Versus
In the business world, it is important to select the right choice of words. One wrong use of word can completely change the meaning of the intended message. For example, the concept of Needs vs Wants. We can easily say that needs are the necessities needed to live, and wants are items we do not have to have. When someone has wants then usually their needs are met.
Another concept which can be easily confused is Features vs Benefits. When trying to sell the features of a product or service, the customer is doing all the work to figure out why they want the features. It’s in a seller’s best interest to draw the connection for them. But to do that, the seller has to know the results. If the product was toothpaste, an example of a feature could be the mint taste. The benefit would be the end result; still using the example of toothpaste, the benefit would be that your mouth would taste fresh.
Many companies fail to achieve their branding goals because they mistake their brand for their product, service or technology. A brand is an experience that lives at the intersection of promise and expectation. The products are a way to deliver that promise. To truly stand out in the market, a product must embody the characteristics of its brand. In order to ensure that a product is preferred over those of competitors, the complete brand experience will contribute to consumer perception.
References
1. http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/34942-2
2. http://www.blackcoffee.com/blog/2010/01/18/a-product-is-not-a-brand/
Ryanair Fair?
Ryanair is an Irish low-cost airline which operates 250 Boeing 737-800 aircraft on over 1,100 routes across Europe. Ryanair is not your typical airline; it is Europe’s largest low-cost carrier and the 3rd-largest airline in Europe in terms of passenger numbers.
Ryanair’s business model targets the low-cost airline charges fees, which attracts a lot of international passenger therefore placing Ryanair as the largest in the world in terms of international passenger numbers. Although some may believe they are getting amazing deals, they do not know 20% of Ryanair’s revenue is generated from ancillary revenue, which is income from sources other than ticket fares. These fees can be related to alternative services like using airport check-in facilities instead of the online service fee or using non-preferred methods of payment. Ryanair also charges for extra services like checked in luggage as well as food and drinks for purchase as part of a buy on board programme. In the consumer magazine, “Holiday Which?” Ryanair has been labeled as being the “worst offender” for charging for optional extras.
Ryanair argues that it charges a large number of optional extras in order to allow those passengers who do not require baggage, priority boarding or other premium services to travel for the lowest possible price by giving customers the flexibility to choose what they pay for. Do you think Ryanair is fair?
1. Ryanair payment policy is ‘puerile’, says OFTÂ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8438837.stm
2. Arrest in rooftop Ryanair protest in Liverpool http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/8508074.stm