TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

download TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

of 19

Transcript of TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    1/19

    DISSERTATION

    On

    A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MARKETING MIX AT BARISTA

    COFFEE (LAVAZZA) WITH CAF COFFEE DAY AND COSTACOFFEE

    ByTony Jose

    A0101910016MBA Class of 2012

    Under the Supervision ofDr. Sumeet Singh Jasial

    Asst. ProfessorDepartment of Decision Sciences & Operations Management

    In Partial Fulfilment of Award of Master of Business Administration

    AMITY BUSINESSSCHOOLAMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH

    AMITY BUSINESS SCHOOL

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    2/19

    EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

    This research aims at establishing an understanding of the marketing strategies (pertaining to

    marketing mix) of Barista Coffee in India. A comparison with other coffeehouse companies

    like Costa Coffee and CCD has been conducted in order to highlight the different strategies

    used by these companies, to survive in the market and build a greater customer base. It also

    assists in finding out the consumer perception & preference towards these brands. In order to

    find out the marketing mix of the mentioned coffee brands, data from the internet has been

    gathered in addition to discussions held with store managers of these 3 coffee brands.

    Also the primary data has been collected by drafting and distributing a consumer perception

    and preference questionnaire which aims at finding out the driving forces behind their opting

    for products from a particular coffee house. Different stores of the 3 coffee brands were visited

    in various parts of Delhi NCR region like Connaught Place, Karol Bagh, Noida, and Rajouri

    Garden etc. 10 respondents from each outlet have been interviewed in order to find out their

    perception of the coffee brands.

    The responses of 350 customers of these coffee shops have been taken into account in order to

    study their perception towards the 3 coffee brands. For the study, the sampling procedure

    followed is Convenience Sampling population is selected because the population is readily

    available and convenient.

    Objectives:

    To understand how the elements of marketing mix and their relationship affect the

    brand reputation of Barista Coffee.

    To study the marketing mix of Barista Coffee with respect to its major competitors in

    the Indian market.

    To find out the consumer perception regarding Barista Coffee, Caf Coffee Day and

    Costa Coffee.

    Purpose of the Study:

    This research will be helpful in understanding the marketing strategies (pertaining to marketing

    mix) of Barista Coffee in India. A comparison with other coffeehouse companies like Costa

    Coffee and CCD will help highlight the different strategies used by these companies, to survive

    in the market and build a greater customer base. It will also help in finding out the consumer

    perception & preference towards these brands.

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    3/19

    Methodology

    The responses of 350 customers of have been taken into account in order to study their

    perception towards the 3 coffee brands namely Barista Coffee, Caf Coffee Day and Costa

    Coffee. The population of the survey are the customers of these 3 coffee brands in Delhi

    NCR region. The data will be collected from the customers by conducting surveys and

    interviews with the help of a questionnaire which will give an insight into the perception of the

    consumers towards the 3 brands that have been selected for the research, and the factors that

    drive their preference towards a particular coffee brand. For the study, the sampling procedure

    followed is Convenience Sampling population is selected because the population is readily

    available and convenient. Tools used- MS Excel, MS Word, and SPSS. Survey Area: Karol

    Bagh, Rajouri Garden, Connaught Place & Noida Sec. 18 Market

    Significance of the Study:

    The reason of conducting this research is to study the marketing strategies adopted by Barista,

    CCD and Costa Coffee with respect to marketing mix. This research will be helpful in

    understanding why consumers have started preferring these coffee chains. Since Barista is one

    of the largest and fastest growing chains of coffee cafes in India; its marketing strategies and

    the reason for its success are studied in this research. Its competitors Caf Coffee Day and

    Costa Coffee are also compared with it. The research will help Barista coffee company and the

    other coffee parlours to understand the customers needs and preferences so they can devise

    their marketing strategies accordingly and adopt the most effective marketing mix to attract

    more customers.

    Limitations:

    Though the research contains reliable results but it still suffers from a few limitations. Firstly,

    the research was carried in a limited time period (2 months) which was due to a time constraint

    owing to academic commitments. Secondly, the sample size taken is restricted to Delhi NCR

    region since it was not possible to acquire data from other states due to proximity issues.

