A STUDY ON CUSTOMER PERCEPTION ON BRANDING TOWARDS FORTUNE FORD INDIA LTD, HYDERBAD.

PROJECT REPORT

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE

OF

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

ByMr. N.RAMA KRISHNA

(Reg: 1980763084)

Under the guidance Of

Prof. M.SRENIVASA REDDY MBA, Phd

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIESSRI VENKATESWRA UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF COMMERCE MANAGEMENT & INFORMATION SCIENCES

TIRUPATI-517 502(2006-2008)

DECLARATION

I here by declare that the project report entitled “A STUDY ON

CUSTOMER PERCEPTION ON BRANDING” was done by me in partial

fulfillment of Master of Business Administration (M.B.A) degree and this report

was not submitted for the award of any degree or diploma to any university to the

best of my knowledge.

Date:

Place: (N.RAMA KRISHANA)

(Reg: 1980763084)

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIESSRI VENKATESWRA UNIVERSITY

TIRUPATI-517 502

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project entitled” “A STUDY ON PERCEPTION ON

BRANDING” towards FORTUNE FORD INDIA LTD., Submitted to

S.V.University. Tirupati is the result of independent study and project done by Mr.

N.RAMA KRISHNA A partial fulfillment of the requirements of award of Master

of Business Administration (M.B.A) during academic year 2006-2008 in the

Department of Management studies, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati.

HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT PROJECT GUIDE

Prof. C.S.G. Krishnamacharyulu Prof. M.SRENIVASA REDDY Department of Management studies S.V.University

Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati. Tirupati.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I express my sincere thanks to Mr. IMAD AKTHER, Senior Sales Manager

FORTUNE FORD India Ltd., HYDERABAD for having kindly accorded

permission to undertake my project work in their esteemed concern.

I am very much grateful to Prof. M.SRENIVASA REDDY

, project guide, his timely directions and encouragement to carryout my project

successfully.

I thank all of those who directly or indirectly extended their encouragement

and assistance throughout this endeavor.

Finally, I thank my parents, friends and almighty for their constant support

and encouragement throughout the project.

(N.RAMA KRISHNA)

CONTENETS

CHAPTER – I Page No.

INTRODUCTION

Marketing Concepts 1 -

CHAPTER - II

COMPANY PROFILE

Ford India 10 - 16 Fortune Ford 17 - 26

CHAPTER - III

PRODUCT STUDY CUSTOMER PERCEPTION ON BRANDING

27 - 30

CHAPTER – IV

BUILDING CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP 31 - 32

CHAPTER – V

MARKET SURVEY Market Study 33 Limitations 34 - 37 Data Analysis 38 - 42

CHAPTER – VI

Observations 43 - 44 Suggestions 45 - 46

CHAPTER – VII Questionnaire 47 – 49

Markets:

The concepts of exchange and relationships lead to the concept of a market. A market is the set of actual and potential buyers of a product. These buyers share a particular need or want that can be satisfied through exchange relationships.

Marketing means managing markets to bring about profitable customer relationships. However, creating these relationships takes work. Sellers must search for buyers, identify must first create a need-satisfying marketing offer (product). It must decide how much it will charge for the offer (price) and how it will make the offer available target consumers (place). Finally, it must communicate with the target customers about the offer and persuade them of its merits (promotion).

Marketing:

Marketing is the business function that identifies customer needs and wants. Creating customer value and satisfaction are the heart of modern marketing thinking and practice. Marketing is the delivery of customer satisfaction at a profit.

Many people think of marketing only as selling & advertising. But selling & advertising are only the tip of marketing. Marketing means managing markets to bring about exchanges and relationships for the purpose of creating value and satisfying needs & wants.

Today, marketing must be understood not in the old sense of making a sale – ‘’telling and selling’’ – but in the new sense of satisfying customer needs. If the marketer does a good job of understanding consumer needs; develops products that provide superior value; and prices, distributes, and promotes them effectively, these products will sell very easily. Thus, selling and advertising are only part of a larger ‘’marketing mix’’ – a set of marketing tools that work together to satisfy customer needs and build customer relationships.

