Description of the cases
The organizations which operate in the modern competitive environment require a competitive advantage in order to create a profitable position in the industry. Marketing activities play an important role in the ways by which the companies are able to create competitive advantage over the others in the market. The huge number of activities which are effectively performed by the organization based marketing and promotions play an important in the ways by which the organizations are able to operate. Promotional activities are able to increase awareness related to the organizations and its products in the minds of the consumers. The organizations will be able to face the competitors with the help of sustainable competitive advantage and huge customer base (Daspit et al. 2017).
The report will be based on the study related to the marketing plans and activities that are performed by two organizations in order to create competitive advantage in the market. The organizations which have been considered for this analysis are Qantas Airways and Woolworths. The companies belong to different sectors and are able to create competitive advantage in the market with the help of appropriate strategies with respect to the industry of operations (Hill, Jones and Schilling 2014).
Qantas Airways is an airlines organization which has its operations in Australia. The organization has acquired the topmost position in the Australian airlines sector with the help of its large fleet size and the revenues that are earned as well. Qantas Airways was established in 1920 and its international had first started from the year 1935. The company has its base in Sydney and Qantas Airways mainly operates on international basis. The other subsidiary organizations which operate under Qantas Airways have their origin in different regions. Jetstar Airways is also owned by Qantas which is known for offering budget services to the customers. Qantas merged its operations in the year 1992 with a nationally owned organization named Trans Australia Airlines (Qantas.com. 2018).
Woolworths is an organization which mainly operates in retail sector of Australia and New Zealand. The organization has been able to position itself in the second place in retail sector of Australia with the help of its huge revenues in the market. The company is also one of the biggest takeaway based retailer in entire Australia. The first Woolworths store was established in 1924 in Australia. Woolworths has been able to create its unique position in the industry with the help of different effective strategies. Customer relationship has been an important factor behind the success of Woolworths in the retail market (Woolworths.com.au. 2018).
Evidence based on marketing related success
The two companies which have been considered for the analysis of competitive advantage have been able to develop their position in the industry with the help of innovative strategies. The marketing activities related research will be done with the help of different articles that have been published in the Australian newspapers. The newspaper stories and articles have been able to provide an insight based on the ways by which these companies have operated (James 2016, pp. 493).
Woolworths has tried to gain competitive advantage in the market in Australian retail industry with the improvement of services and products that are offered by the company. Woolworths has provided offers to the customers by analysing the preferences and choice in an effective manner. The relationship that has been established by the company with its customers has been effective and helpful in creation if competitive advantage. Woolworths has implemented relationship or personalised marketing for operating in the retail industry. The news article has been able to provide information based on the ways by which Woolworths has been successful in gaining an advantage (Adbrands.net. 2018).
On the other hand, Qantas Airways was able to create competitive advantage in retail industry by placing the customers at the centre of operations. Customer centric approach has been implemented by the organization at the time of change implementation in order to competitive advantage as compared to the other organizations. The partners of Qantas Airways have also played an important role in creating a relationship with the customers with the help of appropriate rewards (Gouveia 2018).
Personalised marketing has been implemented in the organizational operations which has helped the company to create a competitive advantage. The company has customised its offerings based on the demands that are placed by the customers. The activities related to mass marketing that has been performed by the organization previously has been changed to personalised process of marketing. The offers and rewards are thereby designed by the company with respect to the needs of customers. Woolworths has thereby used the new strategies related to marketing in order to reposition the brand in the retail industry for the purpose of improving the customer base (Michael, Storey and Thomas 2017).
The promotional activities of the company are also based on the ways by which a larger of group pf customers can be attracted towards the organization. The strategy based on operations that was used by the organization previously was also changed in order to the make the it service oriented rather than being product oriented. The organization has changed the strategy in order to communicate the customer based proposition to create a loyal base (Financial Review. 2018). The service oriented nature of the operations of Woolworths have been an important part of the advantage that the company has in Australian retail industry. Woolworths was able to beat the sales if its biggest competitor Coles in the Australian retail market. The organization has created the dominant position in the retail industry with the help of its collaboration with local farmers and growers (Mitchell 2018). The company was able to create this position in the retail industry in the year 2006. Woolworths was thereby able to beat the competition in retail market with the help of its effective strategies.