    Finally, there was also lack of co-operation on behalf of some customers of the coffee brands

    while filling up the questionnaire, which resulted in answers or opinions given out of haste and

    frustration, which were hence not included in the research.

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    4/19

    Introduction:

    Coffee Industry in India

    The beverage industry in India has gained importance in the last few years. The beverage retail has

    become a fashionable concept today. A significant change in this industry in particular has been the

    growth of coffee industry. India had been traditionally tea drinking country for ages. Recently, a new

    mode of distribution for coffee has emerged in form of coffee chains. The coffee consumption by

    Indians has increased in the last 4 to 5 years. The coffee demand was 169 MT in 1990-91 has

    increased to 306 MT in 2003-04 and is further estimated to increase to 405 MT in 2009-10.

    Traditionally coffee in India was restricted to the south and that too, predominantly in peoples home.

    The main reason responsible for this proliferation of cafes is the increased spending power among the

    youths apart from other reasons.

    By the turn of the 20th century, the face of the Indian retailing industry had changed

    significantly. Earlier this was largely dominated by unorganized sector but the entry of

    organized sectors bought significant changes in this industry. The coffee drinking revolution

    has had its biggest boost due to opening of thousands of coffee parlours like Barista, Caf

    Coffee Day, and Costa Coffee among others in the country. These bought prominent changes in

    the eating habits of Indian consumers.

    In India, People go to the coffee parlours to just sit over a cup of well-brewed coffee, chill out

    and chat for hours at length with friends or simply to be with oneself in such a relaxed

    atmosphere. Even working people meet to discuss work in the peaceful environment. These

    chains offer a wide variety of things. These coffee chains offer the "total experience" which

    consists of right coffee, food and ambience with Wi-Fis and jukeboxes for customers.

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    5/19

    Review of Literature

    In this paper(Bowen Jr. John J., 2000), the author highlights the importance of the 4Ps of

    marketing and their impact on creating an environment which is conducive for sales in any

    organisation in the finance industry.

    In the paper(Jagmohan.S, Raju, V.Srinivasan and Rajiv Lal, 2000) the role played by brand

    loyalty in determining optimal price promotional strategies used by firms in a competitive

    setting is analyzed.

    According to the paper (Christie Koontz, 2004), the 4 P's for Optimal Customer-Based

    Marketing have been tweaked for desired results.

    In the paper (Christian Grnroos, 2004), the nature and consequences of the dominating

    marketing paradigm of today, marketing mix management of the managerial school and how

    evolving trends in business and modern research info, for example, industrial marketing,

    services marketing and customer relationship economics, demand a relationship-oriented

    approach to marketing have been broadly discussed by the authors.

    According to the paper(Edo Rajh, 2005), the structural model of the effects of marketing mix

    elements on brand equity is defined in line with the existing theoretical findings.

    In the paper (Ekrem Cengiz, Hilmi Erdogan Yayla, 2007), the relationship between

    marketing mix and word of mouth communication has been examined. These variables are

    increasingly recognized as being sources of competitive advantage

    According to the paper(Ankit Gupta, Vidya Bhat, 2007), the existing marketing mix of iPod

    has been studied where the Product, Promotion and the Price have been analysed.

    According to the paper(R.B. Mason, 2007), the proposition regarding the choice of marketingtactics is determined, or at least significantly influenced, by the nature of the companys

    external environment has been put forth.

    According to the paper(Syed Ehtesham Ali, 2008), the marketing mix and their relationship

    affecting the brand reputation of NOKIA has been focused upon. The reasons for preference of

    NOKIA based on established parameters of marketing mix (the 4 Ps) have been researched

    upon.

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    6/19

    Comparison of Marketing Mix Strategies

    Coffee

    Shop

    Product Price Place Promotion People Process Physical

    Evidence

    Barista Appealingprimarily to

    traditional

    coffee lovers.

    Food items :

    croissant,

    pastas, and

    sandwiches -

    project a

    very classicimage of

    Barista;

    Coffee

    beans, coffee

    machines,

    etc.

