Transformation of Product - Investigating Internet Marketing Strategies among Hotels in Ghana

5.2.1 Transformation of Product
Table 5.6 Frequency, percentage of product dimension
-
Variable Name
|
Responses
|
Percent of Cases
|
% of Respondent
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Responses
(a)
|
TProd1L
|
87
|
36.7%
|
100.0%
|
100%
|
|
TProd2H
|
13
|
5.5%
|
14.9%
|
14.9%
|
|
TProd3H
|
86
|
36.3%
|
98.9%
|
98.9%
|
|
TProd4H
|
7
|
3.0%
|
8.0%
|
8.0%
|
|
TProd5H
TProd6H
|
17
7
|
7.2%
3.0%
|
19.5%
8.0%
|
19.5%
8.0%
|
|
TProd7H
|
20
|
8.4%
|
23.0%
|
23.0%
|
Total
|
237
|
100.0%
|
272.4%
|
272.4%
|
A dichotomy group tabulated at value 1. Source: Field data 2011
From the data presented in the table 5.6 and figure 5.6 above, it is evident that all the respondents have transformed the Product Dimension with all the 87 (100%) of the surveyed hotels having written information about their facilities and services on their website (TProd1L) which forms 100% of all the cases. 86 (98.9%) of the hotels have pictures of their facilities on their web sites whiles 13 (14.9%) of the respondent have videos of product on their web site. Also only 7 (8%) of respondents have audio and offer opportunity for clients to participate in hotel room design online, while 17(19.5%) and 20 (23%) of respondents respectively have customization of product information online and opportunity to suggest services on offer via the hotel website.
On the level of sophistication at which the hotels are transforming the product dimension, All the hotels 87 (100%) of respondents are engaged in low sophistication by providing written information on their hotel website. 86 (98.9%) of the respondent have transformed one aspect of the product dimension (availability of pictures on hotel website) which relate to high sophistication. Less than 25% of respondents have designed their web sites to make use of other aspects of high sophistication.
5.2.2 Transformation of Price
Table 5.7 Frequency, percentage of price dimension
-
Variable Name
|
Responses
|
Percent of Cases
|
% of Respondents
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Responses
(a)
|
TPri1L
|
56
|
63.6%
|
100.0%
|
64.4%
|
|
TPri2H
TPri3H
|
10
12
|
11.4%
13.6%
|
17.8%
21.4%
|
11.5%
13.8%
|
|
TPri4H
|
3
|
3.4%
|
5.4%
|
3.4%
|
|
TPri5H
|
7
|
8.0%
|
12.5%
|
8.0%
|
Total
|
88
|
100.0%
|
157.1%
|
101.1%
|
A dichotomy group tabulated at value 1. Source: Field Data
Table 5.7 shows that Out of the total respondents, 56 (64.4%) have price information on their hotel website. It is also evident that, out of 87 surveyed hotels, it is only 56 have transformed aspects in the price dimension with all of them providing price information on their web sites which accounts for the 100% of cases for TPri1L. 10 (11.5%) of the respondents provide dynamic customization of price based on personal information (TPri2H) while 12 (13.8%) of the respondents have dynamic customization of prices based on demand patterns (TPri3H).
However only 3 (3.4%) and 7 (8.0%) the surveyed hotels provide price negotiation online (TPri4H) and allow partner websites to provide price negation on their behalf (TPri5H) respectively.
On the level of sophistication at which the hotels are transforming the price dimension it is clear that all the 56 hotels that have transformed the price dimensions have transformed at low sophistication while the other aspects classified as high sophistication records figures below 15% of all the hotels that have transformed the price dimension.
