MKT 3401 Section 5
Assignment #1

4. Which of the four marketing management orientations best describes Build-A-Bear Workshop? Of the four marketing management orientations, market orientation is the one the best describes the Build-A-Bear Workshop. The Build-A-Bear Workshop has achieved vast success and great performance mainly due to their knowing and understanding of customer needs and wants. Clark takes every opportunity she gets to interact with the customers and to get to know them personally by assisting frontline associates with customer interactions. She even puts customer ideas into action to retain and grow her customer base. Clark herself believes her success comes from her mentality of “never forgetting what it’s like to be a customer.”
5. Discuss in detail the value that Build-A-Bear creates for its customers. Build-A-Bear offers more to customers than just a toy, they offer an experience that seems to fill the wants and needs of the customer very well. They involve the customer in every aspect of production, which doesn’t only empower the customer through choosing their own designs, but also adds another level of entertainment value. The multi-staged process of creating the bear is essential to the value of Build-A-Bear. While there is always the actual cost of the bear, cost of waiting in line, et cetera; the experience is their focus for creating value.
6. Is Build-A-Bear likely to be successful in continuing to build customer relationships? Why or why not? Yes, I believe Build-A-Bear is likely to be successful in continuing to build customer relationships. Clark has a very interactive and technological based approach to retail that develops long lasting customer and employee relations which directly affects the company’s ability of to have lasting success. Popular toys are generally a fad the fade off quickly, but Build-A-Bear has stayed strong because it is more than just a toy company, but is also an entertainment company, a field trip like experience as Clark puts it. Clark also stays on top of technological changes such as her popular blog and Build-A-Bear website which helps with retaining and capturing consumers in this digital age. Clark’s strategic vision and ability to focus on the customers’ wants and needs should allow her to adapt to future challenges.
8. As a marketing student, what would you think Maxine Clark say are opportunities available to you in her business? When Mrs. Clark looks to marketing students for employees she would be essentially looking for someone who could help in creating value and facilitate the exchange of her product, which is the Build-A-Bear service. She would most likely say that you have the opportunity to not only help advertise Build-A-Bear but also help the company grow and evolve with the changing times to assure the product retains its value and is even added onto all while keeping the customer in mind. Employees add to the family of the company and thus can vastly effect its operations and appearance to others and form the basis of good customer interactions and relations. She is also quite interested in expanding the business to new markets, such as South America, and nothing is more important in moving to new markets than marketing your product to the new consumers. Clark believes that it is the associates that truly make the company and wants to offer you good opportunities to make a real impact.