Digital Marketing Assignment: Customization & Personalization In Digital Relationship Marketing In Covid-19

Question

Task: Write a detailed and well-researched digital marketing assignment critically discussing about the role of personalization and customization in digital relationship marketing in the Covid-19 era.

Answer

Background/Context
Considering the current marketing scenario in the present context of digital marketing assignment, during the COVID-19 pandemic scenario, it can assume that personalization and customization will become the prime drivers of marketing success, in next two to three years.Personalization and customization are the procedures of keeping the preferences and requirements of consumers into consideration, by the marketers. By following these procedures, a business can get better scope to make their customer segment strong, feel that they are heard (Baranauskas, 2021). It is the initiative by a marketer to offer the right product and experiences to the right person at right time and in right way. With the sudden outbreak of COVID-19, people are now depending on online marketing to considerable extent. For a brand to survive in emerging market competition and current market scenario, it is important to maintain the peoples’ demand personalized and offer them customized services (Cavdar Aksoy et al., 2021).In COVID-19 era, the appetite for personalized product among the global consumers is growing stronger- they are now willing to pay for the product, which is unique and can meet their needs. Starting from brand campaigning to product and service line, consumers’ expectation for personalized experiences are growing every day. Therefore, the role of such marketing process for a brand implies in improvement of business conversation rate, and ROI.

Problem statement
The aim of this GRP is to highlight the role of customization and personalization in digital relationship marketing, during the COVID-19 pandemic scenario. There are several research projects, which are being carried out, based on the key terms of “personalization” in digital marketing. However, there are a few research articles, which are based on the role of personalization and customization in digital relationship marketing (Nguyen et al., 2021). Therefore, scarcity of data sources and information can be considered a problem for the proposed research.

Objective And Research questions
Considering the aim of the proposed research, the objectives are as follows:
1. To identify the tem “personalization” and “customization” in marketing approach
2. To evaluate the importance of personalization and customization in digital marketing
3. To examine the role of “customization” and “personalization” in digital relationship marketing at the time of COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the research questions will be as followed:
1. How the terms “personalization” and “customization” are related with the marketing approach
2. Why “personalization” and “customization” are important in digital relationship marketing
3. What are the roles of “personalization” and “customization” in digital relationship marketing, during the COVID-19 pandemic era

Research significance
With the change of time and standard of living by the global population, the overall scenario of digital marketing approach are also changing gradually.With the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the purchasing behavior of the consumers has changed drastically. Governmental restriction towards social gatherings, lock down period has made the people to stay at home. In such scenario, the global population has started to be dependent on e-commerce or digital marketing.In digital marketing era, people always wants to avail such services or products, which can meet their unique needs. Here comes the importance of personalization or customization in marketing (Le et al., 2021). With the personalization and customization, a brand can also get scope to improve the conversation rate and business ROI, by making their customer base to feel heard and values. On other hand, it can be said that with the change of time, customization and personalization are becoming major driving forces towards marketing success. Therefore, future business researcher, precise evaluation of the role of these two processes in digital relationship market can expand scope of understanding the changing market trend and purchasing parity of customers in digital marketing scenario (Steinhoffand Palmatier, 2021). Thus, the subject matter is significant for the readers to understand the role of these two process in digital marketing and their overall impact on emergence of digital relationship marketing.

Literature Review
During the COVID-19 pandemic scenario, personalization and customization n digital relationship marketing has become a trend, at global perspective. According to the survey, 71% of the global population, worldwide prefers personalized or customized service and product range from a brand (Hasan et al., 2021).Business, with the emergence of digital marketing are striving to meet the unique needs and demand of the customers. The benefits of personalization and customization in digital marketing are related with the increase of ROI and improved conversion market for a brand.The aim of digital relationship marketing is to develop and strengthen the relationship between brand and customers through digital business platform or e-commerce (Doddsand Hess, 2020). In such scenario, personalization or customization can be defined as the practice of ensuring that a marketer addresses the unique needs and preferences of consumers. In digital relationship marketing, personalization and customization can be defined as the ability of a brand or a marketer to tailor the message to customers, individually. It delivers personal experiences, based on the consumers’ purchasing history, demographics, purchasing behaviors and prior experiences. According to a market survey review, in 2019-20, marketers are trying to value the personalization. 96% of total global marketers agreed that customization and personalization could help them to advance the customer relationship, whereas 88% marketers believe that personalization can provide measurable lift to the business profitability (Newmanand Gough, 2020).

