Moving away from the middle
Most companies in the food industry are now considering a diversification of their products to cater for the competing needs of the customers. Beverage and cold drinks companies have, in past few years, ventured in bakery business. The snacks made by these companies serve as complementary goods for the drinks. Pepsi is one of such beverage companies that adopted the production of the complementary snacks Pepsi (2010). With this strategy, Pepsi has rapidly increased its sales and customer loyalty. Customers flock in large numbers to find “all under one roof”. The snacks have done a great deal in increasing the sale of the Pepsi soft drinks.
Towards a better shopping lifestyle
James Hawkins, in “Open Air Supermarkets” describes lifestyle shopping centers as the core magnet for the pool of the young generation customers. The lifestyle shopping malls such as the Pottery Barn offer more than just the mere commodities. According to Hawkins, this kind of set up has taken over the “closed-door” shopping stores. These lifestyle centers house various social amenities that are the core centers of attraction. For instance, the Pottery Barn complex has a large movie hall with a 3D screen. The movie audience buys from the adjacent shops within the mall. This is how this strategy works for the businesses within; each one complementing the other Hawkins (2012).
Installation included
This complementary service can be seen as an improved “After sale service”. According to the “Auto Japan” magazine 2011, the Toyota Auto Company is now considering to offer free driving classes for new customers who do not know how to drive and for those in need of refresher courses. This strategy will attract more customers and build the company’s image, as states the general manager. Brookes, in his journal, “courtesy vs. sales”, also found that such allied services are now being offered by most fueling stations in America and Canada , which offer free wind screen cleaning as the vehicle is fueled. This service has attracted new customers and loyalty.
Faster fashion
Fashion and apparel industry is one of the most dynamic industries in the world today. Jessica Brown says, “Fashion business is like technology, every new day there is a new design out there from the competitor” The Fashion Talk 2011. Fashion companies such as Zara have always worked round the clock to keep up with the emerging trends. Trending fashions are always aped by the young generation. “The youth are the main targeted customers in the fashion industry,” says Miss Eliot, a fashion designer. Dynamism is the secret when it comes to fashion and apparel business. Zara Company has majored on this to increase its sales and loyalty from the existing customers.
Tracking purchases
McDonald is an international company in the food industry. It has a large number of dedicated clients from all over the world. In order to retain this loyalty, the McDonald considered rewarding its customers with loyalty points and discounts. In the year 2003, the company introduced “smart” cards in some of its major branches such as the UK. Whenever a customer makes a purchase, his card is awarded a given number of points. These points are redeemable in equity. The company has retained its customer loyalty through this method McDonald 2009.
Reference
Auto Japan (2011) Toyota Group: Annual Report, 67. Retrieved from http/ www.Toyota/2011/report.com
Hawkins, J. (2012) Open Air Supermarkets: Lifestyles Shopping Centers. Retrieved from http/www.retail-trends/lifestyle/12435
Pepsi (2010) Industrial Strategies: Companies Review, 5. Retrieved from http/www.compannies- review/pepsi
