You have been hired as a marketing director for Terraineous, a hiking apparel and footwear company. Your most urgent problem is that sales of the company$$s newest high$-$tech hiking boot are failing to meet projections. In analyzing the situation, you learn that the company is falling short in customer service; no one has been designated to answer buyers$$ questions about how to clean and care for the boot or provide product training to retailers so store personnel can answer buyers$$ questions.

When you meet with the CEO, you want to pinpoint exactly which variable of the marketing mix is at the root of this problem. What should you tell them?

The problem stems from the product variable, because this variable may involve decisions about customer service.

The problem stems from the promotion variable, because all customer questions should be answered in ads and sales brochures.

The problem stems from the price variable, because if the boot is cheap enough people will expect little customer service.

The problem stems from the distribution variable, because the stores selling the boot should be able to answer buyers$$ questions without receiving product training.