1. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Chapter 7
Organizational
Buyer
Behavior of
Group Market

2. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
“The ideal salesperson in the
company meetings segment isn’t a
salesperson in the traditional sense,
but rather the problem-solver.”
Robert C. Mackey
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

3. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Chapter Objectives
• Understand the organizational buying
process
• Identify and discuss the importance of
the participants in the organizational
buying process
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

4. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Chapter Objectives
• Identify the major influences on
organizational buyers
• List the eight stages of the
organizational buying process
• Identify and describe the group markets
in the hospitality industry
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

5. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
The Organizational Buying
Process
• Market Structure and Demand
–Organizational demand is derived
demand; it comes ultimately from the
demand for consumer goods or
services
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

6. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
The Organizational Buying
Process
• Organizational buying decisions tend to
be more complex than consumer
decisions
• The organizational buying process
tends to be more formal than the
consumer process
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

7. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Participants in the
Organizational Buying Process
• A buying center is all those individuals
and groups who participate in the
purchasing decision-making process,
who share common goals and the risks
arising from the decisions
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

8. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Unexpected
Situational
Factors
Unexpected
Situational
Factors
Attitudes
of
Others
Attitudes
of
Others
Participants in the Organizational
Buying Process
EthicalDecision-
Making Unit
of a Buying
Organization
is Called
Its Buying
Center.
Users Influencers
BuyersGatekeepers
Roles Include
Deciders
Approvers
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

9. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Major Influences on
Organizational Buyers
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

10. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Organizational Buying
Decisions
1. Problem Recognition
2. General Need
Description
3. Product
Specification
4. Supplier Research
5. Proposal Solution
6. Supplier Selection
7. Order-Routine
Specification
8. Performance Review
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

11. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Problem Recognition
• Problem recognition is when someone
in a company recognizes a problem or
need that can be met by acquiring a
good or a service
• Problem recognition can occur because
of internal and external stimuli
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

12. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
General Need Description
• General need description is when a
company describes the general
characteristics and quantity of a needed
item
• What are some items that would be
included in a general needs description
for a training meeting?
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

13. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Product Specification
• Product specification is when the
buying organization decides on and
specifies the best technical product
characteristics for a needed item
• What are some items that would be
included in a product specification
description for a training meeting?
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

14. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Supplier Search
• Supplier search is when a buyer tries
to find the best vendor
• What are the best ways for buyers to
identify suppliers?
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

15. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Proposal Solution
• Proposal solution is when qualified
suppliers are invited to submit
proposals
• What are some important tools for
writing and researching a proposal?
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

16. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Supplier Selection
• Supplier selection is when a buyer
receives proposals and selects a
supplier or suppliers
• What are the six attributes that meeting
planners consider when selecting a
location
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

17. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Order-Routine Specification
• Order-routine specification when a buyer
writes the final order with the chosen
supplier(s), listing the technical specifications,
quantity needed, expected time of delivery,
return policies, warranties, and so on
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

18. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Performance Review
• Performance review is when a buyer
rates its satisfaction with suppliers,
deciding whether to continue, modify, or
drop the relationship
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

19. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Group Business Markets
• Conventions
• Association Meetings
• Corporate Meetings
• Incentive Travel
• SMERFs – Social, military,
educational, religious, and fraternal
organizations
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

20. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Dealing with Meeting Planners
• The hotel salesperson must look for items
that will create value for the meeting
planner without creating costs or
sacrificing revenue for the hotel
• Meeting planners expect timeliness and
efficiency
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

21. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
The Corporate Account and
Corporate Travel Manager
• Highly sought after segment
• 10% to 40%
• More likely to use hotel services
(restaurants, laundry, etc.)
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

22. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Best Practice
• Don Walter – Convention Liaison
Council’s Hall of Leaders
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

23. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Key Terms
• Buying center
• Convention
• Corporate meeting
• Derived demand
• General need description
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

24. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Key Terms
• Incentive travel
• Order-routine specification
• Organizational buying process
• Performance review
• Problem recognition
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens

25. ©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens
Key Terms
• Product specification
• SMERF
• Supplier search
• Supplier selection
©2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, 4th edition
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Kotler, Bowen, and Makens