a report to explain the marketing mix according to ABC Company's operational plan. Refer to Manage Operational Plan.

ABC Company sells a range of exclusive products across Australia through 1 online and 100 retail stores. The organisation is committed to:

Offer innovative product solutions and meet the changing needs of customers

Providing high quality and innovative products and services to customers

Deliver great customer service

Employing professional and enthusiastic staff

Adopting sustainable work practices and provide 'green' products

Undertaking continuous improvement processes

The business has a 5 years plan which is to consolidate its position in the market as a lead retailer for 'green' and sustainable solutions for high quality exclusive products. To do this, ABC will focus on the following business goals:

Financial stability:

-Increase revenue by 15% (compared to the previous 12 months) by the end of the financial year

-Maintain annual profit levels of 15% of revenue for all products and services, calculated at the end of each financial year

-Reinvest 75% of profit back into the business at the end of each financial year

Market position:

-Maintain the number one rating in the annual national industry customer service awards

-Launch new high-quality exclusive consumer products to meet customer demand, ahead of competitors, within budget and by the agreed deadlines

Right people:

-Provide induction training at the commencement of employment to train new employees to be knowledgeable, helpful and enthusiastic

-Provide the physical, human and time resources to support an annual professional development program for all ABC employees

Stakeholders include senior management team, retail store manager, sales staff, online store manager, customers and recruitment agency.

Activity

(What is to be done?)

Objective

(Why will we do it?)

Resources

(Where will it be done?)

Procedures

(How will it be done?)

Responsible person

(Who will do it?)

When?

Budget

Revisit sales budgets and develop outlet-by-outlet sales strategies that add onto the national sales strategy.

To increase the sales of the services component of the business by 15% by 30 June

It will be done across the 100 outlets.

Update each outlet's sales budgets to reflect the increased targets.

Each outlet is to develop a sales strategy to support the new targets.

Outlet managers

30 June

$3,000,000 total and needs to be supported by a business case from each store

Acquire additional resources - video-conferencing equipment.

To facilitate communication between all retail, online and phone outlets and reduce travel time and costs.

Install a multi-channel dedicated video- conferencing facility at each outlet.

Contact ABC IT service and support to arrange for supply and installation.

Allocate costs back to each outlet.

Outlet managers

31 August

$5,000 per outlet

Acquire additional resources - delivery van.

To provide a delivery service and provide brand recognition

Purchase a new van for each outlet and detail it with the marketing logo.

Contact suppliers obtain quotes and purchase the required delivery van.

Contact sign writers to have marketing decals attached to the vans.

Head office marketing manager

31 July

$50,000 per outlet

Reorganize fixtures and fittings - retail outlet.

To create additional space for installation of demonstration products

It will be done across the 150 retail outlets.

Have plans drawn up for each retail outlet.

Hire local shop fitters and installers for each sales region.

Head office sales manager

Retail outlet managers

30 September

$10,000 per store

Train sales staff to provide after sales product support.

To multi-skill retail product staff and to improve the level of after sales product support

It will be done across all the 150 retail outlets.

Deliver training programs

Retail outlet managers

31 August

In house. Additional resources available but a business case is required.

Maintain full staffing capacity through rapid recruitment to fill vacancies.

To maintain and increase sales capacity by recruiting new staff as soon as existing positions are vacated

Thirteen new full-time sales staff will replace staff vacancies in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide CBD stores.

ABC recruitment procedures

Outlet managers

Recruitment agency

31 August

$2,000 recruitment costs per vacant position

Consultation strategy

Stakeholder

Role in the problem

Objective

Consultation method

Senior management plan

Made the decision to increase sales by 15% annually

Keep informed

Feedback session

Email communications

Newsletters

Videoconferencing

Outlet manager

Develop an operational plan and implement the plan to increase sales in their outlet

Implement plan

Consult

Staff meetings

Outlet manager meetings via videoconferencing

Interviews

Sales staff

Implementers of the plan to achieve the intended results

Consult

Keep motivated and engaged

Meetings

Feedback sessions

Online and phone outlets

Provide sales not supported through retail outlets

Consult frequently

Videoconferencing

Major customers

People who make major purchases of ABC products

Consult

Phone calls

Personal visits

Email communication

Newsletters

Customers

People who make small purchases of ABC products

Obtain feedback

Email communication

Newsletters

Recruitment agency

Involved in recruiting staff

Consult

Meetings

If ABC does not meet these objectives, they have budgeted an additional 5% of training costs to employ a training consultant to provide additional training resources.

Include in the report -

Activities undertaken to establish a marketing mix in an organisation, including information on each element of the mix, such as:

1.customer service levels(Refer to Q5)

2. product or service distribution(Refer to Q4 & Q10)

3.product or service pricing (Refer to Q2 & Q10)

4.additional products or services, if any(Refer to Q10)

5.product or service promotion(Refer to Q3 & Q10)

6. report on success of marketing mix activities developed, including coverage of any necessary adjustments made(Refer to Q13 & Q14)