Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-01T19:18:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 124437.pdf: 5106566 bytes, checksum: 2ff36894d054fda53bcad8db5cdda922 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-09-22 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O cliente é uma peça cada vez mais central na vida das organizações. Em mercados maduros, a retenção de clientes é claramente o objetivo mais importante, no entanto, a aquisição de clientes continua sendo fundamental para empresas como startups ou aquelas que estão entrando em um novo ambiente geográfico. Em casos onde se depende da captação de clientes, falhar neste processo pode custar a perda do momento do mercado ou até mesmo a extinção do negócio. Este trabalho visa apoiar a evolução deste tipo de organização, orientando o uso de métricas de venda rumo a melhoraria constante do processo de captação de clientes. Para chegar a estas conclusões, este trabalho inicia com uma revisão dos construtos relacionados ao marketing e a importância de sua avaliação, métricas de marketing, métricas de venda e captação de clientes. Foram perseguidos objetivos específicos que tratam de mapeamento, identificação de necessidades, elaboração de um conjunto de métricas e orientação de uso. O resultado foi a definição e a compreensão do uso de cinco métricas que melhoram da captação de clientes. O trabalho contribui como uma referência para que as empresas captem mais e melhores clientes, através da estruturação de métricas e uso mais qualificado das informações coletadas.

The need for Swedish SMEs to expand beyond their limited domestic market grows, spurred on by fading barriers to international trade. Often consisting mainly of engineers without marketing experience, the SMEs cannot afford to recruit expertise in internationalisation. The international business environment is complex, and attempting to internationalise through trial and error, often ends poorly. To remedy this, the objectives of this study has been: To explore and compare how Swedish SMEs expand to other markets. To identify which factors in this expansion pose the largest problems                          to Swedish SMEs. To assure that these objectives were fulfilled, two research questions were formulated: RQ1: What is the internationalisation pattern for Swedish SMEs? RQ2: What are the main problems encountered by Swedish SMEs when                                         expanding their market from domestic to international? The study has been exploratory and descriptive, taking a deductive approach. The research strategy has been multiple holistic case studies. Data was collected qualitatively through semi-structured interviews and analysed through within-case analysis and cross-case analysis. The main findings show that SMEs are increasingly strategic and systematic with time, and that advice given by the interviewed subject revolved around being strategic and systematic from an earlier stage. It also seems that SMEs are fairly systematic in market selection and customer acquisition, and that market entry occurs in many different ways. Furthermore, branding revolves around appearing trustworthy and “larger than they actually are.” Strategies for employer branding seems lacking in all but the most mature SMEs. Also, strong strategic partners are a valuable tactic for long-term success. The practical implications revolve around the importance of being systematic and strategic from the start, highlighting the importance of larger strategic partners, and focusing on relationships with customers, and what value the SME can offer them.

Business-to-business (B2B) organizations are facing challenges related to complex sales cycles and increasing competition, resulting in more value-driven sales processes and a holistic ecosystem for the B2B marketplace. Recent studies have acknowledged the lack of research on inside sales and sales development in B2B organizations. Scholars point at the increasing importance of inside sales due to changes in the environment and increasing customer demands, which has resulted in the development of digital sales processes within companies. In this study, we have examined the early phase of the sales process referred to as customer acquisition, which is an important part for companies to do business and be profitable over time. In customer acquisition, lead generation and lead management are two central phenomena including generating potential customers and managing them in an adequate way. In this study, where we are writing on commission for Tele2 IoT, our aim was to develop recommendations for how they can improve their conversion rate and sales performance by asking; “How can B2B companies work with sales development processes and lead generation to improve their sales performance?” Based on a literature review of previous studies on sales processes, Internet of Things, and content marketing, we developed an exploratory and qualitative research design, where data was collected through twelve semi-structured interviews with respondents from the case company. Our empirical findings present how the development of a separate unit for Sales Development in Tele2 IoT can be a solution for handling the current challenges for lead generation and lead management. A dedicated Sales Development Representative (SDR) can be responsible for the early phase of the sales process before a Sales Manager takes over. This would include responsibility for lead generation, qualification, and follow-up to ensure that the qualified leads are timely managed. We demonstrate a model that conceptualizes how companies in a highly competitive business environment can initiate a dedicated function working with customer acquisition practices, which we refer to as Sales Development. In our model, we emphasize how three different channels for attracting and managing leads must be considered: 1) outbound lead generation, 2) inbound lead generation and 3) marketing automated lead generation, to improve sales performance. Based on these findings, we propose iterative customer acquisition processes where communication, documentation and cooperation are at its core. Finally, we propose a framework with reflective questions for managers and organizations to take into consideration when implementing Sales Development into their business. The study primarily contributes to the scarce research field of inside sales, where we encourage practitioners and academia to apply our model and utilize quantitative data measures to understand how a Sales Development configuration can improve lead generation within different industries.

Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate the segmentation and customer acquisition strategies that a MNC offers in emerging markets to implement digital financial service.  The core purpose of the study would be to magnify two core research questions: 1 - How do MNCs segment customers to offer MFS in emerging markets? 2 - How MNCs offering MFS implement Customer Acquisition Strategies to be successful in emerging markets? Methodology: The methodology in this study is built on a qualitative method. The authors conducted semi-structured interviews when interviewing the bKash employees and the agents. Furthermore, different articles, publications, newspapers, websites & course books were also followed. Findings and Conclusion: From the results it was possible to conclude that MNCs in EMs follow all the steps of segmentation and customer acquisition examined in the theories. We ought to assume that MNCs providing MFS services in the EMs shall follow the traditional segmentation strategy. Channel strategy shall still be depending on the physical distribution for new customer acquisition. At the same time, customer awareness program, customer and channel education will drive towards a sustainable MFS business. This study can be used as a prescription to implement successful segmentation and customer acquisition strategies similar to EMs, especially in a context similar to Bangladesh. Contribution of the study: Regarding the theoretical contribution, the study introduces a framework that emphasizes a conventional approach to segmentation customer acquisition. It illustrates that a textbook strategy can be efficient. Also, to the practical contribution, physical distribution of quality based on regular training and incentives should be of top priority when selling innovative products, such as MFS, and communicating complex value propositions in EMs. Reflections on the study and suggestions for future research: The study has been done only in 1 successful MNC providing MFS service in one of the emerging countries, Bangladesh. A further study shall be done in other emerging countries especially in sub Saharan African region to validate this study.

В условиях современного конкурентного рынка торговые компании, особенно работающие в фармацевтическом секторе, сталкиваются с проблемой привлечения и удержания клиентов. Использование технологий искусственного интеллекта привлекло значительное внимание как средство повышения вовлеченности клиентов и улучшения результатов бизнеса. В этой диссертации исследуется актуальность внедрения решений искусственного интеллекта в торговой компании для решения этих проблем и извлечения выгоды из появляющихся возможностей. Целью магистерской диссертации является исследование потенциала и предложение стратегии внедрения решений искусственного интеллекта в деятельность торговой компании для привлечения клиентов, приобретающих фармацевтическую продукцию. Объект исследования – информационные технологии в торговой деятельности. Предметом исследования является стратегия эффективного внедрения ИИ-решений, направленная на привлечение клиентов фармацевтической продукции. Исследование направлено на понимание того, как ИИ может оптимизировать различные аспекты деятельности компании, чтобы повысить вовлеченность клиентов и улучшить общую эффективность бизнеса. В задачи исследования входит выявление наиболее эффективных приложений искусственного интеллекта, анализ их влияния на поведение и удовлетворенность клиентов, а также предложение стратегии и плана ее успешной реализации на практике. Эта диссертация дополняет существующий объем знаний, исследуя конкретное применение решений искусственного интеллекта в контексте привлечения клиентов, приобретающих фармацевтическую продукцию. В нем исследуются новые подходы и стратегии использования технологий искусственного интеллекта, таких как машинное обучение, обработка естественного языка и персонализированные рекомендации, для создания инновационного опыта работы с клиентами и получения конкурентного преимущества на рынке. Результаты этого исследования имеют практическое значение для торговых компаний, работающих в фармацевтическом секторе. Внедряя решения искусственного интеллекта, компании могут улучшить взаимодействие с клиентами, повысить точность прогнозирования спроса, оптимизировать управление запасами и предоставлять персонализированные рекомендации по продуктам. Эти результаты могут повысить удовлетворенность клиентов, увеличить продажи и обеспечить долгосрочную лояльность клиентов. / In today's competitive marketplace, trade companies, particularly those operating in the pharmaceutical sector, face the challenge of attracting and retaining customers. The utilization of AI technologies has gained significant attention as a means to enhance customer engagement and improve business outcomes. This thesis explores the relevance of implementing AI solutions in a trade company to address these challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities. The purpose of this master's thesis is to investigate the potential and to propose the strategy of AI solutions implementation in a trade company's operations to attract customers who purchase pharmaceutical products. The object of the study is the information technologies in the trading activity. The subject of the study is the strategy of effective implementation of AI solutions aimed at attracting customers of pharmaceutical products. The research focuses on understanding how AI can optimize various aspects of the company's operations to enhance customer engagement and improve overall business performance. The objectives of the study include identifying the most effective AI applications, analyzing their impact on customer behavior and satisfaction, and proposing a strategy and a plan for its successful implementation in practice. This thesis contributes to the existing body of knowledge by examining the specific application of AI solutions in the context of attracting customers who purchase pharmaceutical products. It explores novel approaches and strategies to leverage AI technologies, such as machine learning, natural language processing, and personalized recommendations, to create innovative customer experiences and gain a competitive edge in the market. The findings of this research have practical implications for trade companies operating in the pharmaceutical sector. By implementing AI solutions, companies can enhance customer engagement, improve the accuracy of demand forecasting, optimize inventory management, and provide personalized product recommendations. These outcomes have the potential to drive customer satisfaction, increase sales, and establish long-term customer loyalty.

