International Marketing

Environment Analysis UNIT 7 TECHNOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT

Learning Outcomes
After going through this unit, you should be able to:
 discuss the role of technology in international marketing.
 explain the applications of the internet in international marketing.
 describe technology advancements to offer an international marketing solution
 apply the concept of e-commerce by using an illustrative case study.
 analyze the role of technology in the customer experience

Structure

7.1 Introduction
7.2 Role of Technology in International Marketing
7.3 Technology and International Market Convergence
7.4 Internet and International Marketing
7.5 Technology and International Marketing Solution
7.6 E-Commerce- A Case of Global Players in Indian Market
7.7 Technology and Customer Experience
7.8 Summary
7.9 Self-Assessment Questions
7.10 Further Readings

7.1 INTRODUCTION
All facets of the international marketing process are significantly affected by technological
advancements. The development of electronic communications has revolutionized
market research capabilities, management control, and the logistics of conducting
commercial operations worldwide. Global communications have dramatically
transformed as a result of satellite communications, the internet and World Wide Web,
client-server technologies, cable, ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), email,
sophisticated telephone networks, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media
platforms. For example, when a business creates a website on the internet, the business
instantly goes global. Additionally, the Internet enables global connectivity between
individuals and businesses, enabling the purchase and sale of an almost unlimited range
of goods and services. In this unit, we will discuss how the technical environment
affects international marketing.

7.2 ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN INTERNATIONAL

MARKETING
The use of technology in marketing has a big effect. Industrialized nations serve as
118 current instances of an information society that is supported by technological
advancements and is spreading quickly. The most important corporate resource Technological Environment
available to organizations today is information, and the proper exploitation of this
resource is crucial to the company’s ability to survive in a cutthroat market. The marketing
division is currently in the spotlight. Businesses use technology to collect, manage, and
analyze enormous amounts of data. It is crucial to evaluate the range of current and
potential future technologies that might or might not be used in the organization’s marketing
function.
The use of technology in international trade is very beneficial. Although it may be argued
that the removal of trade barriers has made the globalization of markets and production
a theoretical possibility, technology has made it a practical reality. In terms of information
collection, management, exchange, communication, analysis, personalization, and
customization, it is possible to show that technology has a substantial impact on
marketing strategy. It ultimately results in lower costs, more effective marketing
strategies, and higher consumer happiness. IBM analysts predicted that there would
only be a worldwide demand for a maximum of six of these types of machines when
the first modern computer was being constructed. It demonstrates how, when used to
its greatest potential, information technology can outperform all expectations.
Certain technologies are no longer restricted to only a few nations or regions of the
world. Today, even the average individual has access to some form of technology,
which has had a significant impact on the business and technological revolutions. More
new technologies have been developed in the past 100 years than at any other time in
human history, and the rate is only increasing. When it comes to coming up with
innovative ways to connect with their audience and have meaningful conversations
with them, businesses who understand the value of these advances and take advantage
of them will prosper while others fall short. As a result, technology becomes an essential
component of their approach. To keep ahead of the competition, modern marketers
must consider a few potential technical options.
Businesses all around the globe are increasingly turning to online marketing strategies.
When people realized how effective internet marketing could be in promoting goods
and services online, it rapidly surpassed all other forms of advertising as the dominant
marketing channel worldwide. One of the greatest benefits of internet marketing is the
tremendous ease with which it can be implemented. Because of the widespread use of
the internet, customers may easily access marketplaces all over the globe. This has
resulted in a decrease in the transportation costs associated with buying items from
other countries. Moreover, the internet facilitates more frequent communication with
clients than conventional methods. Mailing an email or creating a blog post is far cheaper
than sending mail or printing pamphlets. Rather than printing and mailing out material,
you may save money by communicating over email instead. One of the primary benefits
of global marketing for companies is the expansion of their potential customer base.
With aggressive Search Engine Optimization (SEO), you may attract millions of people
and expand your audience to every corner of the globe in only a few short months.
Anywhere that has access to the internet is now within reach.
Regardless of where you are physically located, you can readily promote your wares
to consumers all over the globe thanks to the proliferation of the internet. You can
contact your customers around the clock from any location on the globe. If your target
market extends beyond your immediate area, you might benefit greatly from going
global with your advertising efforts. Advertising and marketing initiatives benefit greatly
from a diversified approach to reaching their intended demographic. With a diversified 119
International Marketing approach, you have more ways to contact your target audience. Online advertising
Environment Analysis
facilitates expansion into new areas. In addition, you may improve the efficacy of your
marketing effort by making use of a few different marketing approaches at once. Internet
marketing, in contrast to more conventional methods, can be set up and put into action
rather quickly.
A marketing campaign may be quickly and simply started whenever it is most convenient
for you. It won’t take you more than a few hours to have your company’s email marketing
campaign up and running. You can build a marketing list and activate an autoresponder
in a matter of minutes. Business expansion, new friendships, increased efficiency in the
workplace, and more understanding between individuals are all facilitated by
technological advances in communication. The ways in which businesses interact with
potential clients are profoundly influenced by technological developments such as the
Internet, mobile phones, social media, and customer relationship management systems.
The media environment and the way in which businesses deliver their messages are
evolving in response to these new channels of interaction. The majority of today’s
consumers and businesspeople use their mobile devices, both for research and for
making professional connections. Customers may do more research on products on
their own if they have access to a variety of information sources and are interested in
interactive media. More and more individuals are using social media like Facebook,
LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter to do business, while others work from home or in a
virtual office. Organizational budgets for various forms of communication and technology
will shift as the media environment changes. Once a company has produced a product
or service, it must inform existing and future consumers of the product’s or service’s
value and advantages. Most the world’s youth today are members of the millennial
generation, and they are the primary consumers fueling the shift toward cutting-edge
forms of communication.
Modern marketing employs digital marketing. It could be defined as marketing that
employs electronic devices such as personal computers, smartphones, telephones,
and tablets. television sets and gaming consoles to connect with stakeholders. A
component of digital marketing is digital brand engagement. Digital marketing employs
technology or platforms such as websites, e-mail, applications, and social networks.
Digital marketing may be via non-internet media too, like TV, radio, and SMS, or
through internet channels like social media, e-mail advertisements, and banner ads.
Digital marketing includes social media marketing. While many companies still use a
mix of conventional and digital marketing methods, the latter is gaining traction among
professionals in the field since it provides more opportunities for precise targeting and
tracking of metrics like return on investment (ROI). To advertise or sell anything to
online users or other companies, we employ digital channels, sometimes known as
“digital marketing.” As people spend more time on their smartphones, tablets, and
computers, marketing is undergoing a radical shift to reflect this new reality.
The challenge for businesses is to build campaigns that are compatible with social
media, display advertising, and e-commerce and to communicate with consumers in
real time across all these mediums. The new generation of marketers has worked hard
to bring marketing closer to our day-to-day existence, and the distance between the
two is closing every second. Marketers rely heavily on technology as a means of
connecting with their intended demographic.
Industries have garnered lovely fruits that were never possible thanks to the union of
technology and marketing. In decades past, no one could have imagined there would
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be a marketing medium other than print media. While it’s true that marketing and its Technological Environment
principles are evolving and will continue to change, the rise of technology as a distinct
area of marketing, known as “digital marketing,” cannot be dismissed or ignored. Finally,
technology has seen a big development in international marketing during the last decade.
Activity-1
How does the technology have enabled the international marketing? Discuss with the
help of examples.
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7.3 TECHNOLOGY AND INTERNATIONAL

