Aqualisa Quartz Individual Homework

AQUALISA QUARTZ INDIVIDUAL HOMEWORK

1. In brief, why do you think the Quartz shower is not selling? (10 pts)

Quartz has potential to revolutionize the bathing experience of the customer. But I feel the following problems are hindering its progress;

• Plumbers are skeptical to recommend Quartz as they distrusted technology after the flop show of the poorly designed electronic “push button” controls for temperature settings.
• For the review of the Shower, majority of the customers depended on the review from the Plumbers. As plumbers hesitated in recommending innovations so Customers too wanted to distance from the product. Lack of product knowledge among the plumbers as well as customers hit the sales of Quartz.
• Aqualisa had less sales force as 90 percent of the sales team devoted time on maintaining existing accounts.
• The channel partners are not participating. Company has merely moved the product to the suppliers but hasn’t planned any special promotion to create a curiosity about Quartz.
• Auqalisa has also not taken special efforts to educate the customer on the shower technology which will benefit the customer.

2. There are three brands in the company’s portfolio: Aqualisa, Gainsborough, and ShowerMax.  What explains this multi-brand approach to the market?  How have each of the 4Ps in the marketing mix been affected by this strategy? (15 pts)

Multiple brands is to pursue multiple market segments. These different market segments may be based on all types of considerations—different price segments, different channels of distribution, different geographic boundaries, and so forth. In many cases, multiple brands have to be introduced by a firm because any one brand is not viewed equally favorably by all the different market segments that the firm would like to target. The company in consideration has Aqualisa, Gainborough and Showmax as potential products in the different customer segment.

Product:

It is evident from the case reading that Quartz is an innovative product which can bring a major change in the UK shower market. Quartz will have a stronger market presence as it isn’t facing any competition. Plumbers are the key players in the sales of the showers but as plumbers avoid recommending electrical showers so the sales of Quartz has to be pushed in an innovative way to overcome this barrier. Gainsborough and ShowerMax is also credible product in their respective segments.

Place:

Aqualisa has presence in two of the main channels in the market. Sales at the trade shops are more as compared to the other channels. Aqualisa products are available in approximately 40% of trade shops in the U.K. For premium customers, showrooms are the main channel. Aqualisa products are available in only 25% of showrooms and if the product is marketed properly in showrooms then the company would certainly see sharp sales.  In the DIY section, the Auqalisa product is not sold as this channel can be difficult for the company as people still are skeptical with the electrical shower. Showermax is available only through specialist contract outlets. Developers are the key buys of the showermax as this product serves their specific needs.