Broadly defined, marketing is a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging value with others. In a narrower business context, marketing involves building profitable, value – laden exchange relationships with customers. Hence, we define marketing as the process by which companies create value for customers and build strong relationships in order to capture value from customers in return.

Customer Needs, Wants, and Demands:

The most basic concept underlying marketing is that of human needs. Human needs are states of felt deprivation. They include basic physical needs for food, clothing, warmth, and safety: social needs for belonging and affection: and individual needs for knowledge and self – expression. These needs were not created by marketers: they are a basic part of the human makeup.

Wants are the form human needs take as they are shaped by culture and individual personality. An American needs food but wants a Big Mac, French fries, and a soft drink. A person in Mauritius needs food but wants a mango. Rice, lentils, and beans. Wants are shaped by buying power, wants become demands. Given their wants and resources, people demand products with benefits that add up to the most value and satisfaction.

Marketing Management:

The analysis, planning, implementation and control of programs design to create, build and maintain beneficial exchanges with target buyers for the purpose of achieving organizational objectives.

MARKETING MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS

Production Production Product Product SellingSelling MarketingMarketing SocietalSocietal

Production concept:

Management should focus on improving production and distribution efficiency. When the demand for a product exceeds the supply, management should looks for ways to increase production. When the products cost is too high, improved productivity is needed to bring it down.

Product concept:

Consumer will favour products that offer the most quality, performance and innovative features. Thus, an organization should devote energy to making continues product improvements.

Selling concept:

Consumers will not buy enough of the organizations products unless its under takes large-scale selling and promotion effort.

Selling:

Selling is also important function of marketing. It is the process where by goods and services finally flow to the customers who need them. Selling focuses on the needs of the seller.

Marketing concept:

The marketing concept holds that achieving organizational goals depends on determining the needs and wants of target markets and delivering the desired satisfaction more effectively and efficiently than to competitors.

Existing Selling & Profits throughFactory products promoting sales volume

Customer Integrated Profits throughMarketneeds marketing customer satisfaction

Marketing means obtaining customers. Marketing focuses on the needs of the purchaser. Makes profits by creating long term customer relationships based on customer value and satisfaction.

Societal concept:

The societal marketing concept holds that the organizationshould determine the needs, wants and interests of target markets.

Marketing Mix (4 Ps):Marketing mix includes the set of controllable, tactical marketing tools in

the target marke.

Product means the goods and services combination the company offer to the target market. Ex: Nuts & Bolts, Spark plugs, Pens & Pencils etc.

Price is the amount of money customers have to pay to obtain the product.

Place includes company activities that make the product available to target consumers

Promotion means activities that communicate the merits of the product and persuade target customers to buy it. Ford spends money

Society(Human welfare)

Consumers(Want satisfaction)

Company(Profits)

ProductProduct variety

Quality & DesignFeatures

Brand namePackaging & ServicesWarranties & Returns

ProductProduct variety

Quality & DesignFeatures

Brand namePackaging & ServicesWarranties & Returns

PriceList priceDiscounts

AllowancesPayment period

Credit terms

PriceList priceDiscounts

AllowancesPayment period

Credit terms

PlaceChannels

Coverage & LocationsAssortments

InventoryTransportations

Logistics

PlaceChannels

Coverage & LocationsAssortments

InventoryTransportations

Logistics

PromotionAdvertising

Personal sellingSales promotionPublic relations

PromotionAdvertising

Personal sellingSales promotionPublic relations

TargetCustomers

TargetCustomers

each year for advertising to tell consumer about the company and its product.

Marketing effort / Marketing control:The company wants to design and put in to action the marketing mix that

will best achieves its objectives in its target markets.

PlanningDevelop strategic

plans

Develop marketing plans

PlanningDevelop strategic

plans

Develop marketing plans

Implementation

Carry out plans

( The company turns the plans

in to action )

Implementation

Carry out plans

( The company turns the plans

in to action )

ControlMeasure results

Evaluate results

Take corrective action

ControlMeasure results

Evaluate results

Take corrective action

Analysis

COMPANY PROFILE

Ford Motor Company is the world's second largest automaker with approximately 350,000 employees, and operating in more than 200 markets on six continents. Its automotive brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo. Its automotive-related services include Ford Credit, Hertz and Quality Care.