MARKET CONVERGENCE
Technology is a key factor in the development of international marketing. One explanation
for the tendency toward global market convergence is the information revolution.
Information has increasing power in the global market as communications get easier
and faster. We have instant access to information on the crucial aspects that influence
our business. Seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day, the news is accessible.
Manufacturers who wish to know where their competitors stand in relation to their
business operations or new product development can access this information right
away.
The internet has made it easier to integrate various supply chain technologies, systems,
and procedures that are used locally by various partners and divisions of the company.
It allows to remotely and immediately contact professionals anywhere in the world. A
wide range of technologies including widespread access to broadband Internet and
social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and others, are driving this
revolution. Together, these communication methods enable people to compare their
own lifestyles and standards of living to those of people in other nations, even those
who live in the most remote regions of the world. In regional markets, where customers
are more mobile and traverse national borders more frequently, there are chances for
marketers to explore pan-regional product positioning.
Face-to-face contact between co-workers and between a business and its consumers
is a crucial component of successful international marketing. Over the past few decades,
the cost of international data, audio, and video communication has decreased significantly,
making online platforms like Skype, Google Meet, Microsoft Team, Zoom etc. Effective
new communication channels for setting up business meetings from anywhere in the
world. They are the most recent in a line of technological advancements that allow
managers, executives, and customers to connect virtually from anywhere in the world
without ever having to travel. Marketers often use technological tools like virtual reality
to provide a virtual experience. In order to encourage client interaction and foster
trust, marketers create forums and fan groups. For instance, the firm Zoom, which
offers online video conference services, launched the functionality of break-out rooms
in 2020. This feature was added to give the students and participants a chance to
interact in smaller groups while a live online session was still in progress.
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International Marketing The essential tasks, challenges, and decisions involved in the international marketing
Environment Analysis
process are not eliminated by technology. Understanding the need for cultural sensitivity,
the need to make products and services available to customers around the world with
minimal investment, or the need to be both effective and efficient by striking an
appropriate balance between the standardization and adaptation of the international
marketing process and programs are ways to address these issues. However, technology
does significantly contribute as a facilitator in offering answers to issues in international
marketing, such as:
 When handling international market access in many countries through agents
and distributors would likely be beyond the resources of most small firms,
how can a family business run by seven-member reach potential clients in 30
or 40 nations?
 How can a business employ product advocates or evangelists to spread their
positive experiences to prospective clients around the world?
 How can consumers in the far corners of the globe make the same contributions
to the design of a new global product as the consumer next door?

