Interne bemarking by geselekteerde versekeringsondernemings
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate internal marketing at selected insurance
enterprises. This study examines an approach to internal marketing. In the
introduction, relevant concepts are explained and background information regarding
marketing, the marketing concept, the marketing environment and relationship
marketing is discussed. In addition, an overview of the systems approach, the
internal marketing synthesis and the internal marketing purpose is given, the
advantages of internal marketing are shown, and internal market research, internal
market segmentation and internal target market choice are discussed.
After the summary of the internal marketing mix, the internal product elements are
discussed. These elements include management tools, such as the vision, mission,
goals and strategy of an enterprise. The internal environment, which consists of the
enterprise's values, principles and internal culture, also forms part of the internal
product. The management's leadership style, training and development, employee
support services and staff compensation are explored as part of the internal product.
Bearing the internal product in mind, the internal price is studied. This part of the
internal marketing mix is discussed in terms of staff sacrifices and contributions
weighing up staff sacrifices against staff rewards. Other internal price elements, such
as staff commitment, risk, stress and work pressure, are analysed in addition to time
and family sacrifices and staff responsibility.
After comparing the internal product and the internal price, the internal distribution
elements are analysed as components of the internal marketing mix. These include
the type of internal distribution channel, the choice of distribution channel and the
role players during internal distribution. Thereafter, physical distribution is discussed
as an internal distribution element.
Subsequently, internal marketing communications, the fourth element of the internal
marketing mix, is discussed. This part of the study looks at internal advertising,
internal personal selling, internal sales promotions and internal publicity. It
furthermore evaluates the various requirements for effective internal marketing
communication and internal marketing messages. The internal support processes
necessary for effective internal marketing such as staff participation, change
management, internal conflict management and innovation and creativity processes
are identified and discussed.
Lastly, this section of the study considers internal customer service as a prerequisite
for internal marketing and also analyses aspects of this service such as internal
service culture, total quality management and internal relationship management. It
also delineates the requirements and principles for internal customer service and the
advantages and disadvantages of an internal customer service strategy.
The theoretical section of the study is followed by an exposition of the relevant
findings of the empirical study. The most salient of these include:
All the respondents from selected insurance enterprises found the internal market
research, internal market segmentation and internal target market choice to be
unsatisfactory;
The internal product of the big enterprise (number 6) is more successful than
those of the other enterprises;
Internal price is not as big a problem for these enterprises as the other elements
of internal marketing are;
The small enterprises are more successful with internal distribution than the other
enterprises are;
Internal market communication is a problem for all the selected enterprises, but
the respondents from enterprises 1 and 6 are more satisfied with it than the
respondents from the other enterprises;
The internal processes and internal customer service are more successful at the
small enterprises than they are at the big enterprises.
In the light of these findings, the study makes a number of appropriate
recommendations to improve the internal marketing of the selected insurance
enterprises.