With the significant shifts and upheaval in the marketplace due to digitalisation, and evolving customer behaviour, it is becoming increasingly imperative for businesses to build and maintain strong connections with their customers. This new business setting causes major implications for companies’ formulation of strategies. Therefore, this thesis aims to map out points-of-parity and points-of-difference with regards to how two companies leverage customer emotion, customer engagement and customer loyalty in order to achieve growth, which is defined as the stages of customer acquisition, customer development and customer retention. In addition, the purpose is to explore advocacy and its role for igniting further growth. The study is conducted in the form of a comparative case study of two digital B2C companies: the media company Freeda and the food delivery service Deliveroo. The Framework for Customer Growth and the Cycle of Advocacy-Ignited Growth guide the analysis. The main findings include that companies’ core propositions determine their emotional strategy as well as personalisation being considered the most significant aspect of customer engagement. Moreover, the role of advocacy can be taken on by various stakeholders and is not limited solely to customers.

The outbreak and global spread of the coronavirus took the world by storm and beyond the evident threat it is to the human well-being, it is also impacting the health of businesses. In Finland it was only a matter of weeks after the government the 16th of March started to implement efforts to limit the spread, that a large marketing agency, among other firms, was forced to file for bankruptcy. The seemingly sudden crisis gave rise to a curiosity and interest in how Finnish marketing agencies are handling the situation and what implications it has for the way they do business and subsequently also marketing. Reviewing the academic literature on crisis management, the lack of integration fields between became evident; crisis management has gained most attention within management studies, meanwhile studies with an integrated marketing perspective is lacking. The realisation that the breakdown of relationships is a major threat in a crisis, meanwhile marketing agencies’ business model essentially is built upon agency-client relationships, their particular view on and approach to maintaining and strengthening client relationships during the crisis became a key interest for this thesis. The purpose of this thesis is therefore to gain insight into how Finnish marketing agencies approach crisis management and nurture client relationships in the current covid-19 crisis. A qualitative research approach was taken as the interest and purpose of the study lies in gaining rich insight into the situation and its context, rather than statistically proving a point. Eight semi-structured interviews with professionals from different marketing agencies in Finland was consequently conducted, after which the data was organised and interpreted through a thematic analysis. The results from the study implicates that marketing agencies are relatively unprepared for crises of any type and have adopted a reactive approach when dealing with the covid-19 crisis. Further, the situation is characterised by feelings of support and solidarity both within and among the marketing agencies, their clients, consumers and society at large, which has been expressed to be one of the upsides to the otherwise very dark and serious situation. From marketing agencies’ side, it has also given rise to a more attentive and sensitive tone in communication towards both clients and consumers.

There is little doubt that crises have a major impact on both companies and humanity. However, the picture is less clear when it comes to what challenges small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have to overcome when facing the crisis. Regulations and recommendations of the government are influencing the challenges to conduct business for SMEs. Social media marketing and the associated communication seems to form a great opportunity to overcome the challenges of the crisis. Additionally, the formation of groups in social media and the associated communication among users can be another beneficial factor during a pandemic crisis. The purpose of this paper is to examine how companies may use social media marketing as a strategy to acquire new customers during a pandemic crisis and comply with challenges arising due to the crisis. Interview data has been gathered from eight owner-managers of SMEs in Sweden; the focus was on Restaurants in Sundsvall. They have been interviewed on aspects of their approach to the COVID-19 crisis, their usage of social media marketing as well as customer acquisition during these times. A thematic analysis was used in order to connect the findings with the theory as well as detecting themes. Themes are: Challenges of a crisis for SMEs, social media marketing, and customer acquisition. The overall picture did show that all the informants suffered from the challenges due to the crisis at some point. Nevertheless, social media is a very useful tool for SMEs like restaurants to market their activities and offers, especially during times of crisis when budgets and income are lower.