7.4 INTERNET AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETING

The growth of the internet has transformed supply-chain management, demand
management, customer information management, and distribution channel management
and control. Real-time decisions can now be made in virtual, global marketplaces that
manage supply and demand. It has helped raise people’s awareness of global market
developments and new products and services that are introduced anywhere.
The development of the internet has given businesses of all sizes and types access to
the information they need to remain competitive. Internet significantly improves a
searcher’s capacity to find difficult information in local or global markets. Many of the
standard print resources and the online database systems that required separate dial-
up access are now available online. However, it should be noted that while the internet
can rapidly address some urgent information needs, it also tends to result in information
overload. The international marketers must present their own perspectives on the
Internet’s usefulness and application to the tasks at hand, given the time-limited resources
available.
International marketing is no longer constrained by the geographic limits of the media
footprint, the salesperson’s territory, or the territory of the distribution firm. The Internet
provides a global marketplace that is open to everyone. Multinational firms can develop
their international marketing strategies based on information accessed from internet.
According to Doole, et, al., Internet can be used as:
 A method of collecting, searching for, and exchanging marketing and business
information
 An alternative route to market for traditional distribution channels.
 A means of building customer relationships
 A device for the digital delivery of certain information services
 A networked system for managing the supply chain

122  A virtual marketplace, trading floor, and auction house.

Let us discuss some of the major applications of internet in international marketing. Technological Environment

 Analysis of the marketing environment

With the help of the internet, businesses may readily keep track of their external
environment. Search engines like Google, and Bing are a good source of
information for businesses. Companies are kept up to date on news
developments as they happen using RSS (really simple syndication) feeds
from news websites. The opinions of various individuals on a number of topics
can be found in online forums and blogs. Research can be found on the internet
from marketing research organizations which conduct market research about
consumer trends covering a diverse range of sectors and industries.
 Analysis of Competitors
Companies can use the internet to research competitors and evaluate their
marketing mix strategies. Many companies use websites to draw customers
to their businesses. These websites offer a lot of useful information. A
company’s website often includes a thorough catalogue of its items, together
with frequently available pricing information. Business websites also include
details on a company’s product and service promotion strategies. You can
also acquire financial reports outlining how a business is operating through the
corporate website or another website that charges customers to access
company financial reports.
 Online Surveys
Online surveys are an easy way to do primary research through the internet. A
notice requesting participation in an online survey will appear when an internet
user accesses a website with online questionnaires. Users will be questioned
about their opinions of the business, its products and services, its websites,
and the industry in which it competes. Online surveys are often brief and easy
to complete to encourage user involvement. Analyzing the data received from
online surveys is used to develop a marketing strategy.
 Analysis of Usage
Businesses do research to learn about customer buying habits and how popular
their websites are. Some organizations use their own software to acquire data
on internet usage, while others hire outside firms to carry out the investigation.
Usage analysis will reveal the number of visitors to the website, where they
came from, how long they stayed there, and which sections of the website
they used.
Websites
In order to facilitate activities or provide online information, people and organizations
build websites. An organization’s website allows it to manage a large portion of the
online communication about its goods, services, and organizational performance,
allowing it to convey a consistent and clear message. Websites provide a variety of
functions, Doole et al. categorize their relevance for global marketing into the following
groups:
 Organization sites
 Service online 123
International Marketing  Information online
Environment Analysis
 Business transactions online (e-commerce websites are also used for m-
commerce transactions).
Organization Sites
Many businesses utilize their websites to tell their stakeholders about the business.
This contains details about history, purpose and areas of operation, standards and
values, brands and logos of products and services, financial results, employment
possibilities, and contact information. On some websites, clients are guided through
the purchasing process. BMW, as an illustration, offers a variety of options for clients
to choose from when designing their new vehicle, including cruise control, gasoline or
diesel, metallic paint, and alloy wheels. Once the customer has created the car, they
are directed to their neighborhood dealer to finish the transaction.
Service Online
Online banking provides customers greater control over their accounts by allowing
them to access information from anywhere in the world and carry out transactions at
any time of day or night. As a result of enhanced automation, the bank can save money
by reducing the price of individual banking transactions and the maintenance of bank
branches and service centres, among other things.
By offering an online tracking service rather of hiring employees to respond to consumer
questions, courier and speed post service providers like India Post have been able to
save a significant amount of money. The method entails printing a barcode on the
shipment, which is then scanned each time it passes a crucial junction on the way.
Customers from all over the world can view this information after it is uploaded to the
website. Another illustration is online access to real-time train running status or in-flight
information, which alerts those meeting a train or flight if the train or flight is delayed.
Information Online
Information-providing industries, like Wikipedia or market research firms, offer websites
that let users access recent and historical news, data, information, and image files.
Such websites frequently offer a basic level of access without charge, but they may
charge subscription fees for frequent users or demand payment for more valuable
content. This information is available online and may be viewed from any location in
the world because it is in digital form.
Business Transactions Online
These websites offer users the option to make transactions and buy products or services
online. There are two sections to these webpages. The first offers the storefront, which
needs to be appealing to any possible customers. The second is a simple checkout
process that reassures the customer of its security, which is crucial when making a
cross-border purchase. Big data management is used to gather information about the
customer’s past purchases, browsing habits, beliefs, and hobbies in order to provide
suggestions for future purchases.
According to Pitts et al. (1996) Web sites have been utilized to accomplish the goals of
a number of marketing strategies, such as:
1. To get a deeper understanding of company’s target audience
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 2. To understand online consumers’ tastes, preferences and the buying habits Technological Environment

