Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 1

Running head: GAP ANALYSIS: HUFFMAN TRUCKING

Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking

Terri Gilbert

University of Phoenix

May 3, 2010
 Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 2

Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking

Marketing in the 21st century face complex and unstable markets, more demanding and

sophisticated customers, increased competition from multiple sources, various channels because

of the Internet marketing, new technologies influence on product obsolescence, and radical shifts

in buyer-seller relationships. The development of innovative marketing strategies to profit under

these conditions creates a shift from promotion of products to products with superior service.

Companies are making organizational changes to increase employees’ awareness and

empowerment in customer relationships to create a competitive advantage. Huffman Trucking is

one of these companies with a goal to develop marketing strategies that integrate awareness of

customer value to increase profits and create a competitive advantage. This paper reveals the gap

analysis of the company’s present status and methods necessary to achieve the company’s goals.
 Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 3

Situation Analysis

Issue and Opportunity Identification

Huffman Trucking provides freight carrier services. The CEO, Phil Huffman is not happy

with the stable company growth and wants a competitive advantage within the industry

(University of Phoenix, 2010). The company has the opportunity to implement a customer

centricity system. However, customer value needs to integrate throughout the company. Huffman

Trucking has the opportunity to create an internal marketing culture to increase customer value

and purchasing decisions.

Huffman needs to develop methods to integrate market concepts throughout the

company. The company has the opportunity to use a market orientation to focus on bringing

awareness to the workforce. The marketing department has the responsibility of establishing an

internal marketing and needs a way reinforce positive customer relations to departments and

investigate the factors that influence an internal marketing culture. Huffman Trucking has the

opportunity to become the center of the organization to have access to key stakeholders,

departments, and environmental forces that influence an internal marketing culture. The

company needs to measure how the workforce embraces the internal marketing and has an

opportunity to use various metric methods.

 Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 4

Stakeholder Perspectives/Ethical Dilemmas

Huffman Trucking has several stakeholders affected by creation of a customer-centric

marketing system. Management has an interest in company growth and increased profits by

induction of the customer-centric system. The management group has the right as decision-

makers to achieve a competitive advantage. Management values self-welfare, accountability,

integrity, and respect. An ethical dilemma would be if profits do not increase and managers

resort to unethical tactics to increase profits.

The employees have an interest in retaining employment and have a right to open

communication to increase support of an internal marketing culture. Employees’ values include

honesty, trust, respect, and self-welfare. Employees’ ethical dilemma may be if the company

uses unethical marketing practices that are against the staff’s values.

Customers are stakeholders with an interest in buying products that include exceptional

service. The customers have a right to quality products and services and value fairness, honesty,

trust, accountability, and satisfying demand. An ethical dilemma could result in poor quality in

products and services that could determine if customers switch to other competitors.
 Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 5

End-State Vision

Huffman Trucking workforce integration into an internal marketing culture accelerates

the company’s growth and exceeds competitors in the industry. The employees have high

motivation and are customer-driven. The marketing department is the hub of the organization

and provides market concepts through a market orientation system that increase customer

satisfaction and loyalty up to 80%. The internal training, seminars and communication channels

improvement of department interrelationships and workforce team skills by 90% by using a

characteristic department checklist to determine embracement of the internal market culture. The

customer base growth is up 30% and revenues increased by 20% annually. Huffman Trucking

successful internal marketing culture article in Business Week help to increase the customer

base. Emerald journal publish a study performed by academics about how the internal marketing

culture implementation. Huffman Trucking has achieved a competitive advantage that ranks

them in the top five of the industry.

 Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 6

Gap Analysis

Huffman Trucking CEO, Phil Huffman, wants to achieve a competitive advantage and

has decided to implement a customer-centric philosophy to attract and retain customers

(University of Phoenix, 2010). Customer-centricity places customers at the center of a company

and considers how strategic decisions affect customer purchasing decisions (University of

Phoenix, 2010). Customers purchase decision use to focus only on the product (Kotler & Keller,

2006). Currently, customers have shifted to a demand for products and exceptional services

(Kotler & Keller, 2006). Customers evaluate offerings by experiences and expectations and the

reliability, tangibility, responsiveness, assurance, and care provided by companies (Kotler &

Keller, 2006). To increase consumer purchase using a customer-centric philosophy, the company

must integrate an internal marketing culture throughout the organization.