The company's world headquarters is in Dearborn, Michigan. Ford Motor Company officially celebrated its 100th anniversary on June 16, 2003. For additional information visit the site below.

Overview:

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures and distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 300,000 employees and 108 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo. Its automotive-related services include Ford Motor Credit Company.

Vehicle Brands:

ABOUT FORD COMPANY

Automotive Service Brands:

The very first member of the Ford Motor Company family of brands, Ford offers distinctively designed and affordable vehicles for the world's varying lifestyles. From the Model T—the car that first brought driving to the masses, to more recent favourites like the Mustang in the US, the Mondeo in Europe, the Eco Sport in South America and the Territory in Asia, Ford vehicles have been among the world's most popular cars, trucks and SUV's.

Brief History:

Ford Motor Company began with just Ford vehicles in a wagon shop in Michigan. To fully understand the essence of this founding member of the family brands, just look at the early history of Ford Motor Company, from Henry Ford's earliest automotive experiments to the Models A, T, and beyond.

While value for money has always been a top priority in developing Ford vehicles, that concern has never compromised quality or the pursuit of quality solutions. Ford has always strived to meet consumers' real-life requirements—from smaller cars for Europeans, to "smarter" cars for the ever-changing environment.

One of the most essential ingredients for a successful business is communication. We strive to keep the public well informed about us, our products, financial progress, and public policy.

Products and Customers:

We will offer excellent products and services. Ford Motor Company's flexible manufacturing systems have the ability to build up to eight different models off two independent platforms. The flexible systems standardize the

assembly process, improve productivity, eliminate waste and boost quality. Developing and introducing products with better environmental performance.

Fast Facts: Focusing on customer satisfaction and loyalty and keeping our

promises Using our understanding of the market to anticipate customer needs Delivering innovative products and services that offer high value in

terms of function, price, quality, safety and environmental performance

Progress Since Our Last Report

Around the world, our markets are changing. High fuel prices are accelerating interest in vehicles with good fuel economy. Markets are expanding in rapidly growing economies and remain highly competitive everywhere we operate.

To meet and anticipate our customers' needs, we are focusing on:

Introducing new products. Globally, we introduced 40 all-new, or substantially new, products in 2004, more than in any year in the Company's history.

Raising the bar on quality. In J.D. Power's Initial Quality Study, our 2004 U.S. vehicles continued a positive trend by improving more than 6 percent compared to 2003.

Implementing shared architectures and technologies and flexible manufacturing. By the end of the decade, 75 percent of our North American and all of our European plants will be flexible and able to produce multiple vehicle models.

Expanding the range of products available in high-growth markets.

Bill Ford – Setting the Vision

"At Ford Motor Company, we have made sustainability a long-term strategic business priority. The reason is simple: we are a 100-year-old company, and I want us to become a 200-year-old company. Sustainability is about ensuring that our business is innovative, competitive and profitable in a world that is facing major environmental and social changes."

Our Company faces urgent short-term challenges that we have described in our Annual Report and will discuss in this report. We're addressing these challenges by accelerating our business plans to strengthen our balance sheet, optimize our global footprint and deliver more great products faster. That includes eliminating excess capacity, reducing the size of our workforce while improving its capability, increasing our investments in fast-growing markets and speeding up our product development process.

Our success as a business in the near term is a prerequisite to any strategy for future growth. However, our responsibility to our customers, shareholders, employees and communities includes preparing for the future without delay. While nobody can confidently predict what the world will look like a few decades from now, it is clear that strong, profitable companies going forward will be the ones that strive for sustainable use of environmental and social capital in a rapidly growing global economy. The business case is clear:

Reduced use of non-renewable resources will help us cut material and operating cost and avoid the growing volatility of commodity prices. Society's growing concern for environmental issues is creating growth markets for innovative "green" products and technologies that generate new sources of revenue. Increasingly stringent government regulations around the world will favour companies that are best positioned to address underlying environmental and social priorities.

Global climate change is one of the most urgent examples. At Ford, we have long acknowledged the importance of climate change. We recognize its potential impact on economic as well as environmental and social systems. Customers, investors and policy makers are increasingly focused on the need to burn less fossil fuel and emit fewer greenhouse gases. The issue will become even more challenging as growing markets like India and China expand their own needs for energy.

