Marketing Research
Modular Buildings from Portakabin
For over 45 years, Portakabin has been producing modular
buildings that can be constructed quickly and simply. The
business was founded in 1961 by Donald Shepherd. He
believed in innovation and development to meet the varying
needs of a wide range of different customers. It is this flexibility
and attention to the customer that ensures Portakabin is a
leader in the field with 17% of the UK market for modular
buildings.
The Portakabin brand is synonymous with the concept of
modular and portable buildings and has become a household
name. Portakabin has a wide range of products. These are
designed to meet the needs of a wide range of different
customers. The business designs and creates accommodation
solutions for anything from one to up to 1,000 people. The
company employs 1,300 people throughout the UK and
Europe. The business is set up to ensure a rapid response and
a comprehensive support service for all its customers.
Portakabin has a broad customer base with complex and
diverse needs. Examples of its typical customers include:
• growing businesses that do not want to relocate choose to
add a Portakabin modular office to existing space
• doctors’ surgeries or childcare centres which need
specialised features, such as easy-clean surfaces or childlevel
windows
• schools that have a temporary growth in numbers or are in
the process of having new buildings constructed. They
need modular buildings to house students whilst such
changes are taking place.
Whatever the reason, the accommodation Portakabin provides
must be safe, comfortable and pleasant for people to use. Its
products are flexible, attractive and provide solutions for all of
its customers’ needs. Businesses seeking to purchase or hire
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state-of-the-art modular buildings have several key
requirements. The buildings must be:
• quality products that will provide both employees and
customers with a healthy and pleasing work environment
• completed on time
• within the designated budget.
The market for Portakabin
Portakabin operates in a very competitive market. In order to
maintain its leading edge it must:
a) deliver exactly what existing customers want
b) ensure that when their needs change it will be able to
provide them with a new solution
c) continue to attract new customers.
Portakabin adds value to the service it offers its customers by
providing a ‘one stop shop’ service. This means it helps the
customer to obtain planning permission and design the layout
of the building. Portakabin advises customers on hiring the right
furniture for the buildings. This furniture has to be suitable for
the clients’ needs and the building.
Adding value
Portakabin is aware that customers’ needs will change as
technology develops or their businesses grow or change
direction. Portakabin also includes as part of this package extra
business solutions. These include features such as climate
control, fire and security systems. This extra support ensures
that companies have complete peace of mind when hiring or
buying a Portakabin building, with all these features and
benefits available from the Portakabin network. It is essential
that Portakabin carries out extensive market research
continually. This ensures that it stays ahead of its competitors
in developing new and innovative ideas.
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Primary and secondary market research
Customers’ needs for accommodation change because of
many factors. The main factors are changes in new technology,
demands of health and safety, stricter legislation and the need
to respond to different working patterns. Businesses have to
find solutions quickly to keep up to date. They also need to
allow for further changes in the future. Portakabin has to be
able to understand and respond to these changing needs to
remain competitive.
In order to do this, Portakabin is committed to ongoing and indepth
market research. This provides two main benefits:
? Portakabin understands what existing and future
customers want
? Portakabin can put in place new product development and
added-value services to meet customers’ needs.
Primary and secondary research
There are two main types of market research. Both involve the
collection of data that is used to find out about customers’
needs and buying habits. Primary research is data collected in
the field, directly from the customer. Secondary research is
data that already exists or may have been collected for another
purpose. This can be used to back up primary research.
Qualitative and quantitative data
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The data collected may be qualitative. This means that facts,
feelings and opinions are collected. This type of information
helps to develop new products that customers want. It also
ensures that customers are satisfied with the service they have
received.
Other data may be quantitative. This focuses on statistics and
figures. These provide a business with information that can be
represented in a table, graph or a chart.
Primary research at Portakabin
Research into aspects of the work environment is important for
Portakabin. It needs to ensure that its products and services
meet the diverse and changing needs of customers. Portakabin
is aware that the customers who buy or hire its buildings have
employees and customers of their own. It must ensure that the
people who use or work in the buildings have a high level of
satisfaction. Recent research has shown that if the work
environment is good, employees are more likely to be
productive. This is very important for the companies who buy
Portakabin products.
To be successful in its research Portakabin has to find effective
ways of extracting accurate information. This particularly
applies to the sales process. There are several ways for
Portakabin to obtain primary research from its customers or
their staff. The sales team regularly collects information through
discussions with existing and potential customers. Portakabin
uses focus groups to find out how the working environment
affects workers’ performance and productivity. These results
have been used to assess user views and develop new
products and services. Portakabin regularly use surveys to
extract quantitative data. This has helped to discover why
customers chose Portakabin over its competitors. The results of
these surveys showed that the majority of customers welcomed
the unique Portakabin offers of both high-quality buildings and
extensive service support to provide them with peace of mind
when ordering a building.
