Naslov
Marketing management of consulting services and Croatian customers behaviour

Autori
Benazić, Dragan

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u zbornicima skupova, cjeloviti rad (in extenso), znanstveni

Izvornik
Marketing Challenges in New Economy - Proceedings / Križman Pavlović, D. ; Benazić, D. - Pula : Hrvatska udruga za marketing (CROMAR), 2011, 51-75

ISBN
978-953-7498-45-0

Skup
22nd CROMAR Congress "Marketing Challenges in New Economy"

Mjesto i datum
Pula, Hrvatska, 06.10.2011. - 08.10.2011

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
management consulting; customer behaviour; buying decisions; marketing of consulting services

Sažetak
Management consulting (MC) services are business services professionally provided by expert consultants and used by companies and management in solving various business problems. The trends on the management consulting market generally point to growing expectations of the users towards the process and result of the service, a more professional service provision and an internationalization of the users’ business operations, which leads to an intensification of competitiveness on the domestic market. The customer perceives a high level of risk regarding the employment of the service and the expected results of the service. It is therefore necessary to develop and actively apply a specific marketing concept adapted for MC Services that should enable the identification of customer needs and the submission of an offer that contains suitable new solutions for the business problem of the customer, consequently creating a reputable long-term relationship with the customer. The paper presents the results of an empirical research carried out on a sample of 110 Croatian company mangers. The results of the research reveal the business areas for which MC Services were provided, the aims and the motives for the employment of these services, the criteria of choice, the influence of individual decision makers on the selection of the service provider and the practice of employment of MC Services. The implications of the research results for the marketing of MC Services are also provided. MC Services providers need to clearly identify the needs and the potentials of the customer and adapt their service accordingly. MC Service providers need to direct their communication activities towards the qualitative elements of their offer, especially to their competences in business problem solving and the expected benefits from the service. Furthermore, the results indicate that MC Services are rarely used which suggests that it is especially important to engage in quality management of the MC providers’ potentials and processes in order to create an impression of trust and satisfaction thereby securing long-term cooperation with the customer.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Ekonomija

Napomena
Zbornik radova referiran je u EBSCO Publishing bazi podataka

POVEZANOST RADA