Bill FordChairman & CEO, Ford Motor Company

Climate change is also an example of a complex 21st-century challenge that requires a systemic social, political, technological and business solution. Stabilizing the concentration of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere while maintaining economic growth demands corporate and political leadership and dialogue across traditional boundaries. It requires global coordination of technologies, government policies, markets and infrastructures.

Within our Company, climate change, and the underlying issue of fuel economy, pose a particular challenge. In North America, the fuel economy of our vehicles is competitive and in some cases even best-in-class within their respective segments. However, the market-leading popularity of our trucks and SUVs results in a low average fuel economy from our fleet as a whole. Across the industry, fuel efficiency improvements compete for investment with other product features and innovations, overall affordability and pressing obligations like safety, health care and pension costs.

Even as we grapple with this issue, we continue to set the pace in our industry on important environmental and social priorities, such as reducing water consumption, conserving energy, recycling and reusing non-renewable materials, eliminating toxic materials, establishing codes of working conditions and safety in our plants and supply chain, and addressing public health issues from HIV/AIDS to cancer to juvenile diabetes. You will find all these issues and more addressed in this report.

Looming on the horizon are additional challenges as well as opportunities. The sheer scale of our industry is enormous. In the United States, the auto industry is responsible for 6.6 million jobs, which is about 5 percent of all private-sector jobs and nearly 4 percent of Gross Domestic Product. No other single industry is more linked to U.S. manufacturing strength or generates more retail business and employment. The U.S. auto industry purchases 60 percent of all the rubber and about 30 percent of all the aluminium, iron and stainless steel used in the United States.

The 61 million new cars and trucks sold globally last year provide personal mobility and economic opportunity to an increasingly interdependent population. Some people believe that it's impossible to provide personal transportation without imposing costs on the environment and society, and that it's impossible for business to address environmental and social needs without breaching its fiduciary responsibility to shareholders.

At Ford, we are determined that these priorities do not need to conflict with one another, and that the path to profitable growth in our industry may increasingly lie in finding ways to generate new revenue by reconciling these issues, not just trading them off against one another. We describe such thinking in this report, our first organized under a sustainability (rather than corporate citizenship) title.

Ford joined seven other automotive companies, three energy companies and an automotive supplier in a study sponsored by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) entitled "Mobility 2030: Meeting the Challenges to Sustainability," which was published last year. In addition to climate change, air pollution and road safety, the report called out the growing importance of noise, congestion and the mobility "divide" between the rich and the economically and socially disadvantaged as critical issues on the road to sustainable mobility.

These issues become even more acute as hundreds of millions of people around the world join the global economic marketplace and claim access to the lifestyle, including personal mobility, long enjoyed by the populations of developed markets.

We know that smart competitors are racing to be first with solutions for the 21st century, and we want to lead that race.Our work is, therefore, urgent, and it is proceeding along three paths:Integrated strategy:

Since we see sustainability as core to our business success, we are working to develop metrics, targets and milestones to be explicitly integrated into our business plan, alongside the fundamentals of quality, cost and revenue, products and relationships. We're also working on the difficult challenge of reconciling short-term imperatives to deliver financial returns with the investments required to realize long-term opportunities.

Technological innovation:

We have developed an organization and governance structure – the Sustainable Mobility Group – dedicated to investing in and driving new mobility technologies, including hybrids, clean diesels, hydrogen internal-combustion engines and fuel cells. We're conducting this breakthrough work, too, on nearer-term vehicle technologies, such as alternative fuels and advanced gasoline engines.

We also continue to work on new developments in the way we build our cars and trucks, for example through flexible manufacturing techniques.

External dialogue:

New business challenges require new thinking, which in turn requires new relationships in the communities in which we operate. The history of industry is littered with the remains of companies that rigidly defended their world view through their policies, strategies, marketing and relationships. On issues of broad public concern, efforts to increase mutual understanding are usually more productive than an adversarial defence of special interests. That's why engagement with policy makers, advocacy groups, consumers, investors, business partners and employees is a cornerstone of our drive to realize our vision. Already, in developing our approaches to human rights and climate change, we have seen the value of listening, learning and acting in concert with thoughtful advocates.