    Price

    Skimming

    Policy

    The prices

    are

    constantly

    changing

    g; main

    factors thataffect their

    pricing are

    their cost of

    goods sold.

    High Street/

    Family

    Entertainme

    nt Centers.

    In and

    around

    Cinema,

    Colleges,

    Malls, and

    Offices

    Appeals to

    coffee

    lovers of all

    ages.

    Press, TV

    and Radio

    Medias

    Do not rely

    heavily on

    advertisin

    g, but rely

    more on

    sponsorshi

    ps andstrategic

    alliances

    with other

    corporatio

    ns.

    Sales

    promotion

    activities

    trained

    to be

    Pleasan

    t, Polite

    and

    Positive

    uniform:

    in sober

    shades

    ofbrown

    The

    order

    and

    delivery

    process

    at

    Barista

    is based

    on self-

    service

    caf

    interiors -

    project a

    warm,

    earth

    glow,

    synonym

    ous with

    coffee

    furniture

    -

    made of

    light

    shades of

    wood

    comforta

    ble sofas

    Cafe Coffee

    Day

    appeal to

    Indian coffee

    and snack

    lovers

    capture

    Indian taste

    along with

    classic coffee

    samosas,

    biryani, tikka

    sandwich,

    masala

    sandwich,

    etc.

    derive a

    policy to

    satisfy all its

    customers

    price for a

    cup of coffee

    Rs.25 to

    Rs.75.

    Malls,

    Cinemas,

    Colleges,

    Offices, etc

    Through

    television;

    Ticket

    sales;

    Tie-ups

    Peopl

    e are

    hired

    for

    what

    they

    know

    but

    fired

    for

    how

    they

    behave

    .

    Motivati

    based

    on self-

    service

    flexible

    delivery

    process

    used

    bright

    red and

    green

    colors in

    its logo

    The font

    used forCaf is

    called

    SLURRY

    Change

    from the

    largely

    wood and

    granite

    based

    interiors,

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    7/19

    on and

    persona

    l skills

    are laid

    strong

    emphas

    is upon.

    maintai

    n high

    standar

    ds of

    quality

    in their

    performance

    and

    behavio

    ur

    there is

    more of

    steel and

    lots more

    colour

    now.

    young

    colours of

    today,

    lime

    green,

    yellow,

    orange,

    and

    purple

    Costa

    Coffee

    Coffee

    products

    include -

    Espresso,

    Espresso

    Americano,

    Macchiato,

    Cappuccino,

    Caf Latte,

    and

    Chococinno

    & Irish

    Coffee.

    Variety of

    snacks like

    grilled

    sandwiches,

    pastries,

    patties,

    tiramisu,brownies etc.

    The pricing

    strategy

    adopted is

    premium

    pricing

    The target :

    people with

    high

    spending

    capacity

    Eg. A cup of

    cappuccinocosts Rs.65-

    80

    selection of

    the cities :

    Sizeablepopulation

    of

    executives,

    students

    High

    disposable

    income

    High level

    or

    organized

    retail

    activity

    Rapid socio-

    economic

    developmen

    t

    Most of

    the

    awareness

    through

    word of

    mouth

    Reputation

    plays a

    very vital

    role.

    During

    launch ofany new

    product,

    costa

    serves

    free

    samples to

    customer

    with other

    products.

    Given

    compet

    ent

    training

    in

    addressi

    ng the

    demand

    s of

    their

    custom

    ers.

    Dressedsmartly

    (in red

    and

    black)

    and are

    well

    groome

    d.

    Committed to

    Self

    service.

    Decent

    look by

    using

    wood and

    glass

    based

    interiors

    of colors

    brown,

    chocolate

    , and red.

    Lighting:

    not verybright;

    creates a

    soothing

    environm

    ent.

    Music

    system

    [playing

    pop and

    currentmusic],

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    8/19

    providin

    g top

    quality

    services

    .

    wifi

    connectiv

    ity, and

    LCD TV

    display.

    Marketing Mix Leading to Brand Reputation of Barista:

    The various elements of marketing mix namely product, price, place, promotion, physical

    evidence, people and process have led to the building of the Barista brand over the past few

    years.

