DATE: 17th Jan’2015
Marketing And Consumer Behaviour
“Compaq Computer : Focus Groups”
Dilema : Whether to Launch New Note book
Group-2
Aditya Singh 14MBAGES003
Anuj Kumar Jain 14MBAGES006
Ashish Bhargawa 14MBAGES008
Deepak Sharma 14MBAGES012
Pankaj Naithani 14MBAGES018
Ramesh Kumar Koul 14MBAGES024
1.) Summary of the case
* Compaq Computer is in business of designing and selling notebooks. * Consumer division market share is only 3% compared to market leader share of 60%. * Company expertise is in commercial division so company is less focussed on retailer’s relationship. * Company is launching a new product ‘Shark’ for consumer division in late summer 1996. * With expertise of engineers
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Decision maker, Greg Memo, has to decide how he can incorporate the respondent’s feedback in the ordered 40,000 machines, naming ‘Shark’.
3.) Criteria
Selection criteria is based on RAM, Pointing device, Modem, CD-ROM & Sound, as detailed below Important Product features | Component | Preferences | Processors | All the presented models are faster than those respondents currently use. So insignificant. | RAM | Respondents are sensitive to the amount of RAM preinstalled. (Preference 16 MB) | Keyboard | Key size, not just keyboard size, affected the ease in typing. | Pointing device | Strong preference, track pad was seen as newer technology. | Modems | Integrated modem was preference while bundling preconfigured PC card with the notebook was also viewed as acceptable solution. | CD-ROM | Functionally important, as new software and multimedia titles are being distributed on CD-ROM only. | Screen clarity | Larger respondents found Passive screen sufficient, while some respondents were willing to pay extra for active screen. | Simplicity & Integration | Many respondents valued integration as they want a simple & easy way to move their PCs around without having to carry additional pieces. | Sound | Sound feature was more appreciated by college students. |
Criteria of selection by different users are as per the Exhibit 2.
4.) Options of alternative
The options available with Mr. Greg based on product interest (Exhibit
Option 1 refers to cut down the markup price of the computer and get top management informed about its future benefits and scopes. Taking advantage of past good relationships, Computron can make Konig understand the importance of high quality product and reliability to get the bid and make the future plant compete. Here the output is in terms of quality and hence customer satisfaction is higher.
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