Information technology has been revolutionising marketing operations. Telemarketing has brought about a significant change in the technique of communication with customers and in procurement and processing of orders. The revolutionary changes being ushered in by, the internet is indeed exciting.
• The revolutionary changes in the information technology are sweeping across global business. Developments
in telecommunications and information technologies have cut down the barriers of time and place in doing
business. It is now possible for customers and suppliers to transact business at any time in any pan of the globe,
without having to come together physically, thanks to the developments in optical fibre technology, videophone
and teleconferencing facilities. The net has changed the face and pace of business to business marketing and
retailing.
• Effective use of information technology helps a company identify and profile customers, reach out to customers
quickly and effectively, and make inventory management and distribution system more efficient.
Telemarketing
One of the recent developments even in developing countries is telemarketing. Telemarketing refers to the use of
modern telecommunications technology such as telephone, facsimile (fax), television, computer and internet for
marketing interaction between buyers and sellers.
Telemarketing has grown in popularity because of the convenience it provides and the savings in cost and time
to the buyer and seller. Telemarketing is a very convenient and cost-effective way of personal selling in many
situations.
For consumers, placing routine orders or orders for standardised products, telemarketing saves them the drudgery
and time and cost of going to the shop. This also facilitates easy information gathering for the purchase decision
making. For companies, it saves the costs involved in storage and display. Telemarketing progressed rapidly
with the advances in information technology substantially altering the modus operandi of marketing. Needless
to add, it has revolutionised international marketing. It is now easy to identify and profile customers or suppliers
across the globe. This has given global competition a new dimension.
Internet and E-business
There has been an explosive growth in the use of internet and e-commerce worldwide. Between 1993 and 1997,
the number of internet hosts (computer connected to the internet) grew from 1 million to 20 million; by 2001 that
figure is expected to rise to 120 million.
Many types of business - grocery to modelling and placement services - are
increasingly using the net. The net gives abundance of opportunities to people with imagination and innovative
ideas. A great advantage of the net is getting into a business - both traditional and innovative quickly with
lower cost and with wide reach. But the net is still an unchartered territory with opportunities, surprises, ideas
and traps at every corner, Many with innovative ideas or entrepreneurial skills have become entrepreneurs and
splendid opportunities await many more.
E-commerce is becoming more popular in business to business marketing. As an international trade centre
(ITC) publication points out, using the net to lower communications costs and reduce time-to-market for goods
and services makes it a very valuable medium for firms engaged in international trade. Its ability to deliver
information of almost any sort in digital format at low cost offers significant efficiencies that firms can pass on
to customers in the form of lower prices. It can also help to manage supply chains for goods and services in
cross-border trade, cutting overheads associated with logistics.
