Exploiting market potentials in an emerging market : derivation of a professional fleet sales approach for a premium automotive manufacturer in Ukraine

Abstract

In the fierce competition in the automotive business in respect of sales figures it is indispensable to be professional in every sales channel. Besides the sales to retail customers it is crucial to have a professional sales structure to B2B customers in place. In particular for premium brands in mature markets such as in Western Europe sales to corporate customers are a main pillar for defending or even gaining market shares, hence the relevant marketing tools are customized according to the different sub-sales channels in the corporate business. In the developing markets in Central- and Eastern Europe the situation is different. Both the external factors but also the internal set-up of the sales departments is differentiating itself significantly from Western European standards. The aim of the Master Thesis is to find out which customer groups are relevant for corporate sales in the premium segment at the example of Ukraine and which marketing tools are relevant for being successful in the market. After giving the theoretical background about the external and internal marketing process, customer segmentation and the elaboration of the marketing tools in general and in particular for the fleet business the potential customer groups are described. The theoretical background is operationalized to Ukraine and an external analysis is conducted by means of the PEST-Analysis and a cultural analysis in terms of Hofstede's dimensions. For the internal analysis a primary research with interviews and questionnaires to the stakeholders is supporting the secondary research. The processes are compared to the relevant competitors and benchmarking of the current status of the fleet sales Marketing P's versus mature markets is conducted to reveal the existing strengths and weaknesses. The SWOT analysis is supported by a study of Porters 5 forces. Ultimately the relevant sales channels are defined and the necessary adjustments or implementation of marketing tools along the Marketing P's are shown. The next step is the implementation of these measures in cooperation with the local partner in Ukraine. The thesis defines an approach being applicable to every market analyzing the fleet sales performance in the respective country with the customer segmentation and key levers for a setting up and conducting a successful fleet business.