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.