3. To discover new business opportunities and business models

4. To understand the recent trends on e-commerce platforms
5. To identify potential areas of growth
6. To determine existing customer satisfaction level and gather feedback.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Businesses increasingly recognize the value of participating in various online communities,
even if it is just to see what people are saying about them, their competitors and their
products. People can connect with others who share their opinions on blogs and forum
websites like Google’s Blogger, which enables businesses to learn about customer
complaints promptly. Additionally, businesses can utilize them to update and inform
their staff members all around the world. Facebook and other social media platforms
serve as member groups or communities with shared interests. File-sharing services
like Flickr and YouTube have frequently been used to distribute both photo and video
files that have either improved the reputation of a corporation and its employees or
proved embarrassing.
ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
With the widespread use of mobile devices and apps, consumers have round-the clock
access to the information superhighway. These digital advances have given consumers
the ability to produce their own content on social media. Social media is characterized
by user-generated content. Different social media platforms have specific features that
make them useful in marketing. A key element in the success of social media is the
ability of users to evaluate, rank, comment on, review, and reply to the new media
environment. People combine one-to-one (like email and instant messaging), one-to-
many (like Web pages and blogs), and many-to-many (like wikis) communication
modalities to create online communities. Social networking sites like Facebook, video
sharing sites like YouTube, photo sharing sites like Flickr, wikis like Wikipedia, product
and service reviews like TripAdvisor, virtual worlds like Second Life, Web-based
communities, blogs and microblogs like Twitter are some examples of social media.
These social networks and the open-source social computing tools on which they are
based can be used by international marketers to broaden the scope of their offerings
and allow companies the opportunity to interact with their customers. As a result, they
are applicable to a range of marketing research applications, including as segmentation,
idea generation, concept testing, product development, brand launches, pricing, and
integrated marketing communications.
In order to “listen” to and interact with customers on social media, companies can
benefit from marketing research. Social media platforms provide fresh perspectives on
how to comprehend, justify, influence, and forecast customer behavior. For example,
Cadbury Chocolates chose to discontinue production of the Wispa candy bar for UK
market in 2003. However, the Wispa had a sizable following that could “speak” through
Facebook. Around 93 Facebook groups with over 14,000 members each demanded
that Cadbury bring back the Wispa. In 2007, Cadbury responded to these customers’
requests and brought the candy bar back. In the case of Cadbury, active listening and
teamwork were successful. 41 million bars were sold out in just four weeks after the
product’s debut, and millions more have since been sold.
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International Marketing Let us discuss some of the major applications of social media in international marketing
Environment Analysis
Analytics for Qualitative Content:
Marketers can use analytics to assess the customer engagement with brands through
social media. The likes, comments and shares on social media page helps the marketers
to understand the kind of content, product or service that is favored by the target
audience. Similarly, marketers can analyze the competitors’ performance while
comparing it with their own social media page and draft similar strategies to increase
brand awareness and customer engagement.
Twitter Analytics-One may get data on likes, responses, retweets, and other metrics
from Twitter Analytics to help understand the reach and impact of your Twitter ads as
well as do research on the effectiveness of one’s own or a brand’s Twitter channels.
One can also examine the best and worst posts from any given month. Additionally,
Twitter lets one conduct in-depth keyword searches across specified time frames and
places, which enables one to gauge public opinion on a subject.
Facebook Analytics- On its analytics page, Facebook Analytics also provides
comprehensive, downloadable statistics on your owned Pages. On Facebook Pages,
you can view information about a firm’s page’s demographics as well as reach and
engagement statistics for posts and videos. Researching how people interact with public
Facebook Pages is another option, however due to Facebook’s privacy policies, it is
challenging to compile this data.
You Tube- For creators, the analytics section of YouTube offers a range of metrics to
look at, including watch times for your videos, traffic sources to determine where
viewers are coming from, and demographics reports. On YouTube, one can also conduct
additional social media research by looking at the Trending page and examining the
views and comments that videos have received.
Social Media Listening:
Social media listening refers to the process of identifying and monitoringthe
conversations or feedback aboutproduct, individual or organization from various social
media channels. It allows the marketers to understand the voice of customers, their
preferences and expectations from a product, service and even an organization. Such
data is useful for improving operational and marketing decisions. Social media sentiment
analysis is a crucial component of social media listening in order to understand how
people feel about marketers and their competitors. In order to achieve significant
commercial results, marketers should focus on what they can learn from social dialogues
rather than simply tracking the number of times their brandsare referenced. Marketers
can react swiftly to unforeseen events by being aware of shifts in societal sentiment.
Opinion Polls:
It has been observed that the posts that ask questions receive more likes than other
posts on social media, especially in case of Facebook. Marketers can create an opinion
poll to get valuable feedback and data for further analysis.
Contests:
Organizing contests is one of the popularly used promotional tool by marketers. A
change to win a prize motivates the audience to share their details and user generated
contents or their valuable feedback on a post.
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Activity-2 Technological Environment