    Barista has positioned itself as a brand for everyone who loves coffee. Their products, services

    and outlets are more like the traditional European cafs, where people would meet for the love

    of coffee, and for an intellectually appealing time. They position their outlets as a place where

    the world meets, and they look to appeal to anyone in the 14- 60 age group that loves good

    coffee and looks for a nice quiet time.

    By offering a variety of products at reasonable prices, the company has managed to rope in

    more customers over the years. Also having located itself in prime areas like cinemas, malls

    where the footfall is high, theyve managed to catch the eye of the people around. By adopting

    effective promotional strategies, their sales have gone up by more than 60% which has resulted

    in greater awareness about the brand.

    The staff, physical evidence and simplification of processes creates a strong recall value in the

    mind of the customers which drives them to visit again in the future, which increases the

    popularity as well as the profitability of the company.

    Data Analysis

    Reliability Test:

    Case Processing Summary

    N %

    Cases Valid 351 99.4

    Excluded 2 .6

    Total 353 100.0

    a. Listwise deletion based on all variables in the procedure.

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    9/19

    Cronbach`s alpha above 0.60 shows that the data of 350 respondents is reliable to

    draw inference out of it.

    The respondents were asked about the factor which they felt was most important from their

    point of view while deciding upon a specific coffee shop. Majority of the respondents i.e. 168

    respondents stated the taste of products played a vital role while 90 respondents felt that

    ambience was an important factor.

    This is because people visit coffee shops to have a well prepared cup of coffee and unwind

    after a tiring day of work or college. So, it is important that the products offered by the coffee

    brands are tasty and also the ambience should be soothing. Thus, this signifies that customers

    visit coffee shops after considering certain factors which help in moulding their decision to

    visit the coffee shop, in this case, taste of product and ambience.

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    10/19

    1. Ambience

    rate the ambience (colour and lighting) of barista * rate the ambience (colour and lighting) of CCD

    Crosstabulation

    Count

    rate the ambience (colour and lighting) of CCD

    Totalaverage good very good excellent

    rate the ambience (colour and

    lighting) of barista

    average 16 15 11 0 42

    Good 26 33 81 18 158

    very good 0 24 51 32 107

    Excellent 5 9 13 17 44

    Total 47 81 156 67 351

    rate the ambience (colour and lighting) of barista * rate the ambience (colour and lighting) of costa coffee

    Crosstabulation

    Count

    rate the ambience (colour and lighting) of costa coffee

    Totalaverage good very good excellent

    rate the ambience (colour

    and lighting) of barista

    average 0 42 0 0 42

    good 32 78 31 17 158

    very good 17 39 42 9 107

    excellent 5 21 14 4 44

    Total 54 180 87 30 351

    The ambience of barista has been compared with that of cafe coffee day and

    costa coffee across 5 parameters namely: poor, average, good, very good &

    excellent.

    From the above data we can observe that barista when compared with cafe coffee

    day has lesser respondents giving it a favourable rating (very good + excellent)

    151 as compared to cafe coffee day 223 respondents.

    When barista was compared with costa coffee, it was however noted that it has a

    higher favourable rating i.e. 151 as compared to 117 of costa coffee. This signifies

    that respondents preferences is more favourable towards CCD due to better

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    11/19

    colour and lighting, comfort and feel facilities which are major attributes of

    ambience.

    2. Overall Service

    The overall service of barista has been compared with that of cafe coffee day

    and costa coffee across 5 parameters namely: unsatisfactory, ordinary,

    satisfactory, exceeds expectations and highly satisfactory.

    From the above data we can observe that barista when compared with cafe coffee

    day has lesser respondents giving it a favourable rating (exceeds expectations +

    highly satisfactory) 169 as compared to cafe coffee day 222 respondents.

    rate the overall service (coffee) of barista * rate the overall service (coffee) of CCD Crosstabulation

    Count

    rate the overall service (coffee) of CCD

    Totalordinary satisfactory

    exceeds

    expectations

    highly

    satisfactory

    rate the overall service

    (coffee) of barista

    Ordinary 11 8 3 0 22

    Satisfactory 21 42 69 28 160

    exceeds expectations 12 23 82 27 144

    highly satisfactory 0 12 9 4 25

    Total 44 85 163 59 351

    rate the overall service (coffee) of barista * rate the overall service (coffee) of costa coffee Crosstabulation