I'm proud of the steps we have taken so far – most notably the introduction of the Escape Hybrid, the world's first hybrid SUV; the reinvention of the Rouge facilities as a model of 21st-century sustainable manufacturing; our industry-leading actions in human rights; and the response of our employees to human needs – notably in Southeast Asia after the December 26 tsunami and in the U.S. Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina.

I also recognize that we have a lot more to do to secure the sustainability of our business over the long term. I look forward to reporting our progress in future reports .

Bill FordChairman and CEO

Overview:

Our industry, the business environment and societal expectations continue to evolve, and so does our reporting. Find out how we are managing sustainability as a strategic priority within the business.

Our Impacts:

As a major multinational enterprise, our activities have far-reaching impacts on environmental, social and economic systems. Read about our analysis and prioritization of these issues and impacts.

Charles Griffith Auto Projector Director,

"The challenge for us now is to reconcile our need to respond to mainstream investors with our long-term sustainability goals."

Madelyn Hochstein President and Founder, DYG Inc.

ABOUT FORTUNE FORD

HELP LINES

Marv Adams Senior Vice PresidentCorporate Strategy and Chief Information Office

Barbara GasperVice PresidentInvestor Relations

Fortune Ford is a 50:50% Joint Venture set up between two well known and reputed families in Hyderabad, the Modis and the Babu Khans. Fortune Ford is a blend of experience and youth. The experience and good will that Mr. Misbahuddin Babu Khan and Mr. Pramod Modi enjoy blend very well with the youth and energy of the youngsters Bashir, Ashish, Nirav and Siraj to make Fortune Ford a truly world class Ford Dealership.

Fortune Ford markets and services the recently launched truly European Ford Fiesta, the ever-popular Ford Ikon Flair , the No non-sense car Ford Fusion and the macho SUV the Ford Endeavour through its sales and service outlets at Hyderabad. The sales outlet is located strategically at Somajiguda next to Eanadu. We have two service centers, one at Chapel Road, Abids opposite Stanley College and other one at Fathebagh, Santhnagar. These centrally located outlets provide convenient and easy access to both the proud owners as well as prospective buyers. The workforce at Fortune Ford is committed to excellence in serving all esteemed customers.

The Sales Team is made up of dedicated showroom and field executives who are professionally trained by Ford India Limited. They are adept at guiding the customer through the entire sales process right from assisting in the choice of model, colour and features to lending a helping hand in providing attractive buyback options and also arranging finance at competitive rates.

The Service Centre is armed with the state-of-the art equipment and is in-line with Ford's exacting Global standards. The service team is technically qualified and trained to analyze and provide solutions adhering to Quality Care, in order to satisfy even the most demanding customers.

The Fortune Ford dealership maintains a high standard of excellence in sales and services by sending its personnel for training on a regular basis to Ford India Limited, to update them with the latest technological advances in the automotive sphere.

MODELS:FIESTA FUSION ENDEAVOUR

IKON MONDEO

SHOWROOM:

We have 5000 sft centrally air conditioned showroom, located in the heart of the city in Somajiguda, adjacent to Enadu office and just opp. to Khairtabad RTA. This makes convenient for almost every one residing in and around Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

The facilities offered from the showroom are :

1. Very easy finance facility with in-house finance team to cater to your every car finance requirements. All the leading finance counters are available like ICICI, HDFC, KOTAK, SUNDARAM, SBI, etc.

2. Exchange offer for any of your used car. Free spot evaluation for any used car.

3. Professionally trained and courteous sales staff to take care of every relevant needs of the customers.

4. Ford preferred insurance for cashless transactions in the event of claims. Special offers on Insurance renewals. You can also renew your insurance by just making call to our Service marketing help line 9848885919.

5.Full range of Ford cars with all colours and models to choose from.

6. A good stock of Ford genuine accessories to make your Ford ownership more delightful and safe.

7. A well maintained fleet of test drive cars to give you the feel and experience the drive dynamics on actual driving conditions before take the purchase decisions. You can call our sales help line for test drive or fill the on-line test drive requisition form.