Give an example of a business where use of internet is playing a special role. What
aspects of technology are being used in your chosen business?
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7.5 TECHNOLOGY AND INTERNATIONAL

MARKETING SOLUTION
Supply Chain Management
Supply chain management made possible by technology has opened up new markets,
reduced investment costs by buying rather than making components, and allowed small
enterprises to compete on price with larger corporations through e-procurement. A
supply chain for a complicated product can typically include such distinctly separate
operations as design, raw material manufacturing, component assembly, advertising,
logistics, and local servicing. It is quite unusual that one company could be the leader in
each of these operational areas.
Many firms, ranging from small start-ups to well-established enterprises, choose to
outsource various tasks to more efficient players in the industry. By outsourcing some
skilled technical and maintenance services, as well as non-essential and administrative
tasks, businesses may reallocate time and resources to core competencies like customer
interactions and product leadership, giving them an advantage over competitive firms
in their market. Businesses usually choose business process outsourcing (BPO) because
it affords them more operational flexibility.
Businesses that employ BPO have access to state-of-the-art technological resources
that they might not otherwise have. Companies and BPO partners constantly strive to
improve their operations by putting the most recent technology and techniques into
practice. For instance, American corporations can save money by outsourcing their
operations to countries with lower corporate income taxes and lower labor expenses
because the corporate income tax in the United States is among the highest in the
industrialized world. Similar to this, if a software development company employs an
Indian company to assist it in writing a computer programme, the Indian company
becomes a part of the supply chain of the software development company. Because it
is not their responsibility to actively market the manufactured goods, the Indian company
in this instance is not regarded as a channel partner. However, it affects whether a
product succeeds or fails that is marketed by software company.
All parts of the supply chain can experience cost reductions, including just-in-time
sourcing and inventory reduction. A typical traditional bookstore might only physically
hold a small number of titles, whereas Amazon.com can swiftly get stocks kept
everywhere in the globe, offering millions of books, music, and other item titles. When
choosing suppliers, specifying requirements, planning delivery dates, and making
scheduling decisions, savings can be made. Because updating Web material is simpler,
quicker, and less expensive than paying for a new brochure’s design and printing,
marketing expenses can be decreased. 127
International Marketing Sometimes, the terms “value chain” and “supply chain” are used interchangeably. The
Environment Analysis
value chain, on the other hand, is based on the idea that your supply chain partners
should do more for you than just carry out essential duties; each of them should assist
you in adding value to customers as the product moves along the chain, ideally more
value than the supply chain partners of your competitors can add to their products.
A good example of a business that has successfully created value for its customers
through efficient and effective supply chain design and execution is the trendy yet
affordable clothing store chain Zara in Europe. Initially, Zara needed six months to
design a garment and get it to retailers. Zara started collaborating more closely with its
internal design teams and supply chain partners in order to get the newest trends in
clothing into the hands of customers as soon as possible. Additionally, it automated its
inventory systems so that it could ascertain what was selling and what wasn’t promptly.
As a result, it can now provide its customers with the newest fashion in just a few days.
In addition, the business created a new benchmark for the garment sector in the process.
With the use of Internet technologies, SMEs are now able to cooperate with one
another along the supply chain. These parties organize themselves into a virtual enterprise
network to bid on projects and conduct their daily business operations. The Internet
has reduced transaction costs and outsourced risks, allowing people and businesses to
create a more effective type of organization that is built on electronically integrated
collaborative networks rather than hierarchical bureaucracies. It is anticipated that
with the increasing share of government projects involving e-tendering and actioning
processes, supporting virtual enterprise networks would spread, grow in scope, and
become more focused on global marketing prospects.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
With the introduction of technology and the far-reaching impact of technological
interventions in general and IT-enabled services in particular, the interface of service
encounters and service delivery has changed radically. As mentioned in the previous
section, many services are delivered via internet-based platforms, mobile APPs, and
self-service technologies (SSTs). The innumerable benefits of technology-enabled
services compel marketers faced with the newer challenges of service process and
delivery management to nurture and monitor on a continuous basis by implementing
Customer Relationship Management as a decision support system.
Customer relationship management (CRM) is the process of identifying, attracting,
differentiating and retaining customers. It enables a business to concentrate its resources
on its most valuable customers, regardless of where they are from. In a technologically
connected world, businesses’ offerings to customers go beyond only goods and services;
rather, there is a partnership where consumers and businesses co-generate goods and
services while both are seeking to profit from a transaction.
Customer relationship management (CRM)enables service providers to provide a unified
customer interface that allows for customization and personalization. CRM systems
collect customer data from various channels such as the company’s website, social
networks, live chat, direct mail, and other communication channels and provide personal
information, purchase history, purchasing preferences, and concerns to customers
throughout the customer lifecycle in order to provide better and faster customer service.
The purpose is to strengthen customer service relationships, aid in customer retention,
and increase sales.
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Benefits of CRM Technological Environment

