Introduction
This paper has highlighted various issues which will assist Mountain bank to penetrate the market and be able to counter competition. Mountain bank is in a very competitive business and requires well-formulated strategies of competition and marketing in order to stay afloat in the market. Without proper implementation of these important features of doing business, Mountain bank will eventually collapse. The paper will also discuss the cooperate responsibility of employees in the bank: the employees have a responsibility to ensure that they provide better services to customers in order for the bank to market itself through quality services.
Competition strategies for Mountain Bank
The introduction of free trade markets has led to massive competition between banks, thus forcing many banks to introduce different types of products which can easily penetrate these markets. It is important to note that, this trading system has caused imperfect competition, which is normally called monopolistic competition. Since the cropping up of this type of competition different types of models have been introduced in order to counter monopolistic competition, an example of these models is as shown by this equation: Q = S x [1/n – b x (P – P)]. This model helps to determine the number of competitors in the market and the prices of the products being offered. The introduction of a new product in the market is one way in which Mountain bank can overcome competition.
Another strategy that will help Mountain bank to beat competitors is the use of modern ways of advertising. Such methods may include chat rooms, viral marketing and anonymous emails. The use of archaic methods of advertising which have been overrun by time will cost Mountain bank a fortune since they have now become obsolete. One of the best examples of modern technology advertising which is used in marketing is viral marketing (Stewart & Brown, 2008). Viral marketing is the use of pre-existing social networks such as Facebook to offer awareness of the brand or service. This type of networking enhances the use of the Internet and thus enables a company to reach a wide range of consumers.
The most used competition strategy is pricing, this strategy has had the best performance mostly in the banking industry. Pricing in banks is done by lowering the borrowing rates since all the banks across the globe offer almost the same services and the only difference is in their prices. If Mountain bank can use this strategy wisely competitors will be kept at bay. While introducing new prices in the market, Mountain bank should consider first the target group; this will help the bank to evaluate the amount of money to charge this group of consumers (Stewart & Brown, 2008).
Practices of tellers in Mountain bank
It is evident that tellers are the most significant employees in a bank; hence tellers have a responsibility to ensure that they portray a positive image of the bank to the customers: this is because they are the ambassadors of the bank. Furthermore, tellers should ensure that they embrace responsible behaviors towards the customers. Since tellers have direct contact with the customers, it is important for them to handle the customers with care and high moral standards. The tellers should serve the bank not only as employees but should have a passion for the work they are doing; this makes them conduct their duties with ease and efficiency.
Human resource strategies
There are four main strategies used by human resources in organizations in order to improve productivity. The four strategies are discussed below.
- Internal cost –These are costs that accumulate due to the payments of employees’ salaries, transportation, buying of stationeries and other expenditures which may accrue inside the organization. Many organizations tend to reduce these costs in order to lower expenditure and increase profits.
- External costs –This is another strategy used by the human resource to ensure that they cut the costs of doing business in order to counter competition by offering low-priced products. External costs may include government tariffs, tax, import and export duties and cost of complementary goods.
- Internal differentiation – This is the recognition of what an employee can do differently from the rest. This strategy helps the human resource tap the best employees to perform certain duties or projects in order to overcome competition.
- External differentiation–This mode of differentiation is where an organization produces products that are not similar to those of its competitors. This strategy is essential since the management is able to introduce new products in markets that are not produced by the competitors (Stewart & Brown, 2008).
Recommendation
Mountain bank should use an external differentiation strategy in order to penetrate the banking field. The bank should come up with a new product that is completely different from the rest of the banks and by doing so customers will want to try a new service hence benefiting the bank at the expense of its competitors. For example, the bank can create new services where tellers engage in offering advice to customers regarding loans rather than customers going to the bank manager.
Reference
Stewart, G., & Brown, K. (2008). Human resource management (1st Ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.