EXTENDED MARKETING MIX

In this lesson, you will learn:

Comprehend the concept of Extended Marketing Mix (7Ps) and its significance.
Recognize the added elements (People, Physical Evidence, Process) and their roles in service
marketing.
Understand the impact of staff interactions on consumer perceptions and service quality.
Explain the role of physical evidence in shaping customer experiences and perceptions.
Describe the process component's role in service delivery, customer experience, and value
creation

Marketing Mix describes the specific combination of marketing elements used to achieve an
organization’s/ individual objectives and satisfy the target market. It is customary to accept that
marketing is made up of four P’s:

Product
Price
Promotion
Place (Distribution)

In the case of services, however, there are alternative approaches suggested by various authors. To
discern the differences between services and physical products, Booms and Bitner (1981)
concluded that whilst the four elements of the marketing mix provided a useful structure for
marketing implementation, there is a need to strengthen the approach through the inclusion of three
other elements:

People
Physical Evidence
Process

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Figure shows the extended Ps of the marketing mix

People

An essential ingredient to any service provision is the use of appropriate staff and people. People are
the individuals who approach consumers as they sell and supply the commodity to the
consumers. This includes anyone who is directly or indirectly interested in the product or service. All
these people, however, have important roles to play in the manufacturing, marketing,

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distribution, and delivery of goods and services to customers.

If we don't have the right people behind us, it's useless to create a brand, produce new goods, or
sustain an impressive social media presence. Consumers make judgments and deliver perceptions of
the service based on the employees they interact with.

For example, the shopkeeper who is selling the product or the front-line staff attending the
customers and solving their complaints or queries.

Physical Evidence

In Marketing Mix physical evidence refers to the physical environment experienced by the
customer. It could include the ambiance, design, and layout for any specific shop. Therefore, it
plays an important role in the element of the marketing mix as it is directly related to the customer
experience.

On the other side, the physical evidence of service includes brochures, letterheads, business
cards reports, signage, internet presence, and equipment.

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 For example, in the hotel industry, the design, furnishing, lighting, layout, and decoration of
the hotel as well as the appearance and attitudes of its employees will influence customer
perceptions of the service quality and experiences.

Process

The process is the delivery and operating systems of procedures, mechanisms, and flow of
activities required for the consumption of services. Direct and indirect activities are included in
the process. Direct operations add value to the customer experience as the user sees the service.
Indirect activities include back-office functions which are supposed by operations supplying the
service before, during, and after the consumption of the product. The process component of the
marketing mix defines a variety of steps taken to provide the product or service to the
consumer.

Process analysis involves reviewing things like the sales funnel, payment, process, delivery methods,
and customer relationship management.

For instance, a significant part of the overall process in McDonald's is food preparation.
Therefore, the process is fully transparent, and consumers can see the whole process. The
ordering process, the time taken for the order, and the customer service are the other aspects.

Reference material

www.marketing teacher.com. (n.d.). Marketing Mix 4Ps and 7Ps. [online] Available at:
http://www.marketingteacher.com/marketing-mix-4ps-and-7ps/.

Additional reference

Rathod, M. (2016). A Study on Extended Marketing Mix. [online] 3(2), pp.205–212. Available at:
https://krishisanskriti.org/vol_image/08Jun201610061110%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20
%20%20%20Maulik%20K%20Rathod%20%20%20%20%20%20%20205-212.pdf.

Extended Marketing Mix. Available at: https://www.marketing91.com/extended-marketing-mix/

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