Understanding Customers

The buyers' behaviour towards brands/product groups is a major issue of concern for Marketers in a largely competitive environment.
This is even more the case during a strong recession period that the Greek Socio-economic structure goes through. We have learned by theory that understanding customers goes through a number of questions and a number of phases. Primarily, in forming a sound Marketing strategy Marketers should give realistic, validated answers to the following generic questions:
What are customers' choice criteria?
How do customers buy?
When do customers buy?
Where do customers buy?

In justifying theory and according to Horton (1984) there are three stages of learning that customers/buyers normally progress sequentially. It is significant to answer if these three stages still exist in an economic environment where strong recession prevails (for example: Greece, Portugal, Spain and Ireland).

A) Routinized Response Behaviour. In implementing buying decisions in a routinized almost automatic way, the buyer must have "fully" (e.g. Knows enough, through application of corporate integrated communication to make acceptable purchases with no major effort) learned both the product group and the alternative, existing brands that would give them an almost instant purchasing decision.

Ultimately, this is the "good scenario" for the striving Marketer or maybe not?

In my understanding such a buyer's behaviour may cause trouble since Marketing management is somehow left in inertia. The creative part of Marketing is not present but Shareholders might be happy with Short Term financial goals accomplishment. This is more the case in recession periods. In my opinion, RRB does not lead anywhere.

B) Limited Problem Solving. In LPS the buyer has a product group concept that is well learned but inadequate brand concepts, so that further information is required before any purchase.
Do we desire to go through LPS?
Yes, we want "educated", Long-Term, loyal and commited customers.
Yes, we want people to select our brands with significant concept attainment.
In this sense, I suggest the adoption of strong co-creation and satisfaction of customer's needs and wants through the initiation of Relationship Marketing applications and practices. The role of Sales-Reps in this scenario becomes imperative for success. The communication practices shift to more of a Service-Dominant approach, instead of the Transactional Goods-Dominant approach (Vargo and Lusch, 2004, 2009).

C) Extensive Problem Solving. In EPS the buyer does not have a clearly defined product group. There is not even an established product group concept that the customer could eventually evaluate and conclude on purchase amongst different brand offers. This is another case that Relationship Marketing practices are needed. The customer should have a tailored-made corporate support where service quality is of outmost significance.
One may say that EPS presents significant obstacles to effective communication between bueyr and seller. True, we should consider though other patterns of communication (for example: social networks are now critical in bringing decision making information to customers in literally no time).

In concluding, according to theory there are three different learning stages that elicit different buyers' purchasing behaviour. It really worth the effort developing the necessary Marketing ammunition in tackling complex purchasing situations. The recession is in fact an era that competitive firms should reconsider Marketing strategies and tactics.