The Marketing Mix: Processes (DP IB Business Management): Revision Note

Lisa Eades

Written by: Lisa Eades

Reviewed by: Steve Vorster

Updated on

The importance of processes in the marketing mix

  • Processes refer to the activities, procedures and systems a company employs to deliver a product or service to its customers and create a competitive advantage

  • Businesses develop a set of processes that allow for a product or service to be delivered effectively to their customers

    • E.g. from the moment cruise passengers book their trip, a series of process are engaged

      • Online booking and customer service processes provide for smooth organisation and preparation for the trip

      • When they arrive at the dockside, customers are greeted; their baggage is taken to their assigned cabin

      • Two weeks of services from restaurants and evening entertainment, casinos and shopping are organised and provided

      • Specialist services and facilities are available to those with particular needs

      • When customers arrive at their destination, baggage is delivered to them and onward transportation arranged

The importance of processes

Effective processes in the marketing mix ensure a good customer experience, consistency in messaging, efficiency, adaptability and alignment with business goals
Effective processes form an important part of the extended marketing mix 

Customer experience

  • Processes directly impact the overall customer experience, covering how customers discover a product or service, make a purchase, receive support and interact with the brand

  • Well-designed processes create a seamless, positive customer journey, improving satisfaction and loyalty

  • E.g. L’Oréal uses artificial intelligence to enhance customer experience. Face-scanning sensors measure a customer’s skin to recommend suitable skincare products

Efficiency

  • Effective processes increase efficiency by streamlining operations and cutting unnecessary costs

  • Well-planned marketing processes can eliminate redundancies, automate repetitive tasks and optimise resource use

  • This results in faster delivery, higher productivity and better profitability

  • E.g. Airbnb encourages hosts to offer self check-in facilities, removing the need for the host to be present and simplifying the guest arrival process

Consistency

  • Processes ensure consistent delivery of brand messages, experiences and communication across all customer interactions

  • Consistency builds trust, strengthens brand identity and supports long-term customer relationships

  • E.g. The Economist uses a consistent tone of voice across all its social media channels. Posts are informative, factual and written in clear, everyday language

Adaptability

  • Marketing processes must be flexible to adapt to changing customer preferences, trends and competitor actions

  • Continuous monitoring helps businesses identify areas for improvement and respond quickly to new challenges

  • E.g. Lufthansa has adopted biometric technology at Miami International Airport, allowing passengers to board without a passport or boarding pass, cutting check-in time to under two seconds

Alignment

  • Defined processes help different departments coordinate and work toward shared business objectives

  • Clear communication and cross-functional collaboration improve efficiency and project success

  • E.g. At HubSpot, cross-functional teams use collaborative tools to gain rapid approval for promotional activities. A complete task timeline is recorded so all team members can track project status in real time

Examiner Tips and Tricks

When businesses change their processes it is crucial that they are carefully tested in advance to ensure that customers can continue to access products or services seamlessly. IT-based processes are particularly prone to problems and a number of high-profile disasters have hit well-known brands.

  • In the early 2000's, Hershey’s tried to squeeze a complex IT upgrade project into an unrealistic timeline and launched it during the busy Halloween season before its employees had been adequately trained on the new system 

    • As a result, the business could not process $100 million worth of confectionery orders and suffered a 12% drop in sales

You've read 0 of your 5 free revision notes this week

Unlock more, it's free!

Join the 100,000+ Students that ❤️ Save My Exams

the (exam) results speak for themselves:

Lisa Eades

Author: Lisa Eades

Expertise: Business Content Creator

Lisa has taught A Level, GCSE, BTEC and IBDP Business for over 20 years and is a senior Examiner for Edexcel. Lisa has been a successful Head of Department in Kent and has offered private Business tuition to students across the UK. Lisa loves to create imaginative and accessible resources which engage learners and build their passion for the subject.

Steve Vorster

Reviewer: Steve Vorster

Expertise: Economics & Business Subject Lead

Steve has taught A Level, GCSE, IGCSE Business and Economics - as well as IBDP Economics and Business Management. He is an IBDP Examiner and IGCSE textbook author. His students regularly achieve 90-100% in their final exams. Steve has been the Assistant Head of Sixth Form for a school in Devon, and Head of Economics at the world's largest International school in Singapore. He loves to create resources which speed up student learning and are easily accessible by all.