 Access to a customer’s previous purchases and interaction history can assist

service personnel in providing better services as well as developing better
marketing strategies.
 Repetitive customer support tasks can be automated.
 Analysis of customer data can help service firms identify trends and insights
about their customers through reporting and visualization features.
Maintaining Uniformity Across All Channels
A general outreach is insufficient in the congested world of today to get sufficient attention.
Customers of today need highly customized, individualized experiences at all
touchpoints. By offering a seamless, unified, and customized omnichannel experience
to their clients, marketers can raise the value of their brand using experience management
platforms like Drupal and Adobe Experience Manager. With the aid of these platforms,
marketers can easily organize their material and offer clients individualized experiences.
Workflow Automation
Brands are therefore able to communicate their messages effectively thanks to consistent
omnichannel experiences. The generation, handling, and nurturing of business leads
must be done seamlessly by marketers. So, to complete repetitive marketing duties,
they are leaning more and more on marketing automation. Among the marketing
automation platforms that assist in automating procedures for more effective campaign
delivery and increased income are Marketo, Salesforce, Hubspot, and MailChimp.
With the use of this technology, companies may repurpose, disseminate, and advertise
excellent content among many platforms and demographics. Brands are therefore able
to communicate their messages effectively thanks to consistent omnichannel experiences.
Marketers may continue and improve their efforts to grow the audience for their brand,
promote greater engagement with its content, increase website traffic, and establish
their position as an authority in their field by employing automation. To provide the
appropriate message to the right person at the right moment in their customer journey,
it mixes content and analytics. Because they feel like they are a part of the brand’s
history, customers are more responsive to these efforts. This kind of storytelling has
been proved to boost brand ROI and consumer loyalty.
Product Exposure
Brands can comfortably stay on the first page of Google results for several years
before disappearing. If consumers and potential customers have to do too much effort
to find a product or service, marketing efforts are useless. Performance marketing is a
great way to increase a company’s visibility and push it up the search engine results
pages.
Retargeting, ad monitoring, and attribution tools have become more popular among
marketers to use with search and display ads. Additionally, marketers can utilize this
data to focus on the platforms where members of their target demographic are already
active users. This data enables better data-driven decisions regarding how to allocate
marketing budgets.
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International Marketing Evaluation of Results
Environment Analysis
Prior to the development of digital marketing, it was difficult to assess the effectiveness
of marketing campaigns. The great majority of marketing decisions were based more
on intuition than on data. As customers’ impressions of brands’ digital footprints
influenced their purchasing decisions, marketers started to pay more attention to
online brand presence, activity, and customer sentiment. Thanks to improvements in
analytics tools, it is now possible to evaluate the effectiveness of internet marketing
initiatives. With the aid of technologies like Google Analytics and Facebook Analytics,
marketers can assess quantitative indicators like reach, impressions, engagement,
etc.
Examples of social listening systems that can determine customer opinion are Talkwalker
and Meltwater. Marketers can quickly explore, analyze, and consume data through
reports and dashboards using data visualization tools like Tableau, Power BI, and
Google Data Studio to acquire useful insights. Future brands will rule the world if they
can figure out the best methods to use technology for marketing. To preserve a
competitive advantage, marketers will also need to be nimble in order to keep up with
emerging technologies.
Omnichannel Marketing
The concept of “omnichannel marketing” refers to the seamless integration of the many
different channels that businesses might use to communicate with their customers and
potential customers. An authentic experience for the client may be created by an
organization by using a variety of marketing channels and touchpoints, such as desktop
computers, mobile phones, tablets, and traditional retail locations. Customer loyalty
and brand recall may be increased through the use of omnichannel marketing. The
customer and the store benefit from an identical and unbroken experience when
omnichannel marketing strategies are put into action. Through the use of this strategy,
richer brand memories and brand recall are fostered, which in turn encourage repeat
purchases and customer retention along the journey by means of a variety of experiences.
Increased customer knowledge of the most recent items and services offered by your
business may be accomplished with the aid of omnichannel marketing. You can establish
a powerful and consistent presence across several social media platforms by aggressively
seeking out and using the opinions of your customers throughout the brand activation
process. This strategy has the potential to instill a deeper sense of familiarity in your
target audience, which will in turn increase their openness to engaging with your brand
across a variety of platforms.
Omnichannel support, in which you are able to handle all communication channels
from inside a single interface, is an extremely important factor in preventing delays in
providing answers to questions posed by clients. When you use omnichannel support,
you want to link your physical and online contact channels so that you can provide
your consumers with an experience that is smooth and consistent across all of your
brand touchpoints. A user experience that is consistent over time has the potential to
promote customer retention as well as customer support, and it will also improve the
accessibility of your brand to your consumers. If companies want to deliver client
satisfaction while also answering their clients’ questions and addressing their requirements,
they need to implement omnichannel assistance.
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Activity-3 Technological Environment

Give an example where omnichannel marketing is practiced. Why omnichannel marketing

plays an important role in in your chosen example?
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7.6 E-COMMERCE- A CASE OF GLOBAL PLAYERS

