The Beginning of Marketing
The starting point for market segmentation is the information necessary to determine the potential of each client in the market place to be covered. To determine that in the equipment world we have to obtain a complete and accurate working machine population. This is the usual starting point for any good marketing information in the equipment world. To expand on that we truly have to state that if you don’t have an accurate and complete working machine population you really don’t know your business.
The machine population information required is the make, model, serial number, configuration, year built, annual hours of work, and current hour meter reading. From this information we can make a determination of the market potential for parts and service.
The machine population is normally split up into four categories.
- Small 1 – 3 machines
- Medium 4 – 12 machines
- Large 13 – 24 machines
- Fleet 25 + machines
In many cases these categories codes can be split into the same identifiers based on the total machines for all brands owned by the customer as well as the number of machines of the dealer supported brands – this might become an important distinction in some dealerships.
The next levels to consider in market coverage are the relationships that exist between the dealership and the customer. This we can determine by the level of purchases that the customer makes at the dealership for parts and service.
These purchase levels are the old fashioned A, B, C, and D.
- A the top 10% of purchases
- B the next 15% of purchases
- C the next 25% of purchases
- D the bottom 50% of purchases
These levels are obtained by providing a descending purchases report for parts and another for service. From these reports you can apply the A, B, C, D categorization to each customer – one for the parts purchases and the other for service purchases. This is the beginning of marketing. This is the starting point for market coverage. Are you ready? The time is now.