OUR SERVICE CENTER LOCATIONS:

ABIDS SERVICE CENTER 5-9-171, Chapel Road, Abids, Hyd - 500 001. Telephone: 040-66848384Service Appointment No. 9848885881e-mail: service@fortuneford.com

SANATNAGAR SERVICE CENTER7-2-1851,Fathe Bagh, Sanath Nagar, Hyd-18. Telephone: 040-23800000, Service Appointment No. 9848885880e-mail: service2@fortuneford.comSERVICE CENTERS:

We believe that a customer is for life and it will be our endeavor to make your Ford ownership experience truly cherish able. We will make all efforts in meeting this commitment and will always welcome your suggestions and advice to achieve excellence in everything we do. We have two workshops strategically located at Sanathnagar and Abids. Based on your convenience, you can choose any of these two facilities to get your car serviced.

The following are some of the facilities provided by Fortune Ford to all our esteemed customers:

In case of any break down, you can call our Road side assistance help line no.9848844000. Towing facility is arranged with a nominal cost.

Pick-up and Drop facility with prior appointment.

Entire range of spare parts and accessories are available to ensure minimum downtime of your car.

A team of Ford trained and experienced service technicians to take care of your car.

Customer care executives are available at interactive bays (IR) to attend to your queries regarding all ford products and maintenance, on your arrival at our service facility.

An air-conditioned waiting lounge with valuable reading material and related information to make your waiting time more memorable.

Body shop with computerized colour mixing equipment and well trained skilled staff to take care of your every body shop repair job.

Insurance help desk to assist you in the event of any accident repair.

We look forward to a warm and long lasting relationship and wish you the smoothest of the driving experience for years to come.

ACCESSORIES:

Your car stands out in the crowd! This is no dream. To put a unique stamp of individual personality and style on a Ford car, a snazzy range of accessories are available. So now there is unlimited leverage to sport a distinct style! Genuine accessories are designed and marketed by Ford India, keeping in mind individualistic styles. Each and every Ford accessory is built to last and designed to stand apart for the discerning Ford owner...You! Also, at Fortune Ford trained electricians and mechanics are available to ensure that each and every accessory is fitted as per requirement, to get the best out of it.

Competitive Pricing:

Ford accessories are great value for money. What you get when you opt for Ford accessories is economy in the long run. With Ford accessories, you can enjoy the feeling of being a savvy customer.

Highest Ford Standards of Quality:

Ford accessories conform to exacting standards of quality. And these standards are the ones that the customers are familiar with, like the ones that Ford adheres to when the cars are made.

Customized for Ford Cars :

All the accessories are perfectly compatible with the Ford cars. That means accurate fitment, and of course, the perfect Ford styling.

Exclusive Designs:

A lot of creativity and effort is invested in designing Ford accessories. Each and every Ford accessory can be easily differentiated because their exclusivity sets them apart from other run-of-the-mill products.

PRODUCT PROFILE

CONCEPTUAL FRAME WORK:

Brand:

A brand is name, term, sign, symbol or design or a combination of them

which is intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers

and to differentiate them from those of competitors.

A trade mark is “ a brand or a part of brand that is given legal protection

because it is capable of exclusive appropriation”.

Manufactures can use their own brands (known as manufacturer’s brands)

or brands of their distributors (Distributors’ brands).

Strategic brand management:

Strategic brand management involves the design and implementation of marketing

activities and programs to build measure, and manage brands to maximize their

value. The strategic brand management agement process involves four main steps :

.Identifying and establishing brand positioning.

. Planning and implementing brand marketing.

.Measuring and interpreting brand performance.

.Growing and sustaining brand value.

The scope of branding:

Branding is endowing products and services with the power of brand.

Branding is all about creating differences. To brand a product , it is necessary to

teach consumers “who” the product is-by giving it a name and using other brand

elements to help identify it—as well as “what” the product does and “why”

consumers should care. Branding involves creating mental structures and helping

consumers organize their knowledge about products and services and in away that

clarifies their decision making and, in the process, provides value of the firm.

For branding strategies to be successful and brand value be created, consumers

must be convinced that there are meaningful differences among brands in the

product or service category. The key to branding is that consumers must not think

that all brands in the category are the same.

Branding can be applied virtually any where consumer has choice. It is possible to

brand a physical good, a service, a store, a person, an organization, or an idea.

