes the onus of relieving parents
of the cumbersome job of cleaning up the mess after the kiddies have enjoyed themselves
thoroughly.
The Pizza Pooch menu, on the other hand, includes a wholesome delicious meal and a gift
for the child. The menu has been intricately designed with pictorial games. A free set of
crayons is provided to keep the children occupied while their parents dine. The campaigns
created by HTA are eye-catching with cartoon characters on the mailers, hoardings and
print advertisements where the cartoon characters are aimed at matching varying moods
of kids. The birthday party concept is not entirely original - local fast food major Nirula’s
has been doing it for years as does KFC.

(Source: A&M, August 2000)
Intermediaries: Middlemen like retailers, dealers and stockists are the beneficiaries of ‘push’
factors, which are in the form of:
z Margins
z Credits
z Discounts

z Free goods
z Shelf-space display incentives
z Advertising and other promotion allowances

z Co-operative advertising (the service firm and the retailer sharing the expenses of print
advertisement or the exhibition)
z Distribution of awards.
Internal customers (sales force): Mostly sales-force of the service firm is the beneficiaries of the
‘push’ factor, which consists of:
z Bonuses

z Contests
z Awards and prizes
Concentration on boosting, albeit temporarily, sales, does make this promotion at variance
with marketing goals and other communication mixes. It is therefore very necessary for the
marketer to be systematic in his sales promotion programme. The following is a guideline to
develop a promotion programme:

z Decide on the sales promotion objectives and the co-ordinates vis-à-vis other
communication mixes.

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