Determinação do posicionamento B2B

: Decflex Sodeca Group

Abstract

The scope of this work project is to determine the B2B positioning within HVAC markets. The first phase required a deep information collection to better understand the concept of Positioning, and which are the key factors for a company to achieve the right positioning. Other important concepts were also covered for this study, such as segmentation, consumer perceptions, competitive advantages and key success factors. When all together, these concepts allow us to better analyze and determine the best positioning strategy for a company. In this project, we studied a company called Decflex Sodeca Group. The main goal was to comprehend what is it current positioning vis-à-vis certain attributes like quality, price, delivery time, customer service, after-sale service, transportation, flexibility and finally how customers from the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) sector evaluate this company. We started by conducting an exploratory quantitative study where a questionnaire was developed and distributed respectively to 120 (one hundred and twenty) customers in this sector. This survey made it possible to understand not only how respondents relate Decflex Sodeca Group with its competition, but also what is their opinion relatively to other companies in the industry. Simultaneously, it was given to the same respondents an inquiry (which they had to fill at the store), with only three comparative questions. Through scales they had to compare Decflex with other companies that operate in the same sector. The last part of the study was a direct competitive analysis. With the outcome it was possible to delineate a positioning map, revealing the position of Decflex Sodeca Group in relation to its competitors. ix The final results indicate that among the attributes presented, Price, Quality and Customer Service are the most important for Decflex. Therefore the company should invest in them in order to reach a strategic positioning and gain competitive advantages. These findings confirm what was first presented in the literature review regarding the importance of clients’ perceptions so that a company is able to offer exactly what the market is looking for, and achieve the right positioning in the minds of consumers. Finally, the results of this case study allowed us to define a set of suggestions for the company, which is currently being restructured and going through a phase of image transition, choosing a clear and distinctive position with a strong competitive advantage.

Date of Award	1 Sept 2015
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Susana Regina Bacelar de Vasconcelos Marques (Supervisor)