Devising a Branding Strategy:

The branding strategy for a firm reflects the number and

nature of common distinctive brand elements applied to the different products sold

by the firm. In other words devising a branding strategy involves deciding the

nature of new and existing brand elements to be applied to new and existing

products.

The decision as to hoe to brand new products is especially critical. When a firm

introduces anew product, it has three main choices:

1. it can develop new brand elements for the new product.

2. it can apply some of existing brand elements.

3. it can use a combination of new and existing brand elements.

Brand Loyalty:

Brand –Loyal customers provide the basis for a stable and growing market

share and can be a major intangible asset reflected in the purchase prices of a

company. A study of consumer purchase habits reported that brands with large

market shares have proportionately groups of loyal buyers.

A basic issue among researchers is whether to define the concept in terms

of consumer behavior or consumer attitudes .To cognitive learning theorists,

behavioral definitions lack precisions, because they do not distinguish between the

“real” brand-loyal buyer who is intentionally faithful, and the spurious brand-loyal

buyer who repeats a brand purchase because it is the only one available at the

store.

Loyal consumer –those who have a strong commitment to a brand , a

service , or retail store –show strong resistance to counter persuasion attempts. A

syndicated research company reported that 74% of its respondents resist

promotional efforts by rival brands once they find a brand with which they are

satisfied.

Behavioral scientists who favour the theory of instrumental conditioning

believe that brand loyalty results from an initial product trail are reinforced through

satisfaction, leading to repeat purchase. Cognitive researchers, on the other hand,

emphasize the role of mental process in building brand loyalty. They believe that

consumers engage in extensive problem –solving behavior involving brand and

attribute comparisions, leading to a strong brand preference and repeat purchase

behavior.

Brand Equity:

The term brand equity refers to the value inherent in a well –known brand

name. From a consumer’s perspective, brand equity is the added value bestowed

on the product by the brand name. Brand Equity facilitate the acceptance of new

products and the allocation of preferred shelf space, and enhance perceived value,

perceived quality, and premium ,pricing options. For many companies ,their most

valuable assets are their brand names. Because of the escalation of new product

costs and the high rate of new product failures, many companies prefer to leverage

their brand equity through brand extensions, rather than risk launching a new

brand.

Brand equity is important to marketers because it leads it brand loyalty,

brand preferences, which in turn leads to increased market share and great profits

to marketers ,the major function of learning theory is to teach consumers that their

product is best ,to encourage repeat purchase, and ultimately to develop the loyalty

to the brand name.

Products:1. Ford fiesta (Exi,Zxi,SxiAbs)(petrol, Diesel)

“The car”

Driven by Dura technology

2. Ford ikon(1.3Flair,1.6Nxt) (Petrol)

“Live life with ”

3. Ford fusion(Petrol)

4.Ford ENDEAVOUR(Diesel).

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

RESEARCH DESIGN:

A research design is considered as the frame work or plan for a study, that

guides and helps the collection and analysis of the data.

A sound research is the basis of success of any formal research. It is said to

be the blue print of the study conducted.

NATURE OF THE DATA:

The data collected for the study was mainly primary in nature. There is first

hand information which is customer opinion, towards the company products.

Besides this secondary data was also collected from company brochures and

company websites.

SOURCE OF DATA:

Primary data was collected from the customers who are using Fortune Ford

cars in Hyderabad city.

Secondary data was collected from the company brochures and company

websites.sssssss

www.Ford.com

www.Fordindia.com

METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION:

The method adopted to elicit information from customers is structured

questionnaire that contains close, open ended questions. The reason for choosing

the questionnaire method is primarily due to the qualitative nature of the study.

SURVEY:

Wide range of information about Customer opinion, perception, and

expectation is gathered through survey from Hyderabad City .

SAMPLING DESIGN:

Sample unit:

The sampling unit is customers who are using cars of Fortune Ford

India Ltd, Hyderabad.

Sample size:

The sample size is 100 Customers in Hyderabad city.

Sampling Method:

Convenient Sampling; is adopted by using the list of the Customers in the

company.

LIMITATATIONS

Limitations:

1. As the most of the Customers were businessmen hesitating

to give correct information.

1. The time constraint was also the problem of concern.

3. Though the customers wanted to give information they could not

give as it wastes their business time.