IN INDIAN MARKET
Online commerce, also known as e-commerce, is the transaction of products and
services over the internet and other electronic media. The best-known example of e-
commerce is online shopping, which is described as the buying and selling of products
via the internet using any device. Less than four per cent of India’s retail sector is now
accounted for by e-commerce, but as more Indians use smartphones and the internet,
this is expected to change.One-third of the population of India is made up of millennials.
India has a huge potential for e-commerce, according to all indications given its
demographics and rapidly expanding internet usage (Figure 7.1). According to Grant
Thornton, the value of Indian e-commerce businesses and their market would increase
from US$38.5 billion in 2017 to US$200 billion in 2026. Due to the “Digital India”
program and other government initiatives aimed at facilitating business, the number of
internet connections and users in India increased substantially to 784.59 million in
2021. It is the primary factor encouraging the expansion of online e-commerce sites
and e-commerce platforms.
Figure 7.1: Rise in India’s Online Spending (billion dollars)

Source: Forrester
Amazon and Alibaba, two major e-commerce players, rule various parts of the world.
Many nations in North America and Europe now have Amazon stores. However, it
has recently turned east and started making significant investments in India, Singapore,
and Australia. On the other side, Alibaba dominates e-commerce in China while also
expanding into new areas by making investments in India and Australia.
It’s obvious that both of the world’s largest e-commerce companies are embracing the
increase in global affluence in general and the expansion of Internet access to more 131
International Marketing people worldwide. India is the region with the highest growth potential, which is why
Environment Analysis
both Amazon and Alibaba see it as critical to their long-term strategies. The ability to
utilise Amazon and Alibaba’s infrastructure, global reach, and brand, which in turn
provides an unprecedented marketplace of goods for millions of consumers, is of
immense benefit to businesses of all sizes.
Both Alibaba and Amazon have adopted distinct approaches to these new
opportunities: Amazon makes acquisitions, while Alibaba makes investments. Outside
of the United States and China, Alibaba has acquired a minority stake in twice as many
companies as Amazon, while Amazon has acquired five times as many companies as
Alibaba. While the companies are pursuing various strategies for growth, their ultimate
objective is the same: to use their logistics and e-commerce experience to go global.
The other major players in the Indian e-commerce industry are Flipkart and Snapdeal.
Flipkart, founded in 2007, was India’s biggest e-commerce company, and in 2018 it
was acquired by Walmart Inc. Despite having 21 “cash-and-carry” wholesale outlets
in India that cater to businesses, Walmart does not have any other retail locations
there. With this acquisition, Walmart Inc. will be able to enter the roughly 100 million-
customer e-commerce market, which is still relatively small but rising. This deal is also
a new front in Walmart’s battle with Amazon, the global leader in online retail, which
accounts for 44% of the US e-commerce market. Amazon made a proposal for Flipkart
as well, but the merger may have come under intense scrutiny from India’s antitrust
watchdog because their combined sales would have accounted for roughly 90% of the
country’s online retail sector.

7.7 TECHNOLOGY AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

There are many factors that might affect a company’s growth and prosperity. Excellent
business acumen isn’t enough; one must also have a deep understanding of the customers
who will make or break a firm. To achieve success, one of the most important things a
business can do is to fully understand its consumers’ perspectives and expectations.
Knowing your customers through and out is crucial for every business that wants to
make it in today’s unpredictable economic climate and establish itself as a market
leader. Because of the growing need for one-of-a-kind, tailor-made interactions with
the brands consumers patronise, companies are investing in new technology that enable
them to provide lightning-fast service. Customers in the modern day expect these
features from the brands they patronise. Therefore, in this era of social distance,
companies are able to deliver more direct communication to their final customers thanks
to the availability of technology, resulting in more direct results and a more streamlined
customer experience path. On the other side, managing the customer experience may
be a costly and time-consuming endeavour. Consistency in closed-loop processes,
interactions with customer service centres, text message engagement, internet
engagement, etc., is also typically required. The following are some of the important
areas where the companies are adopting technology in international market space to
enhance the customer experience and delight.
Customized Approach and Optimal Use of Assets
Predictive analytics tools, made possible by advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and
data analytics, enable organizations to produce more accurate forecasts by offering
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guidance on how to build data-driven plans for the future. Integrations of this technology Technological Environment

