Case Aqualisa Quartz

By: Romain AC • November 27, 2016 • Dissertation • 1,863 Words (8 Pages) • 1,512 Views

Page 1 of 8

CASE: AQUALISA QUARTZ

Who are the consumers of Aqualisa (the UK company)?

There are three types of consumer:

- DO-IT-YOURSELF

-> Wanted not expensive product and install easily: 550 000 shower sold in the UK

- Property developers

-> Regular & luxury property developers

- Plumbers

-> Not expensive, solid, and install easily

The segment of consumers depends on product sales by the company. AQUALISA offer three different pricing segment: First one is premium buyers, second one is standard buyers, and one last value buyers.

SEGMENT

PRODUCT

MOTIVATION

DECISION MAKER

CHANNEL

PREMIUM

Aquastyle

Aquaforce 2.0/3.0 Bar

Style

Consumer

Showrooms

STANDARD

Aquavalve 609

Aquastream Thermostatic

Aquaforce 1.0/1.5 Bar

Performance & services

Plumber

Trade shops

VALUE

Aquavalve Value

Aquastream Manual

Convenience & price

Plumber

Trade shops

Channels: electric showers

DIY : 550 000 showers sold, Showrooms : 55 000 shower sold, Trade shops : 330 000 shower sold.

Which value does Aqualisa Quartz create for consumers? for plumbers?

Aqualisa is a U.K. company specialized on fabrication of showers. In 2001 they create the brand Quartz. In the U.S. the company is really famous for qualified shower, reliability, and good services. The objective of Quartz is to satisfied consumers and plumbers who are not actually satisfied. Stated below is the different problem of consumer and plumber and the value proposition of Quartz

At the beginning consumer was not satisfied by the showers available on the market. Consumers want shower easily install, modern, and detail important for them (stability of temperature, good pressure, easy use and good services). By the way they didn’t want big bow on their wall. Quartz is the solution for this, because it not need big installations.

The Quartz product was created for this. Thanks to this product, there is no cumbersome installation.

Quartz, being elegantly designed was easy to use. It gave an option to consumers to run at two-third speeds so that water flowed under the desired level of pressure. It provided the user to take showers at the optimal water temperature which is comfortably hot as the temperature control is automatic. The easy-to-use push button was an added advantage. The button had a light which flashed red until the desired temperature is reached.

Also, no excavation of the shower wall would be required as the mechanism for mixing the hot and cold water can be installed remotely. Quartz is the best product on the market to answer customers’ needs. The old system with many installations is finished. Now, Aqualisa wants to revolutionize the market and offer an innovative product.

Plumber:

⎝ Easily installation

⎝ Win money

The plumber can install more quickly the shower so he can optimize his margin

Consumer:

⎝ Efficacy

⎝ Comfort

⎝ Safety

⎝ Simplicity

New product that resolve all the problem established before on the market

Why is the Quartz shower not selling?

Quartz was a failure for Aqualisa, After the launch, after four months there was only a little unity sold. The project was initially to attract the customers and plumber around the project. Bellow different reason that explain the failure.

⎝ Aqualisa focuses on existing customers and not on acquiring new customers. The product being of very good quality it would have been interesting to develop the extension of the customers in order to attract a potential market.

⎝ Quartz is a higher quality product. The price is therefore accordingly but it is higher than the other products of the brand Aqualisa. Not to mention the premium segment, consumers did not match with the product because of the price. Despite reductions, the target was not the right one.

⎝ Quartz has better characteristics but it is impossible to make comparisons for fear of harming the other products of the brand.

⎝ At the launch of a new product, generally Companies lower their price for better market penetration. However, this aspect was not liked by the Managing Director of Aqualisa as he was of the opinion that Quartz is a premium product. This could have barred the Company from marketing their product through Do-It-Yourselfers (who are their discount channel).

⎝ Plumbers are generally suspicious of innovations and may not be in favor of the idea of installing an electronic shower. The reluctance on their part to install the Quartz shower did not help to push sales of the product. Be aware that this is an important barrier because a majority of consumers trust their plumber. If they do not agree with the product, sales will not take off.

⎝ The product was sold by traders who did not have time to learn and explain the benefits of such a technological product. Sales would have increased if customers were aware of the characteristics of Quartz compared to other brands.

Should the Managing Director do something different?

That we can say, the product of the company is not the problem, but the marketing strategy is not optimal for Aqualisa. The company has a competitive advantage in the market so it can increase different factor in the company.

⎝ Do some market research to work about the marketing strategy. Try to understand what consumer wanted.

⎝ The product is considered like a DO IT YOURSELF so it can install easily. Aqualisa should focus the marketing strategy on the final consumer. Arguments will be about the characteristic of the product; it will help consumer to understand the price of the product.

⎝ Since the product is priced at a relatively higher end and is targeted mostly to premium segment, it should be displayed on the shelves of more number of showrooms. Because of the working displays in showrooms, people generally become aware of the products usefulness and instantaneously make a decision to buy the product.

⎝ Developed marketing strategy with more means.

⎝ Focus the premium market

⎝ Recruit some commercial to sell our product to the plumbers. (75% of consumer thrust the plumber)