Markting

Institutional Affiliation

Course Name

Course Number

Tutor’s Name

Graco Children’s Products

Date

Question 1: creating value for customers

Graco children’s products offer a variety of products for parents with babies ranging from infants to older children’s toys. The best way to ensure that your customers keep coming back for more of your products is to ensure that the products you offer is of value to your customers and gives them benefits for their money. For parents, the most important thing is safety and comfort for their babies while making work easier for them. Secondly, understanding the value proposition ensures there is a balance between the price charged and the benefits clients receive for using the product. Therefore, the company identifies the segments and customers where additional value can be created. Moreover, the pricing of the products is just right, ensuring profitability at the same time customers get the best values for their money. Moreover, the company focuses investment on the customers and segments that are most valued (Sheth & Sisodia, 2012).

Question 2: role of customer in strategic business plan

‘Graco creates and provides an innovative collection of quality baby products and accessories. We strive for excellence in all endeavors to ensure our most valued asset, the customer, the highest attainable quality and workmanship. Our commitment to unparalleled customer service is something we have proudly maintained for over time. We take great pride in operating as a responsible company and an environmentally concerned member of our planet.’

The mission statement could include a phrase on the wellbeing of the children for whom the products are intended. It should include a phrase like ‘the wellbeing of your child is our biggest priority’. The mission statement is supported by the quality of products provided and the value place of the levels of customer satisfaction (Alexander, 2013).

Question 3: swot analysis

The biggest strength of the company is the company is the reputation and strong brand recognized nationally. The products are well known with the company getting orders for products nationwide. This has seen the company increase the range of products from initially just installing swings to offering a variety of other products. The major weakness is the fact the company has to ship products from the main factory which increases the cost. The company does not have stores or branches that avail the products close to the consumer on order. The company has a major opportunity to increase the range of products they offer to satisfy more of the clients’ needs. The main threat is the vulnerability to completion. There are several other companies offering similar products with almost same quality (Kajanus, Leskinen, Kurttila & Kangas, 2012).

Question 4: competitive analysis

The top competitors of the company are Dorel Juvenile Group Inc. and Tomy International Inc.

The categories important to consumer are safety of children, comfort for the child and parent and the price of the products.

The Graco’s car seats ranked highest in overall performance with to Tomy’ ranking least. On safety, all products tied, since all were very safe. In comfort criteria, Dorel’s car seat ranked highest with Tomy’s ranking last. For price, Graco’s car seat ranked highest with Dorel’s ranking least at the most expensive. From the results, the category is a very competitive market. The product that is leading is Greco’s product (Fleisher & Bensoussan, 2014).

References

Kajanus, M., Leskinen, P., Kurttila, M., & Kangas, J. (2012). Making use of MCDS methods in SWOT analysis—Lessons learnt in strategic natural resources management. Forest Policy and Economics, 20, 1-9.

Sheth, J., & Sisodia, R. (2012). The 4 A's of Marketing: Creating Value for Customer, Company and Society. Routledge.

Alexander, K. (2013). Facilities management: theory and practice. Routledge.

Fleisher, C. S., & Bensoussan, B. E. (2014). Business and competitive analysis: effective application of new and classic methods. Pearson Education.