Explain the ways by which these organizations achieved success in the industry
The transformation based process that has taken place in Qantas Airways is the past few years is based on the restricting of costs. The organization did not lose focus on its customers even in the rough times. Management of the company has thereby invested huge amounts in the usage of technology and the data so that the customer strategy and business can be driven in an effective manner. The cross-functional areas have been provided with huge importance in order to enhance the experience which is provided to customers. The major areas based on differentiation of the services that are provided to the customers are related to the technologies that are implemented by the company (Daspit et al. 2017).
The major point of difference in this case is based on development of ways by which Qantas Airways is able to manage the employees in an effective manner. The company has developed effective strategies for the purpose of engaging the customers in different processes. The company has been able to place the organization at the centre of the strategies. The quality related to services which are provided to the customers also plays an important role in the competitive advantage of Qantas Airways. Transparency levels which have been maintained by the company in its operations has been able to create a driving force in the operations (Michael, Storey and Thomas 2017).
The levels of trust of employees have increased and sustainable earnings of the company have also increased in the process. Qantas has also provided experience to the customers in such a manner which can help in the creation of an advantage in the industry. The rewards which have been provided by the company to build a loyal customer base also play an important part in the successful operations of Qantas Airways in the industry. Qantas Airways has been able to gain a share in the market as the marketing strategies have played an important role in increasing the trust of the customers (Gouveia 2018).
e. Conclusion
The report can be concluded by stating that organizations which have been taken into consideration for analysis have been able to create competitive advantage in the industry. The two companies are namely, Woolworths and Qantas Airways. The organizations operate in two different industries with the help of their appropriate strategies. The competitive advantage plays an important role in the ways by which the companies operate in the market. The approaches that have been taken by these organizations are different from each other and have been able to create a different position of the company as well. The approaches which have been applied by the companies are both customer-centric in nature. The customers are given high levels of importance so that the company can create a loyal base. Competitive advantage will thereby be gained by the two organizations with the help of services that they provide. The products that are designed by customers are not enough always to increase the competitive advantage. However, services can play an important role in the ways by which the organizations can stay competitive.
References
Adbrands.net. 2018. Woolworths : marketing and advertising profile at Adbrands.net. [online] Available at: https://www.adbrands.net/au/woolworths_au.htm [Accessed 4 Aug. 2018].
Daspit, J. J., Chrisman, J. J., Sharma, P., Pearson, A. W., and Long, R. G., 2017. A Strategic Management Perspective of the Family Firm: Past Trends, New Insights, and Future Directions. Journal of Managerial Issues, 29(1).
Financial Review. 2018. How Woolworths’ personalised marketing is lifting loyalty and sales. [online] Available at: https://www.afr.com/it-pro/how-woolworths-personalised-marketing-is-lifting-loyalty-and-sales-20130213-jz5jx [Accessed 4 Aug. 2018].
Gouveia, M. 2018. Use marketing and trust to deliver competitive advantage: Qantas CMO – Which-50. [online] Which-50. Available at: https://which-50.com/use-marketing-trust-deliver-competitive-advantage-qantas-cmo/ [Accessed 4 Aug. 2018].
Hill, C. W., Jones, G. R., and Schilling, M. A., 2014. Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning.
James, S.D., 2016. Strategic bankruptcy: A stakeholder management perspective. Journal of Business Research, 69(2), pp.492-499.
Michael, S., Storey, D., and Thomas, H., 2017. Discovery and coordination in strategic management and entrepreneurship. Strategic entrepreneurship: Creating a new mindset, 45-65.
Mitchell, S. 2018. Woolworths kicks off new marketing campaign. [online] The Sydney Morning Herald. Available at: https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/woolworths-kicks-off-new-marketing-campaign-20151020-gkd4dl.html [Accessed 4 Aug. 2018].
Qantas.com. 2018. Fly with Australia’s most popular airline | Qantas AU. [online] Available at: https://www.qantas.com/au/en.html [Accessed 4 Aug. 2018].
Woolworths.com.au. 2018. Woolworths.com.au. [online] Available at: https://www.woolworths.com.au/ [Accessed 4 Aug. 2018