A company providing services is different from one that supplies a product. A service is intangible, something which cannot be touched. In this essay, the marketing objectives and target markets will be outlined, as well as the marketing mix that is used for such markets. There are naturally different kinds of services, but this essay will focus on professional IT services. The example that is mainly used will be CGI, i.e. the Logica Carnegie Group. Four computer scientists and experts in Artificial Intelligence founded the North-American company in 1984. It is involved in business and technical consulting, as well as network, Internet and system integration.
What services does the Carnegie Group offer exactly? According to the web-site the company develops semi-custom client/server software solutions. The term 'semi-custom' means that CGI will install, or help to install a readymade system that can still be adapted by the client company, according to her individual requirements.
Deutsch: Klassischer Marketing-Mix Franzika eines ...
English: Representation of a Marketing-Mix with th...
The 4 P's for a good Politiv of Marketing-MixThe solution provided depends on what data it is used for. When implementing these systems, most concentration is put on the users, e.g. number of users, individual requirements, etc.
CGI's expertise is apparent in various IT areas such as knowledge-based systems and graphical user interfaces, as well as constraint-directed search and distributed computing. In English this means that CGI has experience with databases, graphical programs, search-engines and networks. In order to produce new software fast, components of previous programs are used. Also, so that the client understands everything perfectly, full information is disclosed throughout every stage of the project.
Before discussing specifically what CGI's marketing objectives are, clarifications of what they mean to a service company may be in order. In Jobber's book, these objectives can be split up in two parts: Strategic thrust, and strategic objectives. The thrust indicates the direction that the company wishes...