Introduction
The study of how a particular company conducts its business and what strategy it adopts is of significant value due to the fact that it provides insight into understanding what actions are more effective and successful. Moreover, it gives an opportunity to apply the knowledge gained in the course of training in this area. Thus, within the framework of this case study, an analysis of the customer service strategy of the convenience Wawa network will be conducted, during which the strengths and weaknesses of the business will be highlighted. Even though the company has a strong customer-based strategy it requires some changes to bring greater productivity to the organization.
Discussion
Wawa is a network of convenience stores and gas stations in the United States of America. It was opened in 1964 and currently has 570 stores in five states (Wawa—A fresh look at the, 2016). The company’s revenue is $14.9B dollars, and the presented range includes the variety of fresh food and beverage selection (Wawa, 2023). The company gained the most fame due to its strategy based on customers. This aspect helps the organization to carry out its activities effectively and maintain a competitive position in the market.
The next step is to pay attention to competitive advantages for Wawa based on its customer service strategy. The CEO of the company stated that “while convenience stores seem like places for no-frills consumption, Wawa focuses on the repeat-customer side, or, as he puts it, the “habit-forming” side” (Walker, 2006, para. 2). Thus, the first advantage of the company is a high level of customer loyalty. This circumstance arises due to the fact that buyers appreciate the personalized service they receive at Wawa and feel the client-centered organization of stores (Walker & Mullins, 2014). In addition, the business strategy provides such a competitive advantage as increased sales because customers gain the desire to visit the company’s stores again. The next advantage is the creation of a positive reputation and image of the organization, which arises from experience provided to individuals, which increases customer satisfaction.
Despite the fact that the customer-based strategy brings a relatively large number of advantages to the company, it can also result in several disadvantages. One of them becomes higher costs, which is reflected in need to spend a large amount of finance on staff training and the implementation of customer service programs in all stores. This step may lead to the fact that the company may overlook some more important strategic decisions that may bring more benefits. In addition, the instability among the points of work of the organization also becomes a negative side. Hence, due to a large number of convenience stores, the company may have difficulties in ensuring the exact implementation of the strategy and, thereby, equal satisfaction of customers.
Conclusion
One of the possible changes in the marketing strategy for Wawa may be an increase in attention to the culture of digging. This step may become necessary to resolve the problem of inconsistency among the company’s stores and ensure the provision of the best consumer services. Another initiative may be investing in technology, which will help to explore competitors in the market and improve the customer experience but also reduce operating costs and improve profitability. Therefore, Wawa, being a leader in the implementation of customer base strategy, can apply several valuable steps to gain greater competitiveness and leadership in the market.
References
Walker, O. & Mullins, J. (2014). Marketing strategy: A decision-focused approach (8th ed.). NY McGraw.
Walker, R. (2006). Convenience cult?The New York Times. Web.
Wawa—A fresh look at the Northeast’s most recognized convenience store. (2016). Penske. Web.
Wawa. (2023). Forbes. Web.