5.2.3 Transformation of Place
Table 5.8 Frequency, percentage of place Frequencies
-
Variable Name
|
Responses
|
Percent of Cases
|
% of Respondents
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Responses
(a)
|
TPla1L
|
87
|
41.8%
|
100.0%
|
100%
|
|
TPla2L
|
50
|
24.0%
|
57.5%
|
57.5%
|
|
TPla3H
|
63
|
30.3%
|
72.4%
|
72.4%
|
|
TPla4H
|
8
|
3.8%
|
9.2%
|
9.2%
|
Total
|
208
|
100.0%
|
239.1%
|
239.1%
|
A dichotomy group tabulated at value 1. Source: Field Data 2011
From the data presented in the table 5.8, it shows that all the respondents have transformed the Place Dimension with all the 87 (100%) of the surveyed hotels providing email request for hotel booking online (TPla1L) which forms 100% of all the cases as well. 50 (57.5%) of respondents’ carryout promotions of their website on the internet (TPla2L). Furthermore, out of 63 (72.4%) of respondents that allow online booking on their web site only 8 (9.2%) of them provide secure online payment.
All the respondents are transforming at least one aspect of the place dimension at a low level of sophistication while 63 (72.4%) more than half of the hotels have transformed high sophisticated aspects of place dimension.
5.2.4 Transformation of Promotion
Table 5.9 Frequency, percentage of promotion dimension
-
Variable Name
|
Responses
|
Percent of Cases
|
% of Respondent
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Responses (a)
|
TPromo1L
|
52
|
58.4%
|
98.1%
|
59.8%
|
|
TPromo2L
|
16
|
18.0%
|
30.2%
|
18.4%
|
|
TPromo3H
|
16
|
18.0%
|
30.2%
|
18.4%
|
|
TPromo4H
|
5
|
5.6%
|
9.4%
|
5.7%
|
Total
|
89
|
100.0%
|
167.9%
|
92.3%
|
A dichotomy group tabulated at value 1. Source: Field Data 2011
Table 5.9 shows responses of the surveyed hotels on aspects of the promotion dimension, 52 (59.8%) out of the total respondents are engaged in online advertising (TPromo1L) which also forms 98.1% of all the cases in the promotion dimension. 16 (18.4%) of respondents uses their web sites to offer sales promotion (TPromo2L) as well as customizes promotion depending on their guest profile (TPromo3H). 5 (5.7%) of the respondents links with other organizations to offer online promotion.
Again most of the respondents (98.1%) are engaged in transformation of promotion dimension at low level sophistication. 18.4% of the respondents have transformed high sophisticated aspects of promotion dimension.
5.2.5 Transformation of Customer Relations
Table 5.10 Frequency, percentages of customer relation dimension
-
Variable Name
|
Responses
|
Percent of Cases
|
% of Respondent
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Responses (a)
|
CR1H
|
36
|
33.0%
|
87.8%
|
41.4%
|
|
CR2H
|
9
|
8.3%
|
22.0%
|
10.3%
|
|
CR3H
|
17
|
15.6%
|
41.5%
|
19.5%
|
|
CR4H
|
13
|
11.9%
|
31.7%
|
14.9%
|
|
CR5H
|
34
|
31.2%
|
82.9%
|
39.1%
|
Total
|
109
|
100.0%
|
265.9%
|
125.2%
|
A dichotomy group tabulated at value 1. Source: Field Data 2011
Table 5.10 shows the responses of the surveyed hotels along the five aspects that make up the customer relation dimension. 36 (41.4%) of the respondents use the internet to provide customer service (CR1H). 17 (19.5%) out of the total respondents have websites that provide online communication with customers (CR3H). 34 (39.1%) of the respondents from the survey solicit feedback from customers (CR5H) by the use of the hotel website. 13 (14.9%) of respondents have created online communities for customers (CR4H) while only 9 respondents use the internet to identify and track customers online with the aimed of providing customized services (CR2H)
The customer relation dimension showed the least positive responses in all the 5 aspects within that dimension. This may be because all the aspects within that dimension are of high sophistication and they require the use of advanced internet tools and as well as commitment from management.
5.3 Dimension of Hotels’ Internet Marketing Mix and their Degree of Transformation
In this section to be able to further answer research question two, three, four and five. The level of sophistication/degree of transformation as well as the number of the dimensions of the surveyed hotels along the internet marketing mix is analyzed.
As indicated in Data Analysis of Chapter Four, the degree of transformation of a dimension is calculated using the frequency of each of the aspects within the dimensions. The transformation degree of each aspect and the overall transformation degree of a dimension as show in table 5.11 is calculated using the formula below:
Transformation Degree of a Dimension (%) =
|