may help businesses undertake reliable assessments, which in turn may be utilized to
provide reliable revenue estimates and other business predictions. They may not only
help improve the customer’s experience but also get detailed, up-to-the-moment data
on almost every facet of a business. By doing further analysis on this data, businesses
will be better able to anticipate different types of behaviour and patterns.
Organizations may significantly increase their productivity and the value of their resources
by collecting, evaluating, and applying the appropriate quality data at the right time to
assess, predict, and prescribe actions. They may leverage technology to their advantage
in a number of ways, including to reduce costs and to provide profitable solutions to
the most crucial gaps in the customer experience journey they offer.These advancements
will help businesses better utilize their most valuable asset — their employees — to
meet the increasingly complex needs of their customers, anticipate and plan for future
business outcomes, and develop superior strategies, all of which will strengthen their
long-term relationships with customers. Thus, companies will be able to optimize their
most important asset and operate at peak efficiency.
Quick Market Research to Take Business Decisions
It’s no secret that research takes a lot of time and money, but it’s worth it. However,
not all businesses have the resources necessary to implement it. While incomplete data
and impromptu strategies may assist in the near term, they won’t allow a business to
succeed in the long run. Companies that want to succeed in today’s fast-paced business
environment require processes that are both flexible and quick to react.
Technology advancements have made research and data collecting easier. Some
technologically advanced systems have recently entered the market to aid businesses
in doing customer research, allowing them to collect more consumer data, store and
analyze it, and provide real-time insights. Successful companies have benefited from
these platforms. By reducing points of frustration along their paths, for instance, this
data may help them provide a more individualized experience for their customers. Use
of sophisticated analytics to tailor product recommendations, improve customer service,
and boost satisfaction with no extra work is one such example.
Thanks to developments in technology, businesses are now able to track and analyze
their consumers’ “online footprints,” which provide valuable insights about their needs,
preferences, and buying habits. By regularly assessing customer happiness and identifying
problems before they escalate, businesses may utilize these insights to improve customer
service. With these helpful ideas, it is possible to do this.
Enhancing Customer Services Through Technology Adoption
Providing good customer service is universally acknowledged as crucial to a business’s
success. As a result of technological advancements, relationships between brands and
their customers have become more intimate. Businesses jump on every new piece of
technology that hits the market in hopes of improving the efficacy and productivity of
their operations. Many individuals feel that AI is getting too much attention for not
having done anything useful yet. However, artificial intelligence is the industry’s next
hot item for several valid reasons. Or maybe we haven’t realised just how big of a part
it has played in shaping our lives thus far. To reap its benefits, businesses should embrace
and invest in the right processes at the right times.
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International Marketing Companies may only succeed in their quest to turn a profit by putting in extra effort to
Environment Analysis
satisfy their consumers’ wants and requirements. By and large, corporate processes
have become more quicker and more fruitful as a consequence of technological inclusion.
The impact of this type of innovation on a company’s overall growth and revenue is
unprecedented. It’s wise to strike while the iron is hot.
Using Optimization Techniques for Business Planning
Successful growth plans for a business need an understanding of not just the positives
but also the negatives of the sector in which it operates. Keeping up with the rapid
pace of change in today’s business environment may require organizations to explore
unexplored ground.
The first step in accomplishing this goal is doing the essential research to get an in-
depth comprehension of your target audience’s actual thoughts and feelings. Customers
in the modern market are discerning and demanding. Even if a company has spent
years building a loyal customer base, a single bad experience with a customer may
undermine that loyalty irreparably. Fixing this problem requires setting up a feedback
system that can promptly address customers’ complaints. Understanding the company’s
weaknesses is as important as understanding its strengths if it is to achieve long-term
success.
As a result of technological advancements, companies may better serve their customers
by adapting their advertising approaches and bolstering the interoperability of their
different channels of communication. In a nutshell, a well-defined product with a robust
feedback system that provides a comprehensive perspective of the consumers and
may aid in developing an in-depth understanding of all business aspects helps to make
the company more customer-focused by solving the customer’s problem much more
quickly and assisting them in discovering additional options. It may let businesses listen
in on customer feedback and chats, identify issues, and resolve them far faster than a
human interface could. Using rapid analysis may make interactions with consumers
more pleasurable, which in turn affects customers’ propensity to buy and satisfaction
with the service they get.

7.8 SUMMARY
In this unit, we have discussed the effect of emerging technology developments in
international marketing.One explanation for the tendency toward global market
convergence is the information revolution. Information has increasing power in the
global market as communications get easier and faster. The Internet has made it easier
to integrate various supply chain technologies, systems, and procedures that are used
locally by various partners and divisions of the company. It allows to remotely and
immediately contact professionals anywhere in the world. A wide range of technologies,
including widespread access to broadband Internet and social media sites like
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and others, are driving this revolution. The unit also
covered an illustrative case study on global players in Indian e-commerce businesses,
and explained the role of technology in the customer experience.

7.9 SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1) The goal of international marketing strategy development, and implementation is
to increase stakeholder value and reduce wasteful expenses. What role might
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 information and communication technology innovation play in this process of Technological Environment
international marketing?
2) Discuss the role of technology in international marketing
3) Discuss the role of internet-based technologies in international marketing.
4) Briefly explain the scope of e-commerce business in India.
5) Explain the role of customer relationship management (CRM) in international
marketing
6) Discuss the role of supply-chain management in international marketing.
7) What are the advantages and drawbacks of relying mostly on social media for
international marketing? What steps may be taken to overcome some of the
problems?
8) Discuss the role of technology in enrichment of customer experience.

7.10 FURTHER READINGS

 Cateora, P. R., Gilli, M.C., and Graham, J. L. (2011) International Marketing,
Fifteenth Edition. Tata McGraw Hill, 2011
 Czinkota, M. and Ronkainen, I.(2001). International Marketing, 6thEdition.,
Fortworth, Harcourt College Publishers.
 Doole, Lowe and Kenyon, International Marketing Strategy, Eighth Edition
Cengage Learnings.
 Green M.C., and Keegan, W.J. (2020). Global Marketing
Management,10thEdition., Prentice Hall of India.
 Vern Terpestra, International Marketing, Cengage Learning,2010
 Amazon Vs. Alibaba: How The E-Commerce Giants Stack Up In The Fight To
Go Global (cbinsights.com)
 Harvard Business Review, Global Business Review (Sage Publications), Global
Forum – ITC Geneva.

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