The following report discusses the design, development, and evaluation of an online training on customer acquisition of telephone customers for a telecommunications company called ACN. The report includes a description of the following elements of the project: (a) the need and purpose for the instruction, (b) the target audience of the instruction, (c) the methodology and rationale for the design of the instruction based on relevant literature, (d) an existing materials search, (e) the instructional materials, (f) the evaluation, (g) the critique, (h) the schedule, and (i) the final budget report. The instruction was found to effectively teach learners the intended objectives which related to understanding the ACN approach to customer acquisition and how to answer common customer questions. Learners in the small group test gained an average of 58.8% on the posttest following completion of the instruction. In addition, qualitative feedback from learners was positive, with all of the learners suggesting that the instruction was helpful, well organized, and accessible. Content experts indicated that the instruction complemented the current ACN training system and that the essential content was covered in a logical manner, and design experts indicated that proper instructional design and web-based training principles were implemented.

Bakgrund: Den industriella marknadsföringen kännetecknas av djupa kundrelationer, där affärer ofta karaktäriseras av långa säljprocesser som innefattar åtskilliga interaktioner med flertalet aktörer involverade. Denna försäljning har blivit allt mer relationsorienterad där kundens behov, värde och önskemål sätts i fokus. Covid-19 har främjat ett digitalt arbetssätt vilket har påverkat verksamheter, affärslandskapet och interaktionen mellan säljare och kunder. Den fysiska interaktionen som anses vara grundläggande vid en nykundsbearbetning och för skapandet av en kundrelation har nu ersatts av digitala möten.  Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka och bidra med ökad förståelse för hur omställningen till att arbeta digitalt på distans har en inverkan på säljarens nykundsbearbetning och etableringen av kundrelationer B2B.  Metod: Denna flerfallstudie tillämpar en kvalitativ forskningsmetod och utgår från ett hermeneutiskt perspektiv i samverkan med en deduktiv ansats med induktiva inslag. Studiens empiriska resultat har samlats in med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer från fyra olika fallföretag. Utifrån tidigare forskning analyseras det empiriska resultatet.  Slutsats: Denna studies resultat påvisar att säljarens arbetssätt har påverkats i viss utsträckning vid bearbetning av nya kunder. Affärer präglas i hög grad av mjuka värden där den fysiska interaktionen förblir viktig för utvecklingen av en kundrelation. Digitala interaktioner ställer högre krav på säljaren inför ett möte och innebär svårigheter att kunna knyta en personlig kontakt för att komma kunden nära och utveckla ett förtroende. Samtidigt visar studien att det digitala verktyget medför en högre effektivitet, tillgänglighet, och en ökad möjlighet att nå fler kunder. Affärslandskapet har förändrats och en kombination av fysiska och digitala möten kommer vara ett sätt för säljarna att nykundsbearbeta på. / Background: Industrial marketing is defined by deep customer relationships, where business is characterized by long sales processes which include numerous interactions with multiple participants. B2B-sales have become more relationship-oriented where the customer's needs, values and wishes are the focal points. Covid-19 has promoted a digital way of working, which has changed the business landscape and the way salespeople interact with customers. The physical interaction that is considered vital when acquiring new customers has now been replaced by digital meetings.  Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate and contribute with an increased understanding of how the transition to working remotely has an impact on the seller’s customer acquisition and the establishment of B2B-relations.  Method: This multiple case study applies a qualitative research method, based on a hermeneutic perspective and a deductive approach with inductive elements. The empirical results of the study have been collected by means of semi-structured interviews from four different companies. The result of the interviews has been analysed using previous research.  Conclusion: The results of this study show that the salesperson’s way of working has been affected to a certain extent when acquiring new customers. B2B-sales is characterized by soft values where the physical interaction remains important for the development of customer relationships. Digital interactions require higher demands on salespeople before a meeting and can imply difficulties in developing a personal contact and association between the parties in order to establish trust. However, it turns out that digital tools lead to higher efficiency, availability, and an increased opportunity to reach more customers. The business landscape has changed, and a mix of physical and digital meetings will be a way for salespeople to acquire new customers.