Introduction
Understanding the behavior of buyers has been the major focus of marketers in almost all industries. Research has continued to show that the behavior of customers of rather buyers is affected by a wide range of factors. These factors range from cultural to social, economic and even geography (Hoyer & MacInnis, 2008). The understanding of buyer behavior is critical for companies as adequate information about customers is availed. The availability of this information eases the making of effective business decisions. This paper contains the analyzes of buyer behavior simulation.
Main Body
According to Hoyer & MacInnis (2008), one of the main concerns of a marketer is to understand the behavior of customers. This is in itself a comprehensive process that calls for a thorough look into all the possible factors which drive the behavior of consumers. The analyzing of buyer’s simulations marketers can get adequate information which they can use to predict and make informed marketing decisions. Buyer needs to keep changing with changes that emanate from the environment. Marketers are required to keep pace with the ever-changing needs of customers.
The first thing that marketers need to do is to understand the history of the market; by extension the history of buyers. This gives leeway in the establishment of the kind or nature of products and the form in which they are acceptable to the buyers. Decisions on, how to improve marketing are often arrived at through the analysis of distinct phases of marketing as described in the simulation. Decisions in marketing are transitory in nature thence they are prone to both the external and internal problems that present themselves at this point.
Many factors have to be considered in buyer simulation so as to capture all the important considerations of buyers and their influence on their buying or consuming patterns. The buying of products in the market is relative. Therefore it is important to include many products in the buyer simulation. When this is done, the marketing development case for products becomes more objective. Therefore the aspect of competitors’ products and how they are priced is quite useful in analyzing buyer simulation for specific products by marketers.
One factor that often characterizes the buying behavior of customers is the income of the buyer. Income forms one of the main factors that determine the consumption of goods and service. This has to be factored in the buyer simulation. The other external factor that can be used in predicting the behavior is the location of the business. Also, the natures of supplementary services that are offered on top of products play a key role in enhancing the behavior of buyers (Hoyer & MacInnis, 2008).
Hoyer & MacInnis, 2008) observe that pricing is another critical factor that has to be analyzed by marketers. Many marketing specialists argue that it is one of the most vibrant factors that dictate the buying patterns of goods. Price is both an internal as well as an external factor. It influences most of the other factors in buyer simulation. Buying patterns often change with the changes in prices of either goods or services in the offing by a business.
A skill in labor helps in the implementation of business objectives. The presence and availability of diverse skills in the workforce of a business is an attraction factor to buyers. This is because that will guarantee quality services, diversity in products and services in the business.
Social and cultural patterns have also been identified as major factors that influence the behavior of buyers. For business in the services industry like the Saloon or hair making business, these factors play out more. The first aspect that has to be factored in buyer simulation in such an industry is gender differences. Male and females have different levels of consumption as it relates to the purchase of services in the industry. Depending on the level of income of people, there is a range in the quality of services that are offered to buyers.
This brings the aspect of social class in business. Buyers who earn more can purchase more goods and services even if the goods are offered at higher prices. This is in contrast to the people who belong to the class. The needs of these two categories of customers differ and thus they have to be featured in the analysis of buyer simulation.
Cultural trends determine the likes of products by a given population in which a business is located. People in a certain region or location may be accustomed to a certain fashion and domesticated it. When a fashion is domesticated, it becomes part of what defines the population of buyers in that given location. Buyer will often want to be part of the culture. This is achieved by no other way than buying either goods or services that go with the culture in the area (Doole & Lowe, 2008).
The location of a business plays out in influencing the behavior of customers in different regions. Buying and consumption patterns of customers in different regions vary. The variations emanate from the differences in the environment as it plays out in different regions. The business may perform well in one region and perform poorly in another region due to the difference in behavior and consumption patterns of buyers. Buyer may be accustomed to certain consumption characters that are prevalent in a given region.
For instance, people in a certain region may be accustomed to individual hair, which makes them seek for services providers that are best in that style. The other important thing in buying patterns in different business locations is the difference in the economic abilities of the population occupying the region. For example, the urban population is often comprised of working people who are more consuming in nature. The trend of service consumption also varies depending on the regions or location of the business (Hoyer & MacInnis, 2008). A good example is the Saloon business located in the urban center where more men come for hairdressing and make-up.
Fashion often impacts on the performance of the business, which is the reason why it is good for a business to maintain customers. Customer retention and maintenance is attained through several initiatives meant to attain customer loyalty. In the services business, customer loyalty can be attained through several strategies.
The first strategy of customer retention is the creation of customer confidence. Customer confidence is created through continuous and consistent supply of services to customers. Continuous improvement of services that are offered to customers is another step in improving customer loyalty. The other thing of winning and maintaining customer loyalty is by offering them incentives for buying services. Examples of incentives include offering extra makeup services to the customer for the services they have paid (Sheth, Parvatiyar & Shainesh, 2001).
Conclusion
Understanding customer behavior has to be the priority of marketers for all kinds of businesses. Behaviors of customers are influenced by many factors which are drawn from both the internal business environment as well as external business factors. All these have to be considered as they contribute to the buying behavior of customers.
References
Blythe, J. (2008). Consumer behaviour. London: Thomson Learning.
Doole, I., & Lowe, R. (2008). International marketing strategy: Analysis, development and implementation. London etc.: South Western Cengage Learning.
Hoyer, W. D., & MacInnis, D. J. (2008). Consumer behavior. Mason, OH: South-Western.
Sheth, J. N., Parvatiyar, A., & Shainesh, G. (2001). Customer relationship management: Emerging concepts, tools, and applications. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Pub. Co.