Huffman Trucking has many divisions, including a marketing department. According to

Kotler and Keller (2006), marketing “… is an organizational function and a set of processes for

creating, communicating, and delivering value to customers and for managing customer

relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders” (p. 8). Huffman Trucking

marketing department has to integrate awareness of the value of customer relationships through

the development of an internal marketing culture. Internal marketing focuses on employees’

perceptions, skills and commitment to meet customer expectations and retain customer loyalty

(Kotler & Keller, 2006). The marketing department needs to bring awareness of the value of

customer relationships to the entire workforce and how an internal marketing culture satisfies

customer needs (Kotler & Keller, 2006).

 Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 7

Huffman Trucking marketing department needs to implement marketing concepts using a

market orientation. According to Kotler and Keller (2006), a market orientation focus is 1)

constant data collection of customer demand; 2) share information with department; and 3) use

the information to increase customer relationships and value the data to develop customer value.

Market orientation should integrate within the divisions to raise awareness of marketing

activities; increase the visibility of the marketing department internally; make use of a common

customer base; contribute to the diversification into different market sectors; and demonstrate

employees’ integration to become a multi-discipline workforce (Brown & Norris, 2006). To

bring awareness of customer value, the marketing department must analyze the factors that

influence an internal marketing culture.

Huffman Trucking marketing department must be aware of factors that may influence an

internal marketing culture. Marketing must consider how divisions such as research and

development, human resources, information systems, fiancé and manufacturing influence an

internal marketing culture and how to persuade these divisions to incorporate marketing concepts

in daily operations (Kerin, Hartley, Berkowitz, & Rudelius, 2005). The marketing department

must facilitate relationships with alliances, shareholders (owners), suppliers, and customers.

External forces that influence an internal marketing culture are social, economic, technologic,

competition, and regulatory laws (Kerin, Hartley, Berkowitz, & Rudelius, 2005). Huffman

Trucking needs to organize the marketing department to enable the company to respond faster to

constant changes in the environment.

Huffman Trucking marketing department needs to become the hub-and-spoke of the

organization. A hub-and-spoke system would put the marketing division at the center of the

organization and tentacles to the different departments (Kotler & Keller, 2006). Marketing as the
 Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 8

hub would help to establish better interdepartmental relations to overcome rivalries and distrust

(Kotler & Keller, 2006). The marketing department could become a corporate-divisional

organization and use three top-down activities to create an internal marketing culture (Kotler &

Keller, 2006). The three top-down activities are 1) promoting a culture of customer focus and

acting as advocates for the customer, 2) analyzing customer needs and wants and the competition

for an accurate assessment of market attractiveness, and 3) developing value, the vision, and

communicating how the company will delivery excellent value. The three top-down activities

help departments “… to “think customer” and “work together to satisfy customer needs and

expectations … [driven] by the marketing department” (Kotler & Keller, 2006, p. 703). The

internal marketing culture implementation should be the responsibility of the marketing

departments along with methods to measure the effectiveness of the culture in the various

departments.

To create an internal marketing culture, the marketing department needs to bring

awareness to the workforce. Raising awareness of customer value can be done by using internal

seminars that outline marketing concepts and strategies to attract and retain customers; continue

improvement of internal market integration, employee training classes, promotional events, and

the use of internal intranet (e.g. e-mails, links, chat rooms, and marketing message posts) to

reinforce customer value. The marketing communication channels would reinforce customer

value throughout the organization.

Evaluation of how Huffman Trucking departments embrace the importance of customer-

driven relationships measurement is by devising a marketing checklist with specific

characteristics to show how well the internal marketing culture integrates throughout the

company (Kotler & Keller, 2006). An example of a division’s characteristics is Research and
 Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 9

Development (RD). The checklist would include information such as if the division allots time to

meet and listen to customer problems; interact with other internal divisions and benchmark to

create innovative products and services (Kotler & Keller, 2006). Another way to measure the

internal marketing culture performance is to evaluate the success of the integration through the

performance of internal seminars deliverance of marketing concepts, and reinforcement of

customer relationships. Measurement should include the performance of sharing information,

research and other valuable data to reinforce customer relationships, and increased prominence

by marketing as the leader of developing internal training and development programs. The

implementation of an internal marketing culture is the first step needed toward developing a

customer-centric philosophy that will create value and give Huffman Trucking a competitive

advantage.
 Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 10

Conclusion

Huffman Trucking has the opportunity to close the gap between the company’s current

state and what is necessary to implement a customer-centric philosophy. The marketing

department needs to integrate marketing concepts to the departments to create an internal

marketing culture. Assistance in providing an internal marketing culture is by understanding

customer relationships, market orientation, and becoming the center of the organization to create

customer value. The internal marketing culture integration is through intranet, seminars, and

meetings, training, and development programs. Metrics are necessary and using a departmental

characteristic checklist and evaluating integration processes provides ways to measure how the

workforce embraces the culture. Huffman Trucking can become a leader in the industry with a

competitive advantage by using the suggested practices and methods.

 Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 11

References

Brown, M. and Norris P. (2006). Internal marketing communications. Retrieved April 28, 2010

from www.engsc.ac.uk/downloads/InternalMarketingCommunications.pdf.

Kerin, R. A., Hartley, S. W., Berkowitz, E.N., Rudelius, W. (2006). Marketing 8th Ed. New York,

NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies.

Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2006). Marketing Management (12th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:

Prentice Hall.
 Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 12

Table 1

Issue and Opportunity Identification

Issue Opportunity Reference to Concept

Specific
Course Concept
(Include citation)
The CEO, Phil Huffman is not happy Huffman “Customer- Customer-

with the stable company growth and Trucking has centricity focuses centricity

wants a competitive advantage within the on placing the

the industry (University of Phoenix, opportunity to customer at the

2010). implement a center of the

customer- organization, and

centricity considering the

system. impact on the

customer when

making major

business decisions”

(University of

Phoenix, 2010,

p.1)

Huffman Trucking needs to integrate Huffman “Internal marketing Internal

the value of customer relationships Trucking has is based on the marketing

throughout the company the notion that a

opportunity to service

create an organization must

 Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 13

internal focus on its

marketing employees, or

culture to internal market,

increase before successful

customer programs can be

value and directed at

purchasing customers” (Kerin,

decisions Hartley, Berkowitz

& Rudelius, 2005,

p. 327).
Huffman Trucking needs to develop The company “An organization Market

methods to integrate market concepts has the that has a market orientation

throughout the company. opportunity to orientation focuses

use a market its efforts on (1)

orientation to continuously

focus on collecting

brining information about

awareness of customers’ needs,

the workforce (2) sharing this

information across

departments, and

(3) using it to

create customer

value” (Kerin,
 Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 14

Hartley, Berkowitz

& Rudelius, 20005,

p. 20).
The marketing department has the The company A hub-and-spoke Hub-and-

responsibility of establishing an has the system would put spoke

internal marketing and needs a way opportunity to the marketing system

reinforce positive customer relations to become the division at the

departments and investigate the factors center of the center of the

that influence an internal marketing organization organization and

culture to access key the “…spokes

stakeholders, emanating out to

departments, various

and department”

environmental (Kotler & Keller,

forces that 2006,

influence an p. 22).

internal

marketing

culture

The company needs to measure how the Huffman A marketing Marketing

workforce embraces the internal Trucking has checklist with checklist

 Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 15

marketing culture the specific

opportunity to characteristics to

design show how well the

methods to internal marketing

measure the culture integrates

effectiveness throughout the

of how company (Kotler &

departments Keller, 2006).

embrace the

internal

marketing

culture
 Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 16

Table 2

Stakeholder Perspectives

Stakeholder Perspectives

Stakeholder Groups The Interests, Rights, and

Values of Each Group

Management Management has an interest in company growth

and increased profits by induction of the

customer-centric system. The management group

has the right as decision-makers to achieve a

competitive advantage. Management values self-

welfare, accountability, integrity, and respect. An

ethical dilemma would be if profits do not

increase and managers resort to unethical tactics

to increase profits.
Employees The employees have an interest in retaining

employment and have a right to open

communication to increase support of an internal

marketing culture. Employees’ values include

honesty, trust, respect, and self-welfare.

Employees’ ethical dilemma may be if the

company uses unethical marketing practices that

are against the staff’s values.

Customers Customers are stakeholders with an interest in

buying products that include exceptional service.

 Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 17

The customers have a right to quality products

and services and value fairness, honesty, trust,

accountability, and satisfying demand

 Gap Analysis: Huffman Trucking 18

Table 3

End State Goals

End-State Goals
Huffman Trucking workforce integration into an internal marketing culture accelerates the

company’s growth and exceeds competitors in the industry. The employees have high motivation

and are customer-driven

The marketing department is the hub of the organization and provides market concepts through a

market orientation system that increase customer satisfaction and loyalty up to 80%.
The internal training, seminars and communication channels improvement of department

interrelationships and workforce team skills by 90% by using a characteristic department

checklist to determine embracement of the internal market culture.

The customer base growth is up 30% and revenues increased by 20% annually. Huffman

Trucking successful internal marketing culture article in Business Week help to increase the

customer base.
Emerald journal publish a study performed by academics about how the internal marketing

culture implementation. Huffman Trucking has achieved a competitive advantage that ranks them

in the top five of the industry.