4. The accuracy of the answers depends upon the mode of interest

Of respondents.

1. AGE GROUPS OF RESPONDENTS

AGE RESPONDENTS20-30 2130-40 5240-50 23above 50 4

INFERENCE: From the above table, it is clear that about 48% of respondents belongs to the age group 30to 40.

2. Name of the brand first that comes to your mind in the car industry.

Brand no of respondentsFORD 15MARUTI 35HONDA 20HYUNDAY 15MERCEDES BENZ 15

Inference: From the above chart 35% customers think about maruthi.

3.How do you came to know about Ford brand RESPONSE PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS

MEDIA 20PRINT MEDIA 23

AUTO MAGAZINE 28WORD OF MOUTH 19

INTERNET 10HORDINGS 0

Inference:

From the above chart about 28% of respondents came to know about ford through auto magazine. Only 43% of respondents came to know about Ford brand through ads. So, the company should focus on advertisements.

4. Do you prefer brand, in buying a car.

INFERENCE: From the above chart 94% of customers are preferring brand in buying a car.

RESPONSE PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTSYES 94%NO 6%

5. Which model are you using in Ford?

FORD CARS NO OF RESPONDENTSFORD FIESTA 50FORD IKON 28FORD FUSION 20FORD ENDEAVOUR 2

INFERENCE:

From the above chart 50% of customers have fiesta remaining colors are other ford cars.

6. What factors made you to buy that brand ( )a) Price b) Mileage c) Safety d) Designe)After Sales Services

RESPONSE PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTSPRICE 16MILEAGE 32SAFTEY 27DESIGN 22AFTER SALES SERVICE 3

Inference: From the above chart the 32%of respondents buying car because of mileage so, focus on the after sales service.

7. How do rate Ford brand

RESPONSE PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTSVERY GOOD 22

GOOD 30FAIR 32POOR 11

VERY POOR 5

Inference: From the above chart most of the customers fair about Ford cars.

7. Which brand do you think best in Ford.

FORD CARS NO OF RESPONDENTS

FORD FIESTA 60FORD IKON 20FORD FUSION 5FORD ENDEAVOUR 15

Inference: Form the above chart 60% customers think Fiesta is the best car.

8. Do you think promotional activities for this brand is necessary.

RESPONSE PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTSYES 90%NO 10%

.

Inference: From the above chart 90%customers are think promotional activities are necessary

.

9. Are you satisfied with competitors brand relative to Ford.

RESPONSE PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTSYES 80%NO 10%

Infrence: From the above chart 80% customers satisfied with competitor’s brand.

10. Do you recognize Ford brand from competitors

Inference: From the above chart 92% of customers recognize the Ford brand form the competitors.

RESPONSE PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTSYES 92%NO 8%

11. Do you think using Ford brand is a status symbol for you

Inference: From the above chart 72% customers feel ford is a status symbol.

RESPONSE PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTSYES 72%NO 28%

12. Overall, how satisfied you with Ford

RESPONSE PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTSVERY GOOD 15

GOOD 40AVERAGE 20

POOR 15VERY POOR 10

Inference: From the above chart 40% customers feel good about ford.

13. Would you be recommend Ford brand to you friends

Inference:From the above chart 68% of customers recommend the Ford brand to friends.

RESPONSE PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTSYES 68%NO 32%

The research has brought to light various facts about customer perception on branding. The questionnaire that was contact customers to obtain their feedback had helped to understand customer needs and wants and their feedback is providing to maintain better customer relationship.

1 It has been found that most of the customers were satisfied with the Ford brands.

2 Ford brands are maintaining a good position in the market among its competitors.

3 Some of the customers are satisfied with the mileage of Fiesta brand.

4 Most of the customers are come to know about the Ford brands through the showroom executives, event programs& magazines.

5 Some of the customers are come to know about the Ford brands through the mailing and their friends and relatives.

6 It is observed that most of the customers prefer Fiesta in ford brands.

7 Majority of the respondent feel that Fiesta brand is excellent and good value for money in the Ford brands.

8 It is observed that the customers are satisfied with the total maintenance plan in Ford brands.

OBSERVATIONS

SUGGESTIONS