Factors That Influence Customer Behaviour and Responses

Wooing customers is a little bit like dating. No, you can't present the engagement ring on your first date! There's a two-way relationship that grows one step at a time before it leads to the church doors. You can't rush it… you can't skip it… if you're looking for the satisfaction of a life-long commitment.

Getting to know your date or getting to know your customer takes a little time and effort. The personality likes and dislikes of each date are different, but customers share some commonalities that you, the marketer, can grab onto. Give them what they want, and they'll become the loyal, life-time customers that make your business prosper.

Forget About Selling... Put the Emphasis on Buying

People like to think that all their buying decisions were reached due to their own great ideas and skilful shopping. Hey, no one is fond of a pushy salesperson. A salesperson who HELPS them discover the best buy for their money, on the other hand, is a hero.

When a person walks into your place of business, they are most likely thinking of making a purchase before they get there. You don’t have to persuade them to buy. You can take it easy, and simply help them decide what the best purchase is.

Keep your focus on the customer and his needs. Think of what benefits would he be most interested in? What is the price range he can afford? Basically, keep in mind that you are there to serve his needs, not persuade him. Ah, the pressure’s off!

Make Purchasing a "Sure Bet"

Buying is a risky business. The higher the price tag reads, the higher the risks are! Yep, a customer is just looking for a product that satisfies the needs he bought it for. The question they ask themselves is: “Is it worth it?”

Hey, it’s a legitimate question. The world is full of scams where you spend your hard-earned cash and end up with trash that doesn’t last and that you can’t get serviced. A few tough lessons leave customers wary about off-the-cuff purchases. They want something they can trust.

A money back guarantee alleviates a great amount of concern in the mind of the consumer. There’s peace in knowing that if the product doesn’t live up to its claims, they aren’t stuck footing the bill for a piece of junk.

Customer testimonials also clearly tell would-be buyers that you really do deliver customer satisfaction. No one can say it better than a satisfied customer – just make sure customer testimonials are authentic and credible.

Let Them Know that it's As Quick and Easy as 1, 2, 3

Simplicity: ah, it makes life so much easier. Convenience stores testify to the fact that quick and easy often overrides a better price! Make the buying process as simple as you possibly can. Remember that not everyone prefers the same method. The more options you have available, the more customers you will please.

When you’re planning your marketing campaign, don’t forget to point out the quick, fast, and easy benefits of your product. Remember that value isn’t everything.

It's pretty easy to charm your customers when you know what they like! Keep these three tactics in mind as you go about the daunting task of growing your business and expanding your customer list, and watch your profits go through the roof.

Personal Factors That Influence Customer Behaviour and Responses

Age influences a buyer’s decision. The need for different products and services changes with age. Babies and children have special needs for products such as milk powder, baby foods and toys. Young adults need cloths, recreational and educational facilities, transportation and a host of other age and fashion related consumption needs.

Gender (differences between men and women) result in different consumption needs. Women need specialized medical facilities for pregnancy and delivery. Their requirement of clothes and cosmetics is different from that of men. Each gender thus has its own need for specific products and services.

Family life cycle has a profound influence on buyer decisions, e.g. the need of a young family as opposed to more senior citizens.

Social Factors That Influence Customer Behaviour and Responses

A consumer's behaviour is influenced by social factors such as the (i) Groups (ii) Family (iii) Roles and status.

Groups: Two or more people who interact to carry out individual or mutual goals. A person's behaviour is influenced by many small groups. Groups that have a direct influence and to which a person belongs are called membership groups. Some are primary groups includes family, friends, neighbours and co-workers. Some are secondary groups, which are more formal and have less regular interaction. These include organisations like religious groups, professional association, and trade unions.

Family:  Family members can strongly influence buyer behaviour. The family is the most important consumer buying organisation society and it has been researched extensively. Marketers are interested in the roles, and influence of the husband, wife and children on the purchase of different products and services.

Roles and Status: A person belongs to many groups, family, clubs, and organisations.

The person's position in each group can be defined in terms of both role and status. Example: M plays the role of father in his family; he plays the role of husband in his marriage; in his company he plays the role of manager, etc. A Role consists of the activities people are expected to perform according to the persons around them.

Cultural Factors That Influence Customer Behaviour and Responses

Culture is part of the external influences that impact the consumer. That is, culture represents influences that are imposed on the consumer by other individuals.

Definition

“That complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by a person as a member of society.” From this definition, we make the following observations:

Culture, as a ‘complex whole’, is a system of interdependent components.

Knowledge and beliefs are important parts. In some countries it is known and believed that a person who is skilled and works hard will get ahead. In other countries it may be believed that differences in outcome result more from luck. ‘Chunking’, the name for China in Chinese, literally means “The Middle Kingdom’. The belief among ancient Chinese that they were in the centre of the universe influenced their thinking.

Other issues are relevant. Art, for example, may be reflected in the rather-arbitrary practice of wearing ties in some countries and wearing turbans in others. Morality may be exhibited in the view in most countries that one should not be naked in public. In Japan, on the other hand, groups of men and women may take steam baths together without being perceived as improper. On the other hand, women in some Arab countries are not even allowed to reveal their faces. Notice that what at least some countries view as moral may in fact be highly immoral by the standards of another country. For example, the law that once banned interracial marriages in South Africa was the Immorality Act, even though in most civilised countries, this law, and any degree of explicit racial prejudice, would itself be considered highly immoral.

Culture has several important characteristics:

Culture is comprehensive: This means that all parts must fit together in some logical fashion. For example, bowing, and a strong desire to avoid the ‘loss of face’, are unified in their manifestation of the importance of respect.

Culture is learned: Rather than being something we are born with. We will consider the mechanics of learning later in the course.

Culture is manifested within boundaries of acceptable behaviour: For example, in South African society one cannot show up to class naked, but wearing anything from a suit and tie to shorts and a T-shirt would usually be acceptable.

Conscious awareness of cultural standards is limited: One American spy was caught by the Germans during World War II simply because of the way he held his knife and fork while eating.

Cultures fall somewhere on a continuum between static and dynamic: Depending on how quickly they accept change. For example, South African culture has changed dramatically since 1994 and the move away from the Apartheid system and its laws and segregation, while the culture of e.g. Saudi Arabia has changed little.