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Secondary research at Portakabin
Secondary research has helped Portakabin to create new
products that ensure a productive and engaged workforce. This
gives them a competitive edge. The company used the results
of a recent Gallup Management Journal survey of U.S.
employees to help them to design and produce two new
buildings called the Ultima Vision building and the Portakabin
Solus building.
Using secondary research
The survey looked at which aspects of the work environment
had most impact on improving employee performance. It
produced data on how employees reacted to their working
environment and found three types of employee.
Secondary research has reported that 66% of British workers
feel the quality of the working environment is important. The
Gallup survey also reported that:
• 28% of people were unable to see outdoors from their
work space – these employees are 86% more likely to be
unhappy and disengaged at work
• 23% felt that the work area temperature was
uncomfortable these employees are only half as likely to
be ‘engaged’
• 33% said that noise disturbed their work these employees
are four times more likely to be disengaged.
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Other secondary research has reported that 66% of British
workers feel the quality of the working environment is
important. Employees stated that this is one of the most
important factors in providing job satisfaction and career
contentment. It suggests that natural lighting influences human
performance in the work environment. The study further
suggests that it is more satisfying to work in a modular or
portable building that has the appearance of being permanent.
This is very important for Portakabin to know and respond to.
The conclusion from this research is that improvements to the
natural lighting and the interior and exterior appearance of the
workspace can increase employee satisfaction and business
productivity. This type of quantitative data has provided an
opportunity for Portakabin to design solutions to clients’ needs.
It has consequently provided buildings that contribute to a
happier and more productive workforce.
Product development
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Ongoing primary research examining customer satisfaction has
provided Portakabin with a wealth of information. Developing
effective services for its customers to meet their key needs
means it remains market leader. Research into the effect of the
environment on workforce productivity and satisfaction has
enabled Portakabin to offer further added-value options in its
product range. Portakabin uses a number of processes to
ensure that it can deliver high levels of service and high quality
products. These include:
? research and development of new product ideas and
added-value solutions
? effective strategies for marketing and sales aimed at
specific market segments
? quality assurance and quality control procedures to ensure
a high level of service and product quality
? assessing reliability of suppliers and levels of service to
ensure that materials and supplies arrive on time and to a
high level of quality.Using research results to develop
products
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Portakabin has used the data obtained from the market
research to develop two new products to meet customers’
needs. The buildings have features that take account of the
research findings. These include temperature control facilities
and more glazing, allowing more natural light into the building.
The original concept of a modular building remains the
same.The added features are product extensions. These add
value at a cost that is acceptable to the customer and does not
compromise the company’s ability to make a profit. For
example, Ultima Vision has one wall that is fully glazed. This
gives it a more contemporary appearance and provides a
pleasant working environment with more natural light. The other
new product, Portakabin Solus, has large architecturally
designed windows and doors to ensure maximum light. The
building also complies with disability and health and safety
regulations. The materials and design have taken into account
many of the findings of the Gallup research. This provides
pleasing working conditions. These contribute towards the
creation of a happier and more productive workforce.
Conclusion
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One aim of Portakabin is to maintain its position as the leading
manufacturer of modular buildings in the UK. To achieve this
Portakabin needs to deliver the right service and products to its
customers. This requires that it is aware of the changing nature
of its customers’ needs and responds to them in a cost effective
and innovative way.
Portakabin pays keen attention to creating new product ideas.
This has helped it to meet its own high standards and to ensure
that customers remain loyal. Using market research into the
needs and profiles of their customers has proved successful.
Portakabin uses research to understand the needs of its direct
customers who buy its products. It regularly investigates the
requirements of the end users of those products, the people
who use or work in the buildings. As a result, sales of the new
Portakabin Solus and Ultima Vision ranges continue to grow. Its
buildings and solutions meet the ever-changing demands of
business customers, their employees and their wider
stakeholders. As a result it has maintained its position as
market leader in the UK.
Answer and be prepared to discuss the following points:
• How have Portakabin used MR to develop their market
position?
• How could MR data be leveraged by R&D at Portakabin to
develop products?
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• How would working conditions in the UK impact on
Portakabin sales?
• What competitive advantage could Portakabin achieve
through MR?
• Market research has helped Portakabin to remain at the
cutting edge. Discuss?
• Once new products are on the market is there a need for
market research and if so what could be done?
• What other types of client information could be obtained
for helping Portakabin shape their marketing strategy?