Career Connections: Customer Relationships and Satisfaction Essay Example

just one store in Austin, Texas, the organization has now expanded to 447 stores in the US and the UK(Whole Foods Market IP. L.P., 2016).

Market Segmentation within the Industry

In the organic and natural food industry, there is a focus on providing top-quality products and experiences to individuals who are unable to grow their own due to financial limitations or those who desire a variety of options (Huddleston et al., 2009). The industry primarily targets consumers who prioritize a healthy lifestyle and has been influenced by advancements in health.

The organic and natural food market has experienced growth due to the health conscious movement. Whole Foods Market targets customers who value their health and seek simplicity, cultural expectations, and high quality. The authors emphasize that there is a cultural desire for healthier eating habits, which social media has intensified by constantly showcasing our lives.

Whole Foods Market differentiates itself from other retailers by offering high-quality natural foods at lower prices. They provide competitive prices, online ordering, and a wide range of additive-free products. What makes Whole Foods Market unique is their emphasis on establishing relationships with local suppliers of organic and natural food instead of solely relying on well-known brands. This attracts both young and older adults who prioritize a healthy diet. By fostering a cooperative relationship between customers and the brands they carry, Whole Foods Market has created a market segment that caters to their customers' needs (Dimitri ; Oberholtzer, 2009).

Company Characteristics:

In addition to its market segmentation strategy, Whole Foods Market appeals to a broad demographic that includes millennials to baby boomers.

Whole Foods Market appeals to a wide range of consumers, including both young and older adults

who prioritize healthier eating habits. The company also targets individuals who value choice and support local suppliers. Even teenagers are attracted to Whole Foods Market.

Psychographic

The beliefs and values of Whole Foods Market's target consumers revolve around the importance they place on sourcing high-quality organic meat and produce in their lives. According to the Organic Trade Association (2016), the organic industry has experienced significant growth, with total sales of organic products reaching $43.3 billion, marking its largest increase ever. In 2015 alone, there was a $4.2 billion rise in sales compared to 2014 ($3.9 billion). This industry has consistently maintained double-digit growth at a rate of 10.8% for the past four years, while the general food market had a growth rate of only 3.3% in 2015.

Furthermore, research shows that 78 percent of organic buyers typically purchase their organic foods at traditional food stores or grocery stores (Batte et al., 2007). Over half also shop for organic products at "big box" stores, and approximately 30 percent regularly buy organic items from warehouse clubs across the country (Dimitri & Oberholtzer, 2009).

The increase in organic purchasing households among African American and Hispanic families emphasizes the significance of healthy eating for the well-being of the entire family.

With 447 locations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and global shipping, Whole Foods Market's geographic demographics are likely to be concentrated in metropolitan and densely populated areas due to their product nature.

Whole Foods Market is committed to offering customers high-quality products and an exceptional shopping experience. They prioritize quality as their primary concern. Customers have come to believe that it is possible to maintain a healthier diet without having to pay

excessively high prices.

Local suppliers nationwide are adopting these practices to meet the demand for organic meats and produce.

Whole Foods Market is positioning itself as an innovative leader in its marketing efforts, introducing customers to healthy organic food products. Additionally, they offer dissatisfied customers a money-back guarantee (Landes, 1997).

Whole Foods Market, a supermarket chain with 447 stores, is attracting customers by providing a diverse selection of affordable natural products. They focus on offering high-quality items at competitive prices and are not your typical organic and natural food store. This success can be credited to the founders' marketing approach that emphasizes establishing strong and transparent connections (Johnston, J., & Szabo, 2011). The founders not only committed their business to offering customers excellent products but also to promoting a sustainable and healthier world.

Whole Foods Market (2016) envisions a future world that values human diversity, creativity, and individual choices (Johnston, 2008). They advocate for organizations prioritizing both human and material resources while preserving the integrity of individuals and the planet's ecosystems. They also emphasize the importance of accountability from organizations, governments, and foundations. Additionally, they stress that every action has consequences but believe that through strategic planning, hard work, and adaptability, any problem can be overcome. In this future world, education will be emphasized to promote the exchange of ideas among an informed population. Whole Foods Market is already taking steps towards implementing this vision by reevaluating the relationship between food supply, human wellness, and the environment.

One approach for evaluating customer satisfaction and loyalty is to conduct a survey that includes a series of questions aimed at gauging their level of satisfaction. These questions might consist of:

• An exceptional value. It is worth more than what you paid.
• A good value. Worth what you paid.
A diminished value. Worth less than what you paid.

This example demonstrates the types of questions that can be utilized to assess the overall performance of a company and analyze the effectiveness of its strategies and plans.

The outcomes and information gathered can be used to develop more effective and efficient strategy and plans that will serve as the foundation of the organization's success.

References

• Organic Trade Association. (2016). Market Analysis. Retrieved from http://ota.com/resources/market-analysis
• Whole Foods Market. (2016). Company Info. Retrieved from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/company-info
• Johnston, J. (2008). The citizen-consumer hybrid: ideological tensions and the case of Whole Foods Market. Theory and Society, 37(3), 229-270.
• Johnston, J., ; Szabo, M.

(2011). "Reflexivity and the Whole Foods Market consumer: the lived experience of shopping for change." Agriculture and Human Values, 28(3), 303-319.


• Huddleston, P., Whipple, J., Nye Mattick, R., & Jung Lee, S. (2009). "Customer satisfaction in food retailing: comparing specialty and conventional grocery stores."

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 37(1), 63-80.

• Dimitri, C., & Oberholtzer, L. (2009). Marketing US organic foods: Recent trends from farms to consumers (No. 58). DIANE Publishing.
• Batte, M. T., Hooker, N.

H., Haab, T. C., & Beaverson, J. (2007). Putting their money

where their mouths are: Consumer willingness to pay for multi-ingredient, processed organic food products. Food policy, 32(2), 145-159. Landes, P.

(1997). Market report: Whole Foods magazine’s 2nd annual herb market survey or US health food stores. HerbalGram, 40, 52.