An exploratory study of marketing activities employed by Irish Epos Software Development companies

Abstract

The focus of this research is on the marketing activities employed by Irish Epos software development companies. Epos stands for Electronic point of sale which is another name for a computerised till system. It assists in the management of a retail or hospitality business and can perform many functions such as stock control, sales analysis etc. Such a study is important to understand what message Epos Solution providers wish to communicate and how they are going to communicate it. This area of research has been chosen as the researcher has worked in the Irish Epos sector for nearly seven years and there have been no previous studies conducted on this area before. Innovative technology such as SAAS will mean that traditional epos software companies must implement drastic change to their marketing approach in order to survive. There are many different marketing tools available, however, it is essential that the tool chosen is appropriate and delivers results. An organisation can have various marketing objectives which are dependent on the stage of the product lifecycle. Objectives range from educating the market, brand building and generating sales. The research approach taken was mixed methods which include qualitative and quantitative data collected from Epos Solution Providers and Epos Solution Buyers in the form of a self-completed online questionnaire with a follow up interview by phone. This is further enhanced with commentary based on secondary research of SAAS Solution providers to gain a holistic view of the entire marketplace. A comprehensive literature review was also conducted in order to gain an academic appreciation of the various issues surrounding this subject area. The main findings from the research provide evidence that 1. Solution buyers turn to their fellow colleagues the most for advice on Epos solutions; 2. While traditional solution providers are using appropriate marketing communications, they are ignoring the digital aspect; 3. Implementing a selection of Marketing Metrics will enable solution providers to properly evaluate their Marcoms and adjust their strategies accordingly. Future direction for research projects are put forward.