    Count

    rate the overall service (coffee) of costa coffee

    Total

    unsatisfactor

    y ordinary satisfactory

    exceeds

    expectations

    highly

    satisfactory

    rate the overall service

    (coffee) of barista

    Ordinary 0 21 0 1 0 22

    satisfactory 0 24 99 33 4 160

    exceeds

    expectations

    8 5 60 44 27 144

    highly satisfactory 0 0 1 21 3 25

    Total 8 50 160 99 34 351

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    12/19

    When barista was compared with costa coffee, it was however noted that it has a

    higher favourable rating i.e. 169 as compared to 133 of costa coffee. This signifies

    that respondents preferences is more favourable towards CCD due to better

    overall service provided which includes timely delivery of orders, food quality,

    mannerism of staff, cleanliness etc.

    3. Quality of Products

    rate the taste and quality of products (coffee) of barista * rate the taste and quality of products (coffee) of

    CCD Crosstabulation

    Count

    rate the taste and quality of products (coffee) of CCD

    Totalaverage good very good excellent

    rate the taste and quality of

    products (coffee) of barista

    average 5 14 29 13 61

    good 3 8 19 19 49

    very good 7 37 81 36 161

    excellent 5 20 39 16 80

    Total 20 79 168 84 351

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    13/19

    rate the taste and quality of products (coffee) of barista * rate the taste and quality of products (coffee) of costa

    coffee Crosstabulation

    Count

    rate the taste and quality of products (coffee) of costa coffee

    Totalpoor average good very good excellent

    rate the taste and quality of

    products (coffee) of barista

    average 0 17 28 16 0 61

    good 1 12 25 9 2 49

    very good 0 41 67 42 11 161

    excellent 0 24 27 21 8 80

    Total 1 94 147 88 21 351

    The taste and quality of products of barista has been compared with that ofcafe coffee day and costa coffee across 5 parameters namely: poor, average,

    good, very good & excellent. From the above data we can observe that barista

    when compared with cafe coffee day has lesser respondents giving it a favourable

    rating (very good + excellent) 241 as compared to cafe coffee day 252

    respondents.

    When barista was compared with costa coffee, it was however noted that it has a

    higher favourable rating i.e. 241 as compared to 109 of costa coffee. This signifies

    that respondents preferences is marginally more favourable towards CCD due to

    better tasting and higher quality products like sandwiches, desserts, pasta etc.

    which leads to greater satisfaction among customers and eventually better

    perception and preference.

    4. Value for Money

    rate the value for money (coffee) for barista * rate the value for money (coffee) for CCD Crosstabulation

    Count

    rate the value for money (coffee) for CCD

    Totalpoor average good very good excellent

    rate the value for money

    (coffee) for barista

    average 0 8 20 49 0 77

    good 0 10 26 62 10 108

    very good 8 0 28 23 94 153

    excellent 0 4 0 1 8 13

    Total 8 22 74 135 112 351

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    14/19

    rate the value for money (coffee) for barista * rate the value for money (coffee) for costa coffee Crosstabulation

    Count

    rate the value for money (coffee) for costa coffee

    Totalpoor average good very good excellent

    rate the value for money

    (coffee) for barista

    average 0 41 19 17 0 77

    good 3 18 59 23 5 108

    very good 0 3 85 49 16 153

    excellent 0 0 4 1 8 13

    Total 3 62 167 90 29 351

    The value for money of barista has been compared with that of cafe coffee dayand costa coffee across 5 parameters namely: poor, average, good, very good &

    excellent.

    From the above data we can observe that barista when compared with cafe coffee

    day has lesser respondents giving it a favourable rating (very good + excellent)

    166 as compared to cafe coffee day 247 respondents.

    When barista was compared with costa coffee, it was however noted that it has a

    higher favourable rating i.e. 166 as compared to 119 of costa coffee.

    This signifies that respondents preferences is more favourable towards CCD due

    to products and services that back their worth i.e. are providing the customers

    with the desired quality level for the price they are being offered.