Research Method
Research design
There are two types of research designs, namely, conclusive and exploratory. The aim of this proposed research work is to identify the role of personalization and customization in digital relationship marketing, during COVID-19 era.Considering the aim of the research, conclusive research design will be suitable to select. As the name suggest, conclusive research design is used to provide conclusive of final answer to the research question (Nayakand Singh, 2021). Therefore, by using exploratory research design, researcher can get in-depth and precise understanding about the role of personalization and customization in digital relationship marketing during the COVID-19 era.

Sampling
For this proposed work, convenience-sampling technique has to be chosen. It is non-probability sampling technique where data are used to collect from the population who are willing to take part in survey. 5 retailing brand of the UK, who shifted their business to e-commerce have to be selected as sample. For example, Zara, Burberry, Mark& Spencer, Tesco and Sainsbury these five retailing business have to be selected as sample for carrying out survey. More specifically, the managers of the brand, who are associated with the digital relationship marketing on behalf of these brands, will be selected as respondents.

Research method
Data collection method
By considering the research aim and objectives, primary research method has to be chosen. The aim of this research is to explore the role of customization and personalization n digital relationship marketing during COVID-19 era. To meet the aim of this research, insight of the managers or the brands, who are carrying out their business through digital platform, and used to offer customized service and products to the consumers have to be selected are respondents. Survey will be the suitable method for this proposed research to allocate in-depth insight about the role of personalization in digital relationship marketing.

Data Analysis method
Quantitative data analysis method will be suitable to use for this proposed research work. More specifically, google survey can be used as the mode of surveying or questioning the respondents regarding the research topic. A set of close-ended questionnaire has to be designed based on the research topic, so that perspective of the respondents can be accumulated easily.Likert Scale can be used as analytical tool to assess the collected data and develop a comprehensive outcome at the end of the research (Newmanand Gough, 2020).

References
Baranauskas, G., (2021). Application of customisation and personalisation in digital solutions of the non-life insurance market: a case study of Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian e-sales platforms. Engineering Management in Production and Services, 13(2), pp.68-82.https://sciendo.com/pdf/10.2478/emj-2021-0013
Cavdar Aksoy, N., Tumer Kabadayi, E., Yilmaz, C. and Kocak Alan, A., (2021). A typology of personalisation practices in marketing in the digital age. Journal of Marketing Management, pp.1-32.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0267257X.2020.1866647
Dodds, S. and Hess, A.C., (2020). Adapting research methodology during COVID-19: lessons for transformative service research. Journal of Service Management.https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JOSM-05-2020-0153/full/html
Hasan, R., Weaven, S. and Thaichon, P., (2021). Blurring the Line between Physical and Digital Environment: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Customers' Relationship and Customer Experience.Digital marketing assignment In Developing Digital Marketing. Emerald Publishing Limited.https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/978-1-80071-348-220211008
Le, D., Nguyen, T.M., Quach, S., Thaichon, P. and Ratten, V., (2021). The Development and Current Trends of Digital Marketing and Relationship Marketing Research. In Developing Digital Marketing. Emerald Publishing Limited.https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/978-1-80071-348-220211001
Nayak, J.K. and Singh, P., (2021). Fundamentals of Research Methodology Problems and Prospects. SSDN Publishers & Distributors.http://dspace.vnbrims.org:13000/jspui/bitstream/123456789/4653/1/Fundamentals of Research Methodology_Nayak.pdf Newman, M. and Gough, D., (2020). Systematic reviews in educational research: Methodology, perspectives and application. Systematic reviews in educational research, pp.3-22.https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/23142/1007012.pdf sequence=1 - page=22 Nguyen, T.M., Le, D., Quach, S., Thaichon, P. and Ratten, V., (2021). The Current Trends and Future Direction of Digital and Relationship Marketing: A Business Perspective. In Developing Digital Marketing. Emerald Publishing Limited.https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/978-1-80071-348-220211011/full/html
Steinhoff, L. and Palmatier, R.W., (2021). Commentary: Opportunities and challenges of technology in relationship marketing. Australasian Marketing Journal, 29(2), pp.111-117.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1016/j.ausmj.2020.07.003