4.08 – The use of technology in the Marketing-Information Management function.

1. 4.08 – The use of technology in the Marketing-Information Management function.

2. Technology • Identify ways that the use of technology impacts the marketing-information management function. • Makes it easier to collect and store certain information • Information can be analyzed using specialized software • Many more details can be tracked • Describe how the use of the Internet for marketing-information management tracks and monitors customer website activities. • Use of “cookies” • Accurate count of hits to a website

3. Technology • Discuss how customer-to-business communications on the Internet can be used in marketing-information management (e.g., email reminders, popup notices, online focus groups, etc.) • Computers track details well and software can provide reminders to customers • Customers can choose to go to company websites and/or join online groups and submit their opinions and suggestions

4. Technology • Explain how the Internet provides services for conducting research (e.g., search engines, tools for online surveys, database access, blogs, etc.) • There are many sources of information available on the Internet • General and specialized libraries • Search engines for finding specific sites or information • Paid services that assist with locating research information

5. Technology • Discuss marketers’ use of virtual realties and simulations in marketing-information management. • Marketers use games and online simulations to engage the customer and glean preference information • Customers can make choices based on preset simulations and the information can be recorded to help the company better understand the mind of the consumer.

6. Technology • Describe how the use of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) can facilitate marketing-information management. • Because customers aren’t always stationary and some move from one area of the state or country to another, GPS helps companies understand who is making the buying decisions • Explain the use of data analysis software in marketing-information management. • Specialized software allows data to be analyzed properly • Can be set up to give the information in a specified format

7. Vocabulary Define the following terms: • Self-Regulation – The company or industry enforces its own rules for interacting with its customers • There aren’t any specific laws or government regulations concerning that company’s or industry’s products • SUGGING • Selling Under the Guise of a survey (research) - a product marketer falsely pretends to be a market researcher conducting a survey, when in reality they are simply trying to sell the product in question • FRUGGING • Fundraising Under the Guise of a survey - a product marketer falsely purports to be a market researcher conducting a statistical survey, when in reality the "researcher" is attempting to solicit a donation