Marketing managers should employ an effective control system to make sure that activities and results confirm plans.
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Characteristics of Effective Marketing Control System
The effective marketing control system should be based on the following features.
1. Suitability
The marketing control system should be appropriately designed to suit the nature and needs of the activities to be controlled.
This means that different types of activities require different types of control.
For example, control techniques for marketing research; advertising campaigns and performance of sales force need different types of control systems.
2. Understandable
The marketing manager must understand what the control system is attempting to do.
They must have thorough knowledge before operating the technique.
Without a proper understanding of the technique if the manager uses sophisticated control tools which will have adverse consequences.
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3. Prompt Reporting
The marketing control system should report deviations promptly so that corrective action is effected with minimum cost and inconveniences. Timeliness is the essence of control.
Even the best information has little value it is outdated.
A good marketing control system is one that gets relevant information at a proper time before the crisis occurs.
4. Economic
The marketing Control system should be the control technique must justify the expenses involved.
The ratio of cost to the benefit must be low for the control system to be justified.
5. Pointing Out Exceptions
The marketing manager cannot control everything that goes on a firm
Instead, marketing manager should pay adequate attention to key and strategic points that are key to success. This is known as ‘control by exception’.
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6. Objectives
The Control system should be objective. Subjective control may influence judgements hence there may be an element of bias in decisions leading to ineffective performance.
Therefore, marketing control must be objective, clearly quantifiable and verifiable.
7. Flexibility
Marketing control system should be flexible so that it can be adjusted to suit the needs of any change in the environment.
Flexibility makes control workable in the face of changes, plans, unforeseen circumstances or outright failures.
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8. Corrective Actions
Control should lead to corrective action. It must be perspective and operational.
It must disclose where failures are occupying, who is responsible for them and what should be done about them.
It must focus on action rather than on information.
9. Motivate People for High Performance
Marketing control motivates people for high-performance. Most people respond to challenges positively.
Successful accomplishment of challenging standards provides them a sense of accomplishment than meeting easy standards.
However, standards that are too difficult May likely to discourage them resulting in a decline in performance.
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10. Forward-Looking
Effective marketing control should not confine to post mortem of events or things.
It should always aim at the future. It should provide a framework for future planning.
11. Periodic Reviews
The marketing control system must be reviewed periodically. Such a review ensures its applicability.
Thus, now you know the Characteristics of Effective Marketing Control System.
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