Functions of Marketing Logistics
In this article, we will explore the 10 major functions of marketing logistics which play crucial functions in business operations.
Product Delivery
Ensuring that the right product gets to the right customer at the right time is the pivotal function of marketing logistics. This function is not just about moving items from point A to point B; it’s about understanding the intricacies of individual customer needs.
Customers are diverse in their demands and preferences, so the logistics must adapt accordingly. This means not just delivering a product but doing so precisely as the customer desires, whether it’s a certain color, size, or specific delivery time. It involves having a system in place to cater to these diverse requirements while upholding reliability, accuracy, and zero damage during transit.
The aim is not just delivery, but impeccable service – meeting customer expectations at every transaction, be it filling orders flawlessly, delivering on time, ensuring precise invoicing, or guaranteeing a damage-free product.
Price Management
Setting the price for a product isn’t merely about deciding on a number; it’s a strategic move that influences customer perception, market competitiveness, and the company’s bottom line. Marketing logistics play a crucial role in this. It requires a comprehensive understanding of the product’s cost, market dynamics, and consumer behavior.
To arrive at the right price, one must meticulously analyze factors like production expenses, consumer expectations, purchasing power, shipping costs, manufacturing volume, labor expenses, and material quality. By assessing these variables, marketing logistics endeavors to set a price that is not only competitive but also fair to both consumers and the company.
Promotional Coordination
Promotion is the avenue through which a product is introduced and showcased to potential buyers. In marketing logistics, coordinating promotional efforts involves more than just creating flashy advertisements. It encompasses the synchronization of various elements, from designing artwork for packaging to the actual production of marketing materials.
This coordination ensures that every entity involved in promoting the product is aligned, working harmoniously towards a common goal: selling the product effectively. It might involve collaboration between the marketing team, designers, manufacturers, and suppliers to ensure the timely production and deployment of these materials in the market.
Read More: Strategies To Manage Channel Conflict in Marketing
Transportation Management
Transportation management is the backbone of marketing logistics. It’s not merely about choosing how goods will move from point to point but optimizing this movement for efficiency and punctuality. Different modes of transportation – rail, road, water, air, or pipelines – offer varied advantages and are chosen based on factors like speed, cost, volume, distance, and urgency.
For instance, rail might be suitable for cost-effective long-distance travel, while air transport might prioritize swiftness over cost for time-sensitive deliveries. Marketing logistics handle these complexities, making decisions on which mode suits a specific shipment best while incorporating technology for tracking and ensuring timely deliveries.
Warehousing
Warehousing isn’t just about storing goods; it’s a strategic asset in the logistics chain. Marketing logistics focuses on the efficient management of storage facilities to ensure that products are not just stored but also managed and distributed optimally. Warehousing logistics encompass various types of facilities, including private, public, and bonded warehouses.
Each serves a distinct purpose; private warehouses may offer personalized storage for specific entities, while public warehouses cater to multiple users. Bonded warehouses facilitate the storage of imported products before duty payment. Marketing logistics ensure that these facilities are utilized efficiently, minimizing storage costs, reducing handling time, and streamlining distribution.
Read More: Causes of Channel Conflict in Marketing
Inventory Control
Sixth on our list of 10 marketing logistics functions is inventory control. It is about maintaining a delicate balance – ensuring that a company holds enough stock to meet consumer demand without having an excess that results in unnecessary carrying costs. This function of marketing logistics involves meticulous planning and monitoring of inventory levels. It’s not just about storing products but involves strategic decision-making.
This includes forecasting demand, replenishing stock, strategically positioning inventory, and adopting techniques like Just-in-Time (JIT) or Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI) to minimize carrying costs while meeting consumer needs. Inventory control is essentially about optimizing inventory levels to ensure that the right products are available at the right time, avoiding shortages or surpluses.
Order Processing
Order processing involves managing the entire lifecycle of an order, from the moment it’s placed to its fulfillment. It encompasses the collection, verification, and fulfillment of sales orders. This function ensures the accurate and timely processing of customer orders, translating their requirements into tangible actions for the logistics team.
Efficient order processing is critical as it significantly impacts customer satisfaction and influences the overall customer experience. From filling out order forms to preparing bills of lading and ensuring timely order deliveries, this function requires seamless coordination across various departments to ensure that customers receive their orders accurately and promptly.
Read More: What is Channel Conflict? Definition
Material Handling
Material handling deals with the physical aspects of moving, storing, and managing products within a facility or during transit. It involves using both manual and mechanical means to handle a wide variety of products, taking into account their size, shape, weight, and fragility. This function ensures that products are handled safely and efficiently to avoid damages and losses during handling.
The use of appropriate material handling equipment like trucks, conveyors, forklifts, and cranes plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth flow of goods through the supply chain. The ultimate goal of material handling in marketing logistics is to streamline processes, minimize losses, and ensure the timely delivery of products to the right destinations.
Customer Service Management
Customer service management extends beyond the sale of a product. It encompasses all post-sale services, including handling customer inquiries, addressing concerns, facilitating returns, and providing after-sales support. In marketing logistics, customer service is a vital function as it directly impacts customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Read More: 12 Factors Affecting Selection of Distribution Channel
Efficient handling of customer queries and concerns contributes significantly to building a positive brand image. It’s about going beyond the transactional aspect and fostering long-term relationships by ensuring that customers are supported and satisfied even after they’ve made their purchase.
Reverse Logistics
The last one on our list of 10 functions of marketing logistics is reverse logistics. It deals with the management of product returns, recycling processes, and waste disposal. In a world increasingly focused on sustainability, this function has gained prominence. It involves managing the flow of products back from the consumer to the manufacturer or retailer for various reasons like returns, repairs, recycling, or disposal.
The goal is not just to handle these returns efficiently but also to reduce environmental impact by adopting sustainable practices. Companies engaging in effective reverse logistics minimize waste, recycle materials, and align with eco-friendly practices, catering to the growing consumer demand for responsible and environmentally conscious business operations.
Read Next: What is Reverse Distribution Channel?
Arti Kushmi holds a BBS (Bachelor in Business Studies) degree and shares her business and marketing knowledge through this website. While not writing she will be reading and enjoying the moment.