Marketing Functions
Outback Steakhouse- Joseph Archer
Marketing Information Management
-The most popular food items at Outback is the Bloomin' Onion and a sirloin steack
-Since those items are very popular they advertise and promote those products as well as brand new products
-They also try to advertise less popular products to make them more popular and more ordered
-They have promotional items depending on locations that are only available for a limited time, these drive customers in to order those items
Financing
-Outback Steakhouses operates through many company-owned stores, but it also operates through partnerships and franchises
-Average unit volumes a per store are calculated by average sales amount, which allows Outback to control the changes in consumer traffic, pricing and development of the brand
-They also rely on sales of their products to gain enough revenue to pay the finances
Pricing
-Outback Steakhouse's food prices change regularly based on the cost of the products needed to make the food. They change these prices so they can still be making a profit when they sell the product For example, in 2001 when beef and dairy prices fluctuated, Outback Steakhouse had to raise the food prices to make profit. As a consequence, less sales were generated.
-If the demand is high for a product, Outback Steakhouse may raise the price of the product because people will still buy it, such as the Bloomin' Onion
Promotion
-Outback Steakhouse uses commercials to add popularity to new products
-They give coupons out to potential customers to attract them so they can eat at the restaurant.
-They offer a free Bloomin' Onion to customers if Kevin Harvick(a NASCAR driver) who is sponsored by Outback Steakhouse. If Harvick places in the top 10 of a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Bloomin' Onions are awarded to customers on Monday.
-Outback has two blimps that have Outback Steakhouse on it
-They also rely on word of mouth
-They also have a lunch menu that has specials on it to attract customers to eat lunch
Product/Service Management
-Outback Steakhouse uses product/service management to create new items and improve existing ones
-Outback Steakhouse created the Bloomin' Onion and improved it throughout time. They used different dipping sauces and tried out different ingredients in it. They used the formula that customers liked best.
-Outback Steakhouse also obtained the already existing product, the wood fired grill to make their steaks.
-They also improved some of their products such as the sirloin, by giving you a choice of how you would like the steak to be grilled. They also combined many items such and steak and shrimp
Distribution
-Outback distributes there product based on the region
-Since Outback operates in many countries around the world, they distribute their products from a U.S. hub an International hub.
-Outback Steakhouse also purchases their beef from factory farms.
-Outback Steakhouse purchases their lamb from New Zealand
-They also import many beers and alcoholic beverages from different areas of the world
Selling
-Outback Steakhouse sells its food to customers at the restaurant
-Outback sells different food items at different locations, it is highly regionalized.
-In South American locations they sell crawfish, while in Muslim regions they offer a pork free menu
-Outback Steakhouse also caters to large groups of customers
Target Market
Jobs within the restaruant
General Manager- the general manager contributes to the marketing process by promoting items. They do this by offering specific items for a location to try to drive the products sales up. For example, in Texas the General Managers made a special food item known as the Lone Star Steak.
Cooks- They contribute to the selling of the products because they must cook them to the customers liking and what they ordered. Without cooks, the food could not be sold because it was not prepared
CEO- the CEO contributes to the marketing process by using Marketing Information Management to determine the most popular products and other things to allow the company to get maximum profit
How does Outback Steakhouse attract people to return?
-Outback attracts people to return by combining many items, giving promotions, and advertising in commercials and other object.
-They combine many items and add new choices to allow customers to return. For example, they introduced Steak and Seafood together and also introduced the new item "Shrimp on the Barbie"
-They also give you many promotions. An example of this is if Harvick, a NASCAR driver, places in the top 10 in the Sprint Cup, everybody who enters the restaurant gets a free Bloomin' Onion.
-They also advertise with many commercials and other objects that have their name on it and they also provide you with coupons and specials for food.