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    15/19

    The pricing of products of barista has been compared with that of cafe coffee

    day and costa coffee across 5 parameters namely: strongly disagree, disagree,neutral, agree & strongly agree.

    From the above data we can observe that barista when compared with cafe coffee

    day has lesser respondents giving it a favourable rating (agree + strongly agree)

    135 as compared to cafe coffee day 195 respondents.

    When barista was compared with costa coffee, it was however noted that it has a

    higher favourable rating i.e. 135 as compared to 104 of costa coffee. This signifies

    that respondents preferences are more favourable towards CCD due to products

    1. Pricing

    prices of products of barista is reasonable * prices of products of CCD is reasonable Crosstabulation

    Count

    prices of products of CCD is reasonable

    Totaldisagree neutral agree strongly agree

    prices of products of barista is

    reasonable

    strongly disagree 5 5 0 0 10

    disagree 4 9 36 0 49

    neutral 11 55 91 0 157

    agree 0 48 22 43 113

    strongly agree 6 13 0 3 22

    Total 26 130 149 46 351

    prices of products of barista is reasonable * prices of products of costa coffee is reasonable Crosstabulation

    Count

    prices of products of costa coffee is reasonable

    Total

    strongly

    disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree

    prices of products of

    barista is reasonable

    strongly disagree 0 0 5 0 5 10

    disagree 0 11 22 0 16 49

    neutral 7 54 61 35 0 157

    agree 0 21 47 40 5 113

    strongly agree 0 8 11 0 3 22

    Total 7 94 146 75 29 351

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    16/19

    being reasonably priced which makes it easier to afford especially the youth

    (school & college).Suggestion & Recommendations

    Based on the analysis carried out, certain gap areas have been identified regarding the

    perception of consumers towards the coffee brands:

    It has been observed that costa coffee and barista fall short in terms of performance

    when it comes to the aspect of ambience. Hence, the brands should look into creating an

    environment in the coffeehouse which is more appealing to the customers by

    incorporating changes to their existing setup; by working upon the lighting, colourcombination or the arrangement of lounges and sofas.

    The coffee brands namely barista and costa coffee have to strategise their service plan

    in order to provide a more comprehensive overall service to its customers. This should

    be done with a view to provide the customers with timely orders, product quality,

    mannerisms of staff etc. The brands should strive towards overall satisfaction for their

    customers in order to retain them in the long run.

    Value for money is something which all customers strongly crave for. Thus, in order to

    meet this desire of customers, the company should bring about necessary product

    innovations by bringing in more variations for the price they charge from the

    customers. Apart from the product quality, the companies should provide a rich

    experience which will make the customers want to return to the coffee shop again in the

    future.

    Despite having branded itself as a premium brand, costa coffee has not garnered

    favourable reviews from the respondents when it comes to value for money, service

    provided and pricing being reasonable. Due to this fewer people choose to visit costa

    coffee as a result of which the customer turnout is low as compared to other coffee

    brands like barista and CCD. Thus, costa coffee should either bring its products to the

    high standards they have claimed to set for themselves or should venture into cheaper

    alternatives or variants which can be afforded by the youth like college going students

    since they comprise a significant percentage of coffee shop customers.

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    17/19

    The taste and quality of products offered by barista and costa coffee has come under the

    scanner, with several dissatisfied customers voicing their opinions. This needs to be

    looked into quickly since coffee is their core service offered to the customers and if this

    takes a hit, the whole brand might suffer. Hence, the companies should run frequent

    quality checks on their products and replenish their stock on a regular basis, to provide

    the customers with fresh tasting coffee and food items.

    Conclusion

    Based on the research carried out it has been observed that the 3 coffee brands barista,

    caf coffee day and costa coffee use various marketing strategies pertaining to

    marketing mix in order to position their products better in the market and also to create

    a larger pool of customers.

    Basically, the above mentioned coffee house brands aim at roping in more customers in

    order to gain a favourable edge over the competitors in terms of customer base and

    profitability. Through the survey conducted in order to find out the customer

    perception and preference towards these 3 brands, it has been observed that caf coffee

    day enjoys a more favourable customer perception and preference as compared to

    barista and costa coffee.

    The reasons identified for this result are that CCD is preferred more in terms of value

    for money, taste and quality of products, ambience, delivery of service etc. due to

    which the customers feel comfortable at the coffee house, which implies that they are

    greatly satisfied with what the company is offering.

    This has resulted in a greater number of customers visiting caf coffee day and

    consuming their products, thereby, boosting their profitability.

    The major gap area which has been identified for barista is the delivery of services

    while costa coffee faces the problem of high prices, in which case the products dont

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    18/19

    live up to the expectations of the customers in terms of product quality or the service

    provided.

    Thus, the shortcomings of the companies leading to lower customer preference has been

    analysed and various suggestions like frequent quality checks, providing qualityexperience, recruiting and training staff, continuous innovations etc. have been

    suggested in order to overcome this problem and eventually gain favourable perception

    of the customers.

    References:

    1. Ali.S.E. Marketing Mix and the Brand Reputation of NOKIA (2008), Market Forces;

    Vol.4 No.1; 15 pages

    2. Birnik A., Bowman C.;Marketing mix standardization in multinational corporations

    (2007); International Journal of Management Reviews; Vol. 9, Issue 4; 22 Pages3. Bowen Jr. J. J.; 4P's of Marketing (2000); Financial Planning, Business Source

    Complete; Vol. 28, Issue 10; 4 pages

    4. Brown C.; Marketing Mix for Nike (2008); 04.09.2011; 6 pages

    5. Cengiz E., Yayla H.E.; The effect of marketing mix on positive word of mouth

    communication (2007); Innovative Marketing, Volume 3, Issue 4; 13 pages

    6. Constantinides E.; The Marketing Mix Revisited: Towards the 21st Century Marketing

    (2006); Journal of Marketing Management; Issue 22; 32 Pages

    7. Dhiman AK., Sharma H.; Services Marketing Mix in Library and Information Centres

    (2009); ICAL ADVOCACY AND MARKETING; 5 Pages

    8. Goi C.L.; Review of Marketing Mix: 4Ps or more (2009); International Journal of

    Marketing Studies; Vol.1, Issue 1; 14 pages

    9. Grnroos C.; From Marketing Mix to Relationship Marketing (2004); Management

    Decision, Vol. 32, Issue 2; 17 Pages

    10. Gupta A., Bhat V.; I POD: The Marketing Mix in Global Market and Proposed

    Strategy to Succeed in India (2007); 26 pages

  • 8/2/2019 TONY - Dissertation - Research Paper

    19/19

    11. Kadiyali V., Sudhir K and Rao Vithala R.; Strategic Marketing Mix (2006);

    International Journal of Research in Marketing; 26 pages

    12. Khatri P.; Celebrity Endorsement: A Strategic Promotion Perspective (2006); Indian

    Media Studies Journal; Vol.1, Issue 1; 13 Pages

    13. Koontz C.; The Marketing Mix: The 4-P Recipe for Customer Satisfaction (2004);

    Customer based marketing; Vol.8, Issue 1; 6 pages

    14. Mason RB; A Marketing Mix Model for a Complex and Turbulent Environment (2007);

    Acta Commercii; 19 Pages

    15. McCain Marketing Mix in the Food Industry; Edition 15; 02.09.2011; 4 pages

    16.Parcelforce Worldwide Using the Marketing Mix to Drive Change; Edition 15;

    02.09.2011; 4 pages

    17. Rajh E.; The Effects of Marketing Mix Elements on Brand Equity (2005); Economic

    Trends and Economic Policy; No. 102; 28 pages

    18.Raju JS., Srinivasan V. and Lal Rajiv; Management Science (2000); Vol. 36, No. 3; 29

    pages

    19.Shivani S., Krishnan M; Marketing Mix Elements Influencing Brand Equity and Brand

    Choice (2010); VIKALPA; Vol. 35, Issue 3; 18 Pages

    20. Tan, Martin C S.; A convergence of Western marketing mix concepts and oriental

    strategic thinking (2005); Marketing Intelligence & Planning; Vol